Now I will take about the spreadsheets or excel file.

As for spreadsheets, here is the MS Excel 2010 file I used as a template:

Docs2Go was able to show cell formatting and alignment correctly. That’s about it. D2G has a menu you have to open to switch between sheets rather than tabs. It can’t display graphics of any kind (I didn’t attach the first page because it was blank) and it gets formatting of tables wrong too. D2G does manage to get formulas right though.

QuickOffice also fails to load any graphs or charts. It does have tabs for switching between sheets quickly though. When I loaded other spreadsheets where the numbers in a cell are too long QO simply displays a bunch of XXs rather than round the number off. It also has trouble loading large spreadsheets, but I couldn’t find any info on what the cut off is for files to be too big.

Numbers is able to show all the graphs and charts. It converted the 3D ones to 2D. For some reason Numbers places the keys to charts outside of the chart’s outline. Not a huge problem, I just thought it was odd. Not only can Numbers show graphs it can even edit and manipulate them. It gets cell formatting and tables right as well. It gets formulas right too. Data analysis effects like error bars and trendlines are lost though.

Numbers is the clear winner in my mind. The fact that QuickOffice and Docs2Go can’t display graphs or charts is mind boggling. That’s such a central part of what Excel is used for. It’s even stranger because I know that these apps are able to display these features in their versions on other platforms.

Hoping to save fellow iPad owners some money I decided to write up a detailed comparison of these apps. I got the idea to load files with lots of different formatting and features into each of the apps and compare the results from a thread on the xda forums doing the same thing for the Honeycomb office apps. I didn’t see anything similar on these forums so here goes.

Starting with word processing:

Here’s the MS Word 2010 document I used:

Page 2

Docs2Go did the best job of rendering all the different fonts and had the greatest selection of them to choose from. It displayed pasted images but couldn’t render embedded graphs. It did a good job with the table as well, though it set all the rows to a single common size.

Page 2

QuickOffice has the fewest fonts and is the only one that couldn’t display subscripts and superscripts. It did ok at rendering graphics, like D2G it couldn’t show the embedded graph, but it could show the images. QO was the only one that got the sizing of the table’s rows somewhat right.

Page 2

Pages tells you right as you load a document what formatting it isn’t able to display. Its selection of fonts is the smaller than Docs2Go, but it has most of the major ones. Pages was able to display all the graphics, but did the worst job on the table. This is the only one with a spellcheck and was able to spot typos in the document.

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I opened several other documents including old papers and lab reports, with all three and the results were mostly the same as above. I would say if you’re going to edit and revise existing documents Docs2Go would be your best bet due to how well it displays content and preserves formatting even if it can’t display it. If you want to create a lot of documents, Pages would be my recommendation. It is loaded with templates, has spell check and can export in both iWork and MS Office formats.

Yes, I bought the White iPad 2 16GB Wifi version.

So how to differentiate with the Wifi + 3G version? See the backcover with a black  strip at top on the second picture above? That’s the Wifi + 3G version

So why did i buy iPad 2?

First of all.. SPEED!!

If u have iPhone 4 and has been using it happily, then u should come and try my iPhone 3G!

It has been so non-productive at all.. lol

Even iPad 2 is faster than the new iPhone 4s!

Some of the most frequently used apps..

Password protected ok! lol

DocToGo, CHM reader, 2Do..

On screen keyboard is big enough for me to type like a physical keyboard

CHM reader

easy & fast

2Do to keep track all the stuff

Medscape for offline data

Extensive info in Medscape

To help protecting my iPad 2, i bought this idiotic cover which cost me RM139!

This is the cheapest + most practical for me.. lol

It not only can protect, can use as a stand for my easier reading..

And most importantly it supports the “open cover, auto switch on iPad” feature

And also “auto switch off iPad when I close the cover”

So I do not need to press the top button to switch the screen off.. Nice right?

Now with the iOS 5, multitasking gestures made me no need to press the home button as well.. haha

So basically I hardly press any buttons nowadays.. Just merely “touching” LOL

Then not forgetting some entertainment.. games etc.. lol

Lots of excuses to buy iPad 2? LOL

Update 1 (20/11/2011): Done with index, bookmark, will update quests in future versions.

I have been searching for it after my laptop was stolen and I have finally found it!

Here is the link for the download in case any of u need it as well to transfer ur files

Windows or Mac

In fact, I like mTrip more than Lonely Planet..

I like their genius feature which can automatically build d route for u from ur hotel to the destinations and back to ur hotel!

U even can choose u wanna go museums or parks more.. haha

And also to include ur must-visit places under favorites..

Then they will generate an itinerary for u! Even tell u around how long to reach there by foot from a destination to another!

Then u can change to map view instead of the list vew..

And as usual, u can see the info regarding the place of interest including opening hours, price and reviews..

If I have to choose between Lonely Planet & mTrip, I will go for mTrip!

I got all my Lonely Planet & mTrip apps for free!

Here I will show u Rome Lonely Planet..

They have a very nice interface.. this app is actually same with the hardcopy book..

But the price is quite expensive.. USD5.99

However, I was lucky to get lots of the apps during sales.. free!

They have the complete Rome map..

And u can read some history of the places of interest.. BTW, the above pic showed Vatican City!

And also to locate the places of interest in the map.. show u how to get there..

But bare in mind that there’s no voice turn-by-turn GPS guide..

U can also see the opening hours, price, how to get there etc..

Overall I think it is a very nice and informative app.. But if u’re planning to go lots of places and at that time no sales, then u may have to spend quite some money to get all the apps at USD5.99 each..

And again, I don’t talk about jailbreak.. that will be entire different story..

So my advice will be: bookmark the apps and check for sales daily.. They will have 1 day FREE gift sometimes!

There are lots of places for Lonely Planet and not only in iPhone iOS format, u can check for Nokia Symbian or Android format as well!

I will show u another app: mTrip in the next post!

anyway, up to April, the best smartphones in the market..

I would say HTC Sensation & Samsung Galaxy S II!

Click the image below to view!

Skyfire 2.0 the latest browser for iPhone has brought flash to the platform!

All the waiting has finally answered with the super duper unbelievable enthusiasm from the users which caused the apps in Apple store to be “sold out” due to bandwidth problem.. lol

It cost USD2.99.. so it’s in my watching list now.. wait for it to drop to USD0.99 or hoping some kind hearted guy to write a similar apps but FREE! haha..

Oh ya, did i mentioned that the SkyFire is still not available in Malaysia App Store yet?

I have chosen the best handphone for respective brand such as N8 for Nokia, iPhone 4 for Apple etc..

From the table we know that HTC has come out with 2 different type of phone.. Android based and Windows Mobile based..

HTC also came out with the largest screen up to 4.3inches! However, they are not scratch resistance..

HTC Desire HD has 768 MB RAM which included graphic accelerator..

Nokia N8 has the best camera of all.. But Nokia’s OS is old old already..

So my conclusion:

1. If camera is important for u, buy Nokia N8
2. If u want HUGE screen, take HTC 7 or HTC Desire HD
3. If video calling is important to u, Nokia N8 or iPhone 4.. But beware iPhone 4 video calling can be used with Wifi only.. but please note that there’s something call Jailbreak in iPhone world & it’s LEGAL!
4. If u want apps store like Apple’s Apps Store which is the 1 and only place to get the apps so that u dont get confused, get iPhone 4
5. If u wanna follow the trend, get iPhone 4

My choice? iPhone 4 coz i have bought quite a number of applications in iPhone 3G which i can still use it if i buy iPhone 4!

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