word processing on a tablet.

[D.B.er]

Hi. Does anyone have experience of creating formatting and editing word documents on a tablet, using a Bluetooth keyboard?
I am considering buying an android tablet for my daughter (she works in uk so it's impossible for me to go shopping with her as I live in Hong Kong). I think android would be preferable as she had been using Android phones for a few years.
She would need to be able to format. ..basically full or close to full word functionality if possible, and create power point presentations too.
I'm seeing conflicting reports when I search the Internet, that's why I would be very grateful to hear from actual users.
cheers
D.B.er

[Bushfiva]

It will work just fine as far as the hardware is concerned. Mouse, too. I've not come across an office-like editing product that has the full feature set of Office, though.

(I expect there will be an exception somewhere.)

[Thai Pom]

Look at a Microsoft "surface".

Cheers, TP

[perantau]

I have a Samsung Note Pro for on the go. At home, Bluetooth keyboard & mouse makes it my 'desktop' pc. There are Office suite-compatible software e.g Hancom available for Android, both free & for sale.

It's do-able :D

[Mac the Knife]

"It's do-able"

Indeed it is - but I'd rather have bowel surgery in the woods with a blunt stick...

Mac

:8

[ExXB]

iOS 8 has Word Processing; Spreadsheet; Presentation (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) software as free apps. No extra cost. iPad works well with Apple's wireless (bluetooth) keyboards and trackpads.

Saves docs in Microsoft formats if needed.

Microsoft Office is also available for iOS 8, but I have had no experience myself.

[ChickenHouse]

Don't know anything about the Android world, but on Apple iPad I am using a BT keyboard and either the Apple Office Suite (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) or Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). It is basic, yes, but now after AnyFont enables foreign fonts to be installed on iOS, it is now my most used device for processing these simple documents.

[Denti]

The iOS microsoft office suit is a severely crippled version of the full product. It can display most of the documents in full, it certainly cannot edit using all the features. It is OK for basic editing though.

Rather use a Surface or buy a small notebook instead. Personally i just bought the new Macbook, it is very overpriced but is a fully functional notebook at the same weight as an iPad 1.

[ExXB]

The Apple "Office Suite" is also available (free) with the purchase of an Apple computer. They integrate well with the iOS version.

How much does MS Office cost (believe it's an annual fee now)?

[Saab Dastard]

How much does MS Office cost (believe it's an annual fee now)?
If you want to buy it as a one-time standalone application you can do so, that's never changed.

The ability to buy a subscription to a cloud-provided service (such as Office 365 Personal) on a monthly or annual basis is another, fairly recent, choice.

SD

[Capn Bloggs]

If she wants to do serious WP or PPTing or Exceling, there is only one option: WINDOWS. I am fan of Android for all it's great apps which you just can't get on Windows, but while basic typing and saving in DOCX is doable (I do it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse using Documents To Go), I agree with the others: get a Surface or a small laptop with Windows. Pity the Surface is so expensive. There are other screen-removable Windows tablet hybrids.

As for Office on the ipad, it was actually a clever move by MS. The product was so bad (when I looked at Office 365 on ipad last year) there is no way in #$%^ you'd actually try to be productive with it! :) Quickest way to push somebody towards a Surface/other Windows tablet I know. Good move Bill (or whoever took over). :ok:

[Booglebox]

Pity the Surface is so expensive

Surface 2 is currently extremely cheap.

[Shandy52]

Have a look at Polaris Office, which is free, and covers text, slide, spreadsheet and wordprocessing documents, as well as reading PDF - essentially all the functions you need in an office package. Compatibility with MS Office seems as good as (say) Libre Office, so pretty good. There's a Web version as well.

[Bushfiva]

Surface 2 is currently extremely cheap.

Yes, but that's an RT device so an evolutionary dead end. In that context, better off getting something with an 8-inch screen, "with Bing", so the OS and Office are free. Around the same price.

[henry_crun]

OK on android, just need to download the right app. Can export as doc or docx at will.

Built-in keyboard takes up too much screen, best to use external one. Choice depends very much on the host interface. I have used direct full-size usb host and micro usb via otg cable, both work ok in conjunction with wireless dongle keyboard and mouse. I used Anker kb-mouse-dualdongle.

But not as good as having a laptop with windows.

See Mac's post above. :ok: