Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Internet Tools, iWork
What's happening with iWork.com?
Last January, Apple released iWork.com at Macworld Expo. For the unfamiliar, it's a collaborative site that allows a team to share and review any iWork document. I've used it with Keynote and found it quite handy. Invited participants can comment on a document, download it in multiple formats and upload revisions. There's even some integration with Google Docs. It was almost a year ago that Apple released the beta of iWork.com, and little has been mentioned since. It definitely needs work. It's slow with large documents which is a turn off for many users. Still, I think it has potential and hope it doesn't go the way of AppleWorks. Perhaps that new data center they're building in North Carolina (schedule to open sometime in 2010) will throw a little horsepower to this project.
Have you used iWork.com or is there another neglected Apple app that needs some attention? Sound off below.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rwzehr said 1:13PM on 9-23-2009
I'd sure love to see good old simplistic, low-function MacDraw brought back again. It was just the ticket for a lot of uses.
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Ryan S. said 1:19PM on 9-23-2009
I've used iWork to transfer iWork files from one computer to another, but that's about it. I probably should use it more. xP Either way, it's a great tool, and I hope they keep it running.
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Joanna D said 1:24PM on 9-23-2009
Windows Live Writer and Google Docs killed it with their *gasp* editing feature. :o
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Todd Sieling said 3:40PM on 9-23-2009
I use it for reviewing docs. I don't *want* clients editing the docs, just reviewing and commenting. For that focussed use, it's perfect.
LAGal said 1:24PM on 9-23-2009
there's really not much they can do with it unless they put the apps in the cloud as well, which is a bit of a way off.
personally I think that they should just roll it into mobileme. they can keep the iwork.com domain going for that side if they like, but in many ways they are the same so why not use some of that member money and prior art to support both. they could even set up a iwork.com only membership of like $20 a year for those that don't want to go whole hog
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David Emery said 1:46PM on 9-23-2009
Apple needs to bring back AppleWorks simple functionality: word processing, presentation, simple database, simple graphics, simple spreadsheet for home users.
They either need to expand iWork and make it more complete (e.g. bringing in Bento) or take and productize NeoOffice or something similar. It would be -very difficult- to move my mother from her (original) Mini to a more modern machine if she has to abandon AppleWorks and has no viable replacement.
And I've never been able to make much sense out of Numbers; that's the app in the current iWork suite that needs the most work.
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Craig said 1:48PM on 9-23-2009
I use it occasionally to collaborate with my clients. I even use it with graphics by dropping them on a Pages doc that I place a table beneath so that they can comment on it clicking the table cell that relates to the part of the graphic they wish to comment upon. I wish it would notify when the reviewer makes a comment though, instead of having to check it periodically.
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Harald said 1:58PM on 9-23-2009
How does the Google Docs integration work? I don't seem to be able to find that feature in iWork.com.
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J said 1:53PM on 9-23-2009
As much as I love apple, and I'm an almost all apple house and family, they really don't do online services nearly as well as they do hardware and software.
Google Docs, Picasa web, Gmail, and Google Calendar all are sooo much faster, more reliable, easier to use, and more functional then their counter parts from apple.
My mobile me account is about to expire, and I will not be renewing. I just don't see the benefit outweighing the steep cost...
I think apple should stick to the hardware and software, and open themselves up even more to partner with players like google who really do the cloud right, and not like half effort after thoughts...
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Dave said 1:55PM on 9-23-2009
I've tried it, but without the ability to actually edit the documents online, it's rather useless. Google Docs is a much better product when it comes to collaboration (especially considering one can use their own domain with it).
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Ian Adams said 4:05PM on 9-23-2009
This is actually the first I can remember hearing of it, and I always watch the keynotes. I guess it's just that useful.
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Hasar said 2:26PM on 9-23-2009
Quote: "It was almost a year ago that Apple released the beta of iWork.com." Huh? Between January, 6th, and September, 23rd, are exactly 8 months and 17 days. This is almost a year? Would you say that 67 dollars are almost 100 dollars?
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Kory said 2:42PM on 9-23-2009
I use iWork.com all the time for school purposes. I send out my latest essay to others taking the same class as I, so they can look it over and make notes. Even the ones that use PCs like it. However, I don't think there is a way of reimporting those notes back to Pages... does anyone know?
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Allen said 2:56PM on 9-23-2009
Kory,
If you download the document in Pages '09 format, your comments should be in the downloaded version.
Ekivemark said 3:42PM on 9-23-2009
The Keynote support in iWorks is pretty lame. Yes you can upload but you can't edit and you can't even run the presentation full screen. ie. present from the cloud.
They should create a Quicktime version of the presentation so that you could play on multiple devices and present from the cloud.
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cargoplex said 6:31PM on 9-23-2009
I don't even remember them announcing this.
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Dano said 11:30PM on 9-23-2009
It is a convenient hook in the iWork apps for getting data onto MobileMe (and I know they call it iWork.com and it parks the docs in a different place), but seriously, that's about all it is. With it's very limited collaboration features, it simply doesn't do enough to justify or even use when it's just as easy to use other cloud based services that provide more capable and robust tools.
Also, how many corporations are behind firewalls that prevent access to cloud storage? I placed a document on iWork for someone to pick up/review and had to turn around and use their corporate web page to submit the document anyway because their corporate policies prevent them from accessing "public" storage. (I know there are methods and means to change policies, and even ways to circumvent, but I'm not putting this here for argument...)
Two big, fanning the crowd strikes...
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ds said 12:08PM on 9-24-2009
They haven't updated ResEdit since the 3.0 beta!
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leatricejoycooper said 5:51PM on 10-07-2009
I have used iwork for 32 days and find that I prefer a simpler App.
How can i remove iwork from my computer?
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