Hi al. I don't know if anyone can help/advise. I want to buy an Ipad but want to know if I can open and edit word docs. I am a writer and want to buy an Ipad but only if I can edit word docs. I know it does lots of other great stuff but this is the one thing I really need. Does anyone know if you can TETHER? I have an Iphone 4 and I would be nice to use the data between the two devices. Thanks so much all, Cheers, Alan

Documents to Go can read and create the latest office formats. There are some others as well. None are anywhere close to as robust as Word, but they will do the trick for basic functions. Get a free dropbox for easy transferring your files between any computer and your iPad.

The new version of pages is supposed to as well, but I have not tried it. I have used Quickoffice and Office HD2. Both have some quirks but both work.

Does the new pages allow you to create new docx files, or does it just read and edit them?

I would have to put my vote to Documents 2 Go. They have been around since the Palm and WinCE days and each version adds improvements.

Also, Docs2Go allows editing of Word, Excel and Publisher for the same cost as just one of the iWorks products.

You will not have the same editing functionality that is within Word in any other editor built to edit the same files. These editors are meant only to allow quick editing, not as a replacement.

@ deckyon...can Docs2Go read and edit Publisher?

I think the simple editing funcition is really all I am after (writing a book for example). And it would work either way? In other words if I created a document on the Ipad, could I import it to word which is where all the formatting for publication would be done. What's the easiest ay of getting the document from one place to the othr? Via the camera/sd option? I would think that's easy if the Ipad can handle it. While I am at it, does anyone have jailbreak? If so, do you have to keep using the ipod function to play media? Or would vlc work? I did see a vlc for iphone but somewhere but haven't been able to find it again. Is the Ipad as "apple-centric" as my Iphone 4 is (and 3Gs for that matter)....

Just by way of a quick update, i now have doc 2 go on my iphone so will have a play with it before getting my ipad. I'll let you know how it goes. Let me know if there are any tips for transferring files between pc and ipad/iphone. Cheers, Alan (docs to go is $19.99 here in australia so worth a trial)

pages will allow you to open and edit doc files. docx you will be able to open but you must save it in doc. personally after doing some research i prefer pages over the other guys. the biggest shortcoming of pages however is that you cannot save your work to the cloud, you have to email to yourself or just simply save it on the ipad.

Originally Posted by matt_90036

pages will allow you to open and edit doc files. docx you will be able to open but you must save it in doc. personally after doing some research i prefer pages over the other guys. the biggest shortcoming of pages however is that you cannot save your work to the cloud, you have to email to yourself or just simply save it on the ipad.

Pages will save to MobileMe and some other cloud services. However, right now it won't save to DropBox.