Apple Updates Suite of iWork Apps

  

Today, Apple updated its suite of iWork apps – Numbers, Pages and Keynote to version 1.7. These updates improve compatibility with comparable Microsoft and Mac products.

Numbers is a spreadsheet app that can create tables, charts, photos and graphics. This release improves compatibility with Microsoft Excel and Numbers for Mac.

Pages is a word processor that allows you to create, edit and view documents. This update improves compatibility with Microsoft Word and Pages for Mac.

Keynote is a powerful presentation app complete with animated charts and transitions. This update improves compatibility with Microsoft Powerpoint and Keynote for Mac.

Pages and Keynote – Remotely Access Your Files

Do you want to access, create and store your Pages, Numbers, Keynote and other documents with your iPad without syncing to iTunes? If you have a MobileMe account or access to any standard WebDAV server, you can. (you can also share your documents using Apple’s iWork.com which is still in BETA status.)

WebDAV (Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning) allows you to edit and manage files located on a remote server. By linking to a WebDAV location from your iPad app, you can easily copy, edit, and delete documents to and from a remote server or web service without having to sync with a cable with your computer.

Other apps may allow you to use services like Dropbox to store and access your files but, Apple does not currently have a direct way to link your Dropbox account for purposes of storing Pages and Keynote documents.

A prior post on using Dropbox with your iPad is here.

Apple has an article on using a WebDAV service, most of which appears below.

Link to a WebDAV server in your iWork for iPad app:

1. In the My Documents view, tap  and then tap “Copy to WebDAV.”
2. Enter the server address (web address or URL), your user name, and password into the appropriate fields.
3. Tap Sign In in the upper-right corner of the window.

After you’ve signed in to a WebDAV server, you can copy documents to and from the server without signing in again (see the instructions below for details). You’ll remain signed in to the server until you tap Sign Out in the upper-right corner of this same window.

You can sign in to a different WebDAV server by signing out of the current server and linking to another one.

Copy a document to a WebDAV server: 

1. In My Documents view, tap  to copy the document you’ve centered the view on.
2. Tap Copy to WebDAV, then tap the document format you want to export to: Pages, Microsoft Office, or PDF.
3. In the list of folders, tap the one in which you want to save the document. Tap Copy in the upper-right corner of the window.

Copy a document from a WebDAV server:

1. In My Documents view, tap .
2. Tap Copy from WebDAV. (If necessary, navigate to the document you want to copy by tapping the folder in which its located. If no files or folders are listed, the server is empty.)
3. Tap the name of the document you want to copy. The document downloads and opens in your iWork for iPad app.

Delete a file from a WebDAV server:

1. Access a list of files on a WebDAV server according to the instructions above.
2. Swipe your finger across the name of the file you want to delete.
3. Tap the Delete button that appears. You can’t delete folders this way, only files. This action can’t be undone.

Keynote and Pages Updated to 1.1

Today, Apple updated Keynote and Pages.

The Keynote update includes support for various languages, an enhanced back/front slider in the arrange panel and added the option to show additional alignment guides at small intervals.  There were various reliability and stability fixes as well.

The Pages update includes support for various languages, the availability of a toolbar in wide-screen landscape view and documents automatically fit to page in landscape view.

Download your updates now.

Early Keynote Review

This is an early and partial review of Keynote for the iPad.  This review is based on real world experience.  I was speaking on Persuasion and Technology in Nashville this past weekend to a group of lawyers.   I wanted to try out my new iPad.  I was ready.

The night before, I transferred my Keynote presentation from my MacBook Pro to the iPad.  I dismissed the warnings in Keynote about all fonts and transitions, etc. not being transported over.  I thought, as long as the fonts are readable and the transitions are basic, so what.

Then, as I instruct others to do, before giving any talk, rehearse.  I went to the conference room and began to practice.  iPad in hand, I began to flick through my presentation and talk out loud.  Things went well for the first 5 slides or so.  I was using the laser tool feature and all was well.

Press down and move your finger on the screen

Then, I must have touched the screen by accident because the slide advanced when I was not ready. No problem I thought, I’ll just scroll backwards…How do you do that?  Interestingly enough, it is the opposite of what I thought.  Instead of scrubbing to the left (backwards in my mind) I had to scrub to the right…(forward in my head).  When you do that, a white arrow pointing to the left appears…mmm…I’ll touch that to move backwards…Turns out, the arrow simply appears to let you know it is going backwards.

Moving Backwards

Ok…I will need to get used to that I thought.  I practiced going forward and backward a couple of slides a couple of more times.

Then, I thought where am I in my presentation?

There are no presenter notes like on my laptop. This is definitely another feature I would like to see ported over before I am comfortable using the iPad full time for presentations.

To navigate intrapresentation, if you touch the left of the screen, your slides pull up on the left, like a movie strip.  You can scrub up or down to see the various slides.  Select one to continue your presentation.  Pretty cool.

As I continued practicing my talk, suddenly…I was back at the home screen. Not the home screen of Keynote, but the home screen of the iPad.  Some transition of an object did not translate very well on the import and caused Keynote to crash.  I tried to figure it out and fix it.  No luck.  Hmmm…I thought.  Better not try this out just yet on an audience.

Separately, with the Dock Connector to VGA adapter and VGA cable attached to to the projector, it was not going to be easy to walk around ( like I like to do when I give my presentations).  Hopefully, someone will come out with a wireless fix so I can move around without being chained down.  Even a way to use my iPad as a presenter screen and have it talk to my MacBook Pro to run the presentation would be really cool.  There are a couple of apps that let you use your iPhone as a controller. Hopefully, something like that can help in the future too with the iPad if Keynote does not come up with a fix.

The next day, I did the presentation on my MacBook Pro.  All went flawlessly (from my point of view).

By the way, there is help available from within Keynote.  The only thing is, you need an internet connection to access the information.

Help for iWork Apps via the internet

The above thoughts and observations are for those who present regularly.  Right now, I would not be comfortable doing my presentation from my iPad.  I hope my real experience will let you know what to expect (and not to) before giving your first presentation on the new iPad Keynote program.  I can’t emphasize enough….practice with the device BEFORE you get up to give your talk.

Keynote’s Laser Pointer Tool

When presenting in Keynote from your iPad, instead of carrying around a laser pointer, use your finger.

The laser pointer tool in Keynote lets you accentuate your point with the effect of a laser light pointer, with a comet like trail.

To activate the pointer, touch and hold anywhere on your iPad screen.  A red-and-white point appears beneath your finger.  While holding your finger down, trace your finger to the point(s) you want to emphasize and the laser pointer follows.  Lift your finger to turn off the pointer and resume.