Digital tools are so important to voice-actors.
You will not win or lose a voiceover audition based on having MS Office on your iPhone or iPad (or not), but as you know, tools can come in mighty handy in your workflow, and in a pinch. The RIGHT tool can be a lifesaver in a panic. I prefer to be prepared, and as you know, I love geeky things…hence today’s blog.
Microsoft is accepting reality. Laptop and desktop computer purchases are diminishing by the day worldwide, which means the Windows OS cash cow of yesteryear has already seen its heyday. (Don’t cheer too loudly Apple fans, the same turnabout is happening with sales of Mac OS laptop and desktop computers).
The foreseeable future of computing is in the hands of smartphones and tablets. So while Redmond is acknowledging the slow death of a huge revenue stream, it’s finally coming awake to the fact that it has in-hand a lucrative replacement: its ubiquitous Office Suite. Even Apple has nothing to compare with this combination of everyday programs offered in such widespread distribution and acceptance worldwide.
The popular combination of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint (variously bundled with Access, Publisher, Linq, OneNote and Outlook), paired with OneDrive (formerly SkyDrive), is widely used internationally on almost every available operating system. Microsoft jumped on the “cloud” bandwagon a couple of years ago with the Office Suite, and like other major software companies (Adobe comes to mind), is moving to a licensing model of monthly fee for a version of the application that is used and constantly updated online — no local computer install necessary.
Now MS is taking it a step further by making the Office Suite available on Android and iOS platforms.
I know… it makes for strange bedfellows, but it’s smart business.
This lofty goal of MS Office Suite on virtually all computing platforms everywhere is laudable, but even after their announcement recently, the implementation has been a little slow.
I now have a successful working version of MS Office (MS365) on my iPhone and iPad, but it took about a half-hour with a Microsoft Service Technician to get there. Yes, Microsoft IS reachable by phone…in fact THEY called ME.
If you have MS365 Plus Pro or MS Office Small Biz or Small Biz Premium, I’ve done the homework for you. Just download the iOS app at this link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/office-mobile-for-office-365/id541164041. For some reason (and it could be iTunes Store competitiveness/slothfulness), that link is not available as a downloadable app in the iTunes store from your phone or tablet. You have to send this link to your iPhone or iPad by email, and open it there, then downoad the app from a browser, and click to install. There are some sneaky imposters (lookalikes) out there in the marketplace. Make sure it comes with this logo (left). 
Once the app is installed, you go through a standard sign-on sequence using your Microsoft credentials, and eventually you get to a screen that lets you view or generate new Word and Excel files, including those you can access from OneDrive. The only drawback for iPad users is that the app is designed for the iPhone, so when you enlarge the app for the iPad screen, it loses some distinct resolution. I’m told the native iPad version is almost here.
These are just tools, people… use ’em or not, but at least consider which ones are right for your business.
CourVO
