Look, up in the sky, it's a cloud!
Apple’s iCloud now includes the iWork suite of apps, Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. Though, not the first developer to develop web based apps, or even the first try for Apple, this contribution to online webware is significant.
Like Google docs, Pages documents can now be created and edited in a web browser. Documents are saved to the cloud. The browser can be either Mac or Windows OS. But unlike Google docs, Pages documents can be edited in the Pages app on a Mac, as well as in a browser. And while they haven’t completed the transition to allow them to be edited in the Pages app on iOS (iPads and iPhones), a copy of a Pages document can be downloaded and open in those iOS apps.
Once iCloud is turned on, one uses one’s Apple ID to access documents. Backups are automatic, as is the saving of changes. Documents can be renamed and moved into folders for better organization. One great improvement to this beta version of these apps, is the ability to share them with collaborators. Documents can be shared via iCloud (via Message, Mail, Twitter, or Facebook), or through Mail, Message, iTunes, or any WebDav connection. The owner of a document can revoke sharing of the document at any time, or may make it “view only”.
I would recommend the use of Pages to students for a variety of reasons:
- Automatic backup of work, so work is never lost.
- Availability of iCloud via web browser makes it ideal for students who need to move around using different devices to access work.
- Cloud based storage means documents are always available, no more forgetting work at home or losing work.
- Flexible documents easily allow the addition of graphics, tables, images, text boxes, and objects- all of which can be placed anywhere on the page (big difference from Google Docs).
Jim,
ReplyDeleteYour post came at a good time! I just signed up this morning to take a session on backing up my work. I have it on an external drive currently but have heard that isn't the best way to back things up. Last week I got a new Mac (woohoo!) which I've only turned on one time so far, but am interested in further exploring icloud and pages. Thanks for the informative post!!
I need to work more with iCloud. I was not aware of all these capabilities. I have my students use Google Docs, Presentations, Spreadsheets, etc. all the time because every student has a Google account already set-up at our school, but we are also a Mac school and use Pages, Keynote, and Numbers all the time. Using iCould would be a natural integration for us. Thanks for the ideas, Jim!
ReplyDelete-Beth
I too need to look into this more since I am such a google docs lover. I have minimal knowledge of the cloud, but what I have attempted has not worked well for me. I have both a mac, an iphone, and ipads (at school) and I haven't had much success with any of them using the cloud.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your post about Apple's iCloud backup. Owning all Apple devices: iPhone, MacBook, and iPad, I'm still not entirely sure I understand this feature. I’m aware that this tool is used for saving and organizing documents, pictures, contacts and so on. However, other than having this feature enabled on my devices, I don't know how to access what I've backed up. I guess I need to do a bit more learning. Once I become accustomed to how iCloud is used properly, I can see the many advantages it has to offer. Teaching an inclusion based 6th grade classroom, I would love to designate one place where my students could save their work.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great alternative to the clunky google documents. I get so frustrated with the inability to format easily and nicely in google docs. I will be checking this out! Are there any options for setting privacy features I wonder? That is the main reason I don't use the technology at work.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good app to try. I'm not as familiar with Apple products and apps as I am with PC, but pages sounds like a good way to proceed. Cloud storage is a great idea and a way to ensure that documents can be worked on in different devices. Those students who don't have internet access except at school could save their work on their device and upload at a later time.
ReplyDelete