App Review: OnLive Desktop
Website: http://desktop.onlive.com
Works with: iPhone, iPad, Android
Currently, the most responsive way to use Microsoft Office on your iPad.
Tested on: iPad, 1st generation
Gotchas:
- It saves files to the cloud so I would be careful with sensitive documents
- Don’t know how long this service will last because they may get sued by Microsoft
- Need Internet connection to access your files on the server
- Might have difficulties with slow connections (i.e. Road Warriors)
- Comes with Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Adobe Reader and some basic Windows 7 applications but you cannot add more programs
I use OnLive for: Testing. Right now, I’m only using the free version but may try the paid version in the future?
Things I didn’t know it could do:
- Pay an additional $4.99/month to get Flash video on your iPad. It also gives you priority access if there are a lot of users logged on to the server.
This app is free to download and test. I’m very excited about this technology because it’s forcing Microsoft and Apple to come up with solutions to fill the void in their offerings. Don’t these big companies ever learn that there is always a better mousetrap! Hopefully, they don’t get sued or bought out like so many innovative companies that try to compete with the big guys. -BW