iPad keyboards and MS Office

Hi Doodle - I thought I’d check GN before turning in and came across your post. It’s all Greek to me I’m afraid, but a ‘wise one’ will come along with answers for you. Good luck !

Thanks, crazyH. I hope so! ?

Apologies if this sounds rude, but I can't understand why anyone uses MSWord on a Mac when there's a perfectly good Mac alternative - Pages. Pages will open Word documents and save copies in Word format, so there's no problem moving between the two - I have to do it frequently. You should already have Pages on your iPad, so I recommend using that to see if it does what you need.

However, I'm sorry, I can't help with the keyboard!

Not rude at all. Thanks for replying .

It's just that I use Office for work and I don't want to have compatibility issues. I know that when people email Pages documents those on PCs can't open them, so it's safer to stick with Office.

I don’t know about pages , but I got a keyboard for this iPad and never used it

Hello - I can't answer all your questions but my DH uses a Logitech keyboard with his iPad mini - and a mouse. He's very pleased with it. Much much cheaper!

Have you got the Office similar apps on your ipad? They're called Docs, Numbers......you don't need a subscription for those. You could try them to see how you get on? There's also Google docs.

A Microsoft Office 365 subscription only ever lasts one year so getting to know the other options could save you a fortune.

It's a minefield isn't it?

Sorry....have just seen the other posts.....if this is for work purposes explain to your IT dept and ask them to provide a license for you - your company should be able to sort this out unless they're running very out of date software?

I have an Office 365 subscription and I’ve never heard of being able to use it for 6 years on one device! I use it on Macs and Windows devices no problem. I used it on an iPad mini as I could put it in a handbag when travelling to meetings. I can’t lug a heavy laptop about. I’m retired now but still find it useful. I’ve never had a keyboard for the iPad, I can only use one hand so it wouldn’t be any advantage.

Thanks for the replies.

I do have the Apple apps, but they aren't compatible with Office, which is what I use for work. I'm used to Office, too, and I want to be able to switch between the laptop and the iPad when I'm working on something.

I'll look into Logitech, thanks. That seems like a half way solution, price wise. The one I've saved is called Lively Life, and is only £26.99. The reviews are good, but I don't understand why the Apple ones cost ten times more. There must be something they can do that the cheap ones can't, or people wouldn't buy them (or is everyone being conned? )

Sorry - cross posted, Mammisomo.

The 6 year thing was on reviews saying that you get 6 keys (if you go for the F&F option) which you can either use on 6 separate devices or 6 times on one (or other permutations). It doesn't seem likely, I agree, but nobody commented to say it was wrong.

I can't get software from work, btw. I'm not 'on the books' any more - I retired a while ago and am employed on a spasmodic consultancy basis now, so I don't qualify.

These are probably worth reading before buying : www.rtings.com/keyboard/reviews/best/ipad

www.techradar.com/uk/deals/ipad-pro-cheap-magic-keyboard-price-deals-sales

Of course it does depend which Ipad you have but the prices seem to start at £159.00 and upward but it is worth doing an online search for the best deals around at the moment if you want to stick with Apple.

There is another alternative if you need & prefer working with Office you could consider getting a reconditioned/cheaper/lightweight laptop and use it as a dedicated work laptop so you do not have to chop & change.

I treated myself to a new iPad recently (the old iPad, 9 years old, needed to be permanently on charge) and decided to also buy the Apple Magic Keyboard. I have the 11" iPad, so it's quite small. I bought a cheapish case for the iPad too, just to use when travelling light.

I wondered if I was being extravagant in purchasing the keyboard, I'd happily used the old iPad touch screen for years. However, I am a touch typist. As soon as the magnets on the keyboard locked the iPad in place, the keys lit up, and I was able to adjust the iPad stand and use the iPad like a laptop. The keyboard is comfortable to use (I have small hands) and the stand/Magic Keyboard allows the iPad to be tilted a little bit so it is really useful for Facetime (no need to prop up the iPad). It is quite heavy but needs to act as a counterweight to the iPad. It is comfortable on my lap though.

If you buy a separate keyboard, you will need to prop the iPad up.

It's not perfect, the keyboard doesn't always work as well as it could with all apps and, if you want to use the iPad in portrait mode, you'll need to pull it off its keyboard, but it is designed for that.

As to the use of the Microsoft Office suite, I subscribe to Office 365. I have used Apple Pages successfully but find it a bit frustrating. I used MS Office when I was working and, to be honest, I don't think Pages does the job anything like as well.

MS Office works fine if you get the app for Apple. However, I can justify the subscription for up to 6 devices because I also have a MacBook Air that is 9 years old, a Windows laptop and DH and I share the use of a an iMac. (I support others with their IT so need several different devices). I have checked and it also works on a Chromebook and Android phone!

Brilliant, thanks .

I have the iPad Air, which I think needs the more expensive keyboard (but I'm not sure why, so will check it out on toscalily's link). There's only so much that a keyboard can do!

I bought an Apple pencil when I got the iPad, and have hardly used it, so don't want to get another 'white elephant'. If the subscription will work on my husband's PC too, I can probably justify it - he's still using an ancient version that I got from work.

Few comments:

I would check the price of an Apple keyboard. I bought a new one for my iMac last year at £100

A subscription to any software will not last 6 years, it will have been updated so many times it would not work, but as someone mentioned your company should be able to provide a key as they have to buy a licence - checking this used to be my job

Converting from Pages to any other software is really easy, though a bit of a pain if you are having to make alterations later.

Technology is SO easy. ??

“Anker” are good. Mine connects via Bluetooth and is excellent. Like you my MacBook Pro is heavy to take away on holiday so if I do have to work emails I use my iPad instead.

I won't get a key from my work as I am no longer an employee, I work on a consultancy basis since I left.

I don't want to use Pages - I have Office on my laptop and the best thing about Apple is that a phone, iPad and laptop will communicate seamlessly. I don't want to mess with that by bringing in a different word processing package.

I've had an Anker speaker before, Babs and it was good. I'll look at those, too, thanks.

Thanks, everyone for all the advice.

In the end I got a Magic Keyboard from Apple, and a family subscription to Office 365. My son has already taken one, and my sister another, so it was worth the extra £2 a month to get that instead of the personal one.

The keyboard is great - it’s powered by the iPad, so no need to charge it, and it pairs magnetically, so no Bluetooth faffing. I’m on a free month’s trial just now, then it’s £7.99 a month, which is only £2 a week for three people (up to now - I still have two subs left if any of the others want them). I’m learning my way about things like saving and retrieving from the cloud - I usually store everything locally - but once I get into the habit I should be able to switch seamlessly between the laptop and iPad.

Thanks again to those who replied

Thanks for this @Doodledog! I’m in a similar position work-wise and this has given me the answers I need ?

I still have office 365 via work, on my work computer. For my home computer and iPad I share with my daughter. She need four and I use two. Is there anyone you could share with?
I’d like to know if you can use a six device one on six consecutive years.

I’ve just read my post back, and it is badly written - I should have made it clear that it is the Family version of MS Office that is £7.99 a month, not the keyboard. That was ridiculously expensive - it’s very good, and has a trackpad, that few of the cheaper ones have, but it was an extravagance.