I can not say with certainty, but I thought that I read that it isn't possible.
I know that, with apps like Drop Box, you can certainly view and open your files on the remote server for viewing on your iPhone/iPad, but you're really just opening them inside the Drop Box app, using its own built-in viewers. Just like other apps, Drop Box can access files over the Internet, and can even download them in to its private sandbox on the iPhone/iPad, but it can't give other applications on the device access to the files. The flash memory on the iPhone isn't so much of a disk or hard drive, as it is a kind of temporary cache memory. The way the iPhone works, all of the real storage of data and heavy processing is supposed to happen on a server that is reached via the Internet. The flash memory is mainly there so that the iPhone can hold a local temporary copy of data that would be too slow or large to constantly stream from the net connection, like program code, sounds and graphics that make up an app's interface, etc. Apple didn't plan to let anyone make native programs for the iPhone in the beginning, so I guess they thought that this wouldn't matter. Later, when people started to make apps, they held on to this model, because, by preventing programs from accessing each other, they thought that they could prevent people from gaining access to protected content. Now, they want the iPad to be able to be used for desktop-like tasks, but, with all of the app isolation, you must jump through hoops to share data that has been created on the device itself. Apple's design choices are usually centered around making computing tasks simple by removing unnecessary choices in order to streamline a task. You lose flexibility, but the result is that, for most people, the program does what they want, with a minimum amount of fuss, and with little or no tech understanding required. They've done such a great job with the App Store, simplifying the processes of paying for, and installing software, down to the point where a complete tecnophobe could do it. iTunes and the iPod simplify the tasks of organizing and working with a music library. However, I find it very funny that, due to their choices, something as fundamental to a computer as word processing, requires all sorts of explanations regarding how to import/export between native format, how to selectively sync content, and how to put documents in to, and take them out of, iTunes on the Mac. Not that there is anything that could help the situation right now, given how locked down the iOS devices are. Anything that requires that you get data from your own devices, rather than a server somewhere, is profoundly frustrating. Think of the people making the Daisy players for iOS. Most players need only that you copy a book from your computer to a memory card, and put that card in to the player. With iOS devices, it is necessary to explain to people about how they must get both devices on to the same Wi-Fi network, but not just any public wi-fi network, but a private wi-fi network that allows intra-client communication. Then, they need to download, install, and learn to use an FTP client, connecting to the iOS device using a long code (an IP address), that they must listen to on the device and type in to their computer. That isn't too bad for tech types. For most people that buy an iOS device for its simplicity, and have no problem accomplishing most tasks, talking about special wi-fi networks, ftp clients, IP addresses, and other junk is enough to make them say "why bother. I'll get a Victor Reader or Book Sense". In these cases, the iOS device is losing out because it is too complicated. While I know that the main motivation for the iOS devices working this way is for security, the conspiracy theorist in me says that this inability to easily use your own content is not such an accident. It makes everyone a lot more money if you must pay to get what you want from the cloud, rather than using what you already have. Of course, techy users can find ways to partially use their content on the new devices, but non-techy users will often decide that it is just too complicated, and that they'd rather be doing other things with their time. Also, some of us wouldn't need to keep and maintain so many huge personal collections, if we could get what we want from the cloud. Bryan -----Original Message----- From: macvisionaries@googlegroups.com [mailto:macvisionar...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Chris Moore Sent: Saturday, July 31, 2010 4:59 AM To: macvisionaries@googlegroups.com Subject: Re: word processing and spred sheets on ipad If you have a mobile me account, can you not save the documents to iDisk? On 30 Jul 2010, at 18:46, Bryan Smart wrote: > Simon, it is usable, but you may not actually want to use it. I had an iPad, > and I tried this stuff, but I didn't do it a lot, and I haven't tried it in a > while, so I'll probably make some mistakes in my description. There will > undoubtedly be some iPad people that tell me that I overlooked something. > That's fine, but here is the general idea. > > So, you want to put a file on your iPad to edit while you're away from home. > You know that you can't just hook up the iPad to the computer and copy the > file over, as the iPad security doesn't allow that. > > Here is what you must do. You must add the file to iTunes, including, I > think, marking it for sync. Then, you must start a sync of your iPad with > iTunes. When that completes, you need to go in to the iWork program on the > iPad that you want to use, like Pages, and locate the document. Except, you > can't use it right away. You must import the document in to Pages (I think it > converts it or something). > > Now, you can edit all you want. > > However, when you get back home, and want to print it, you must go through > the process in reverse. You have to go in to Pages on the iPad, load your > document, export it to a regular document, hook up to the Mac, sync with > iTunes, and then get it back in to your Word Processor. > > Basically, while iPad and iPhone programs can save and load files, they only > have access to the files that they specifically create, or that are brought > in to them through a sync with iTunes or over the Internet. Programs on the > iPad and iPhone can't access any file that was created by another program on > the same device, nor can they share their files with other iPad/iPhone > programs. You also can't access any documents or files that a program makes > from a computer, unless that program is authorized to sync through iTunes. > That's why programs like the Daisy book reader can't let you transfer books > directly to your device. They must waste time with built-in FTP servers or > store files remotely on a server somewhere. For the most part, I don't need > to do the sort of things with a phone to where this is a big enough of a pain > to me, and so I use an iPhone. However, for most computing tasks, this is way > too much of a lock down. I mean, if Apple wants to lock up the programs, > that's one thing, but they should at least have a common place on the > iPhone/iPad where programs can store and share files with each other. Like I > said, if I can only get a voice memo out of the voice memo recording program > by using its built-in function to e-mail it to me, then I'll deal, but trying > to undertake large projects on one of these devices is a frustrating activity > that I'd never recommend. These devices just are not made for producing > content. They're meant to be very nice Internet terminals. > > Bryan > > -----Original Message----- > From: macvisionaries@googlegroups.com > [mailto:macvisionar...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Simon Fogarty > Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2010 5:16 AM > To: macvisionaries@googlegroups.com > Subject: RE: word processing and spred sheets on ipad > > And it's useable with VO on the iPad? > > > -----Original Message----- > From: macvisionaries@googlegroups.com > [mailto:macvisionar...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Kevin Shaw > Sent: Tuesday, 27 July 2010 1:26 a.m. > To: macvisionaries@googlegroups.com > Subject: Re: word processing and spred sheets on ipad > > The full iWorks suite is available specifically; for iPad. This includes > Pages, Numbers and Keynote. > > Good luck, > Kevin > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
