It’s a frustratingly genius concept that will probably anger those pushing services such as Yelp… After all, who wants to slog through a wordy review when a quick glance at the number of likes can speak volumes on its own? All you need is a Facebook account, and then once you’re logged in Likes! will gather information from all of your friends and break it down into categories such food/beverage, artists, movies, authors, churches, etc… It’s a really quick way to see where the interests of your friends lie–and you can even view it in relation to your current location.

So if you don’t feel like diving into a review site and digging around, take a shortcut and see what your friends have been liking lately. For some bigger decisions, you’ll probably find that there is still a place for review services that allow for more elaboration. But for being pointed toward a decent place to eat while on the go, Likes! is a great way to tap into the respected opinions of those you deem worthy of friending on Facebook.

Likes! App Taps Your Facebook Friends for Recommendations on the Best Places to Visit. Free! is a post by App Chronicles

Might make you think twice after securing that dream job, right? This interesting little detail came to light from a new book called Inside Apple: How America’s Most Admired—and Secretive—Company Really Works.  The tidbit was further confirmed during a recent Q&A session with author Adam Lashinsky, during which an audience member told of a senior engineer he knew (who allegedly interviewed for 9 months before getting the job) who worked on fake products during the beginning of his career.

If Apple really goes to these lengths in their efforts to ensure trustworthiness, you have to imagine that they have methods we don’t—and will probably never—know about.

So if you get that dream job, how long should you expect to be working on the next-next-generation iPod that’s totally fake? Maybe a number of months—really, whatever it takes until senior members of the company consider you an employee approved for real work.

Wouldn’t it be great to know what some of these fake jobs consisted of? Wonder how long it takes for the new hires to get over that hamster-on-a-wheel feeling they get from learning the last few months were a waste. They probably don’t have much time to think about it before moving on to the next phase of the hazing process–whatever that entails.

New Apple Employees Work on Fake Products and Projects Until Proven Trustworthy is a post by App Chronicles

That’s why we here at App Chronicles want to help you find and discover music with your iOS devices as easily as possible. So in order to do that, we’re going to introduce you to seven apps that will help you discover new music and bands. Some of these you have probably heard of, and some of them will be just as new as the music they help you discover.

1. Spotify

iPhone OS
Free

For what seemed like an eternity, US residents had to wait for access to the uberpopular music streaming service until it finally arrived on our soil this past year. Spotify gives you access to over 15 million different tracks, as well as the ability to wirelessly sync your own music to your iPhone through the app itself. You can build playlists, share what you’re listening to with your friends, and discover loads of new bands you never even knew existed.

It’s really a great service, and the iPhone/iPad app pairs wonderfully with the required desktop app, but there is a drawback. In order to get mobile capability, you have to pay for Spotify’s premium service, which runs at $9.99 a month. But for unlimited access to what is arguably the web’s greatest collection of streaming music, that might be a worthy price to pay.

2. Rdio

Universal (Optimized for both iPhone and iPad)
Free

There are generally two factions in the streaming music world right now: Spotify vs. Rdio. Before Spotify came to the States, we basically only had Rdio. Even with the former’s inevitable arrival, Rdio has stayed strong. It offers basically the same service as Spotify, with just around ten millions songs to stream and discover. Like Spotify, there is a subscription charge of $10 a month to listen on mobile devices. Another great feature between these two apps is that through the subscription service, you can listen to your playlists on either service while offline, which is a great asset to those of you who might hate keeping space available on their devices.

3. SoundHound

Universal (Optimized for both iPhone and iPad)
Free

Have you ever heard a song somewhere and you just KNEW that you had heard it before, but couldn’t put your finger on it? Here’s where SoundHound comes to the rescue. It’s a free app which, when launched, will identify whatever song is playing for you. It will even identify songs you sing and hum to the app in any language! It gives you detailed information on the artist, the song, and oftentimes will include the lyrics. If you happen to like the song, SoundHoud will give the option to open it in the iTunes store and purchase it for your personal library.

4. Pandora

Universal (Optimized for both iPhone and iPad)
Free

By now, I’m sure you’ve already utilized the wonderful service that is Pandora on your desktop. Create a playlist based off a certain artist or sound that you like, and Pandora will continually stream you song after song with a similar taste. You can “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” each new song, thus fine-tuning a more user specific experience and playlist. Well, now you can do JUST that on your mobile device with the Pandora app.

The free version is ad-supported, but you can get rid of them with a $3.99 a month subscription.

5. Soundtracking

iPhone OS
Free

This next app, Soundtracking, is a great way to share with your friends “the soundtrack of your life.” Having a special moment brought on by a special song? This app allows you to share that with those who follow you within the app–as well as on Twitter, Foursquare, and on Facebook–what music-related moments are taking place in your life. You can add a picture of whatever it is you’re doing, and then a little snippet of the song with a caption and it will be uploaded to the app and your various social networks.

This is a great way to not only share what’s going on with you, but also see what’s going on in the lives of your friends and what music they’re listening to. Oh, and it’s free, which is always a plus.

6. Wall of Sound

Universal (Optimized for both iPhone and iPad)
Free

Is access to 15 million songs not enough for you? How about 20? That’s what Wall of Sound will give you. Through this app, users are given a screen of images (tiles, actually) displaying every song available in the iTunes store for purchase. Each image will give the user a preview of the selected song, as well as the option to purchase it in the store if they so desire. If you already own the track, it will just play the whole song via the app.

With email and social networking sharing features as well as AirPlay and background play functionality, Wall Of Sound has it covered on the essential features front. Users in need of a random selection can just shake the iOS device to get a different bunch of tracks making it ideal for new inspiration. Costing zero money is another notch on this great app’s belt.

7. Discovr Music

Universal (Optimized for both iPhone and iPad)
$0.99

Discovr Music is a $1.99 iPhone application that helps you do exactly what its name suggests. It works in a similar way to last.fm but instead of listing similar music acts, it displays suggestions graphically in interconnected webs.

Discovr allows you to see how the music you love might be connected with other artists. All you have to do is give the name of a band you love and the app will show you music that is similar to said band. All similar artists are drawn up and connected by web-like lines that you can navigate and create additionally similar groups of artists off of. Double tap on an artist to see additional information about them, listen to samples, and catch up on their latest news. If you find an artist you like, you can share it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook.

While we’re sure that there are many other apps out there that help you discover music in countlessly unique ways, these are seven of the ones we enjoy best. Did we miss any of your favorites?

7 Awesome Apps For Discovering Great Music is a post by App Chronicles

The tweak was made possible by the AssistantExtensions platform, and the hacking team to bring it to Cydia is called CodeThemed. As seen in the video, translating phrases is a very simple process once you install Lingual. Just speak a sentence in your native tongue and finish the phrase by telling Siri what language you’d like to receive back in text form. Unfortunately, she won’t say it back to you out loud—at least not yet.

So where is Siri pulling from to give you all this multi-cultural lingo? Turns out, the source is somewhat unlikely. The CodeThemed team directs the tweak to interact with the Microsoft Bing Translate API, and just like that, we get lighting quick translations all enacted by voice commands.

This certainly seems like functionality that Apple would love to have built-into Siri, doesn’t it? It would have made for a great keynote demonstration. I’m sure they had some sort of reason for leaving it out in the beta, but for now you can pick up Lingual from Cydia at no cost. That should have you covered till Apple gets to a language update—if and when that ever happens.

Lingual gives Siri the Power to translate into 30 Languages on Jailbroken iPhones is a post by App Chronicles

Once you’re all caught up on what President Obama had to say in the State of the Union, it’s time to get back to business and examine the State of the App Store. This week’s theme appears to be pretty casual, as we’ve got a platformer, an auto-runner, a baseball sim, and some real-time strategy. Check below for a quick peak at what each has to offer.

Baseball Superstars 2012

Baseball Superstars® 2012. Universal (Optimized for Both the iPad and iPhone) (4.5 stars with 6551 Ratings)

Free

Gamevil knows what they’re doing when it comes to baseball, so fans of the franchise won’t have to think twice before picking up this free download. As usual, expect a fully realized micromanagement system, as well as fun gameplay and a wealth of game modes. Only think twice if you find yourself geared toward a more stripped-down baseball experience like Homerun Battle 3D.

Paper Monsters

Paper Monsters Universal (Optimized for Both the iPad and iPhone) (4.5 stars with 1105 Ratings)

$0.99

Revered developer Crescent Moon is back in the App Store to offer this 99-cent platformer. Featuring an eye-catching art style and big variety when it comes to gameplay, Paper Monsters feels like Little Big Planet- for the iPhone and iPad. It is definitely capable of getting a big draw from the platforming crowd.

One Epic Game

One Epic Game iPhone OS (3.5 stars with 47 Ratings)

$0.99

Maybe you’ve played it on PSP Mini, maybe not. Either way, Chillingo has done us a favor by bringing One Epic Game to the App Store for 99 cents. The auto-runner is always an irresistible genre on iPhone, so we have high hopes for this zombie/alien mash-up set in post-apocalyptic times.

Ant Raid for iPhone

Ant Raid for iPhone iPhone OS (4.5 stars with 10 Ratings)

$0.99

After establishing itself as a mainstay on the iPad, Ant Raid is making its way to the iPhone for just 99 cents. The game features real-time strategy gameplay played out by—you guessed it—a colony of tiny ants. It’s fun and challenging on the iPad, so we expect the same from its iPhone counterpart.

New iOS games out now! Baseball Superstars 2012, Paper Monsters, One Epic Game, & More is a post by App Chronicles

Do you know that the U.S. Education is in trouble? We rank near the bottom in math and science when compared with other developed nations. Students cannot read at their grade level. 1.2 million high school students drop out every year. Perhaps all they need is a little push from Apple’s new educational initiatives to bring their skills on par with other nations.

Apple has recently introduced iBooks 2 with digital textbooks and a new iTunes U app to help students and teachers manage course materials. Our contributor Brian believes they are excellent new tools, but not the complete solution for our hurdles in education. See for yourself at a glance on how Apple can save education with the infographics below.

Via: OnlineEducation.net

Infographics: Can Apple Save Education? is a post by App Chronicles

This round of rumors is said to come from an employee at the manufacturing company in China. According to the source, multiple prototypes have been on site, and any one of them could end up being the iPhone 5. While few details are available, it appears that the device will end up having a screen size of at least four inches, and there is no longer any evidence of that teardrop shape that became so popular in the media during the run up to the iPhone 4S.

… Speaking of the 4S, it doesn’t look like the iPhone 5 will have much in common with the older device. We wish we could be more specific, but the source has simply stated that the two devices have differing form factors.

Apart from these few vague details about what to expect, the Foxconn rumor—if true—could point to a release date sometime this summer. Should Apple choose not to wait a whole year to follow up on the 4S, then an iPhone 5 introduction at WWDC 2012 starts to make a lot of sense.

We’ll be following the rumor mill closely during the next few months, and hopefully bringing you exciting new information on Apple’s next handset much sooner than expected.

Foxconn Employee: iPhone 5 Prototypes Point to Summer Launch is a post by App Chronicles

Before I get into my impressions, I feel I should take a moment to lay out my academic credentials. In my day job, I am a full time faculty member with a private college in the Detroit area. My specialty is English Language and Literature, and much of my workday is spent teaching students how to write for college. I have a Master’s Degree in English, and I am currently working on a PhD in Instructional Technology. While I don’t claim to be a foremost expert on app design, I would like to think that I know a thing or two about what might work in the classroom.

Which leads me back to iBooks 2 and iTunes U. When I loaded them up, I immediately liked what I saw. As an educator, I’m constantly looking for new ways to present course materials, to engage students, and to facilitate learning. Over the past decade or so, so many new ideas have come out of technology — everything from e-mail to Facebook to Twitter — and into the classroom that sometimes its hard to tell what’s a legitimately new tool for teaching, and which is an idea that just isn’t going anywhere.

iBooks 2 and iTunes U would seem to fall into the former category. There’s real potential here. The sample textbook offered in iBooks, for example — E.O. Wilson’s Life on Earth: An Introduction (iBookStore Link) — is a fine example of how books are becoming more than just, well, books. Life on Earth: An Introduction boasts more interesting images, videos, and interactive elements than many webpages do. And iTunes U takes what was already a great resource (I’ve used audio files downloaded from iTunes U in my courses before) and packages it in a form that is both useful and effective, and also a form that offers additional functionality.

Here’s the thing, though. You can’t just put together a tool like this and accept it to change the face of education by itself.  iBooks 2 and iTunes U are great tools, but utilizing them will require a real effort on the part of educators, because curriculum matters.

Apple seems to be reaching out to textbook publishers, and they seem to be reaching out to school administrators. But I hope that somewhere in their plans, Apple is reaching out to the teachers and the instructional designers who are in charge of writing the curricula. Because if the curriculum isn’t designed to utilize the technology to the fullest, then all these great things become nothing more than expensive bells and whistles adorning an otherwise stale learning experience. You can’t just swap out a paper textbook for an iPad and expect the student to know what to do. He or she will just read the new textbook the same way they did the old. Or he won’t read the new textbook the same way he didn’t read the old, more likely!

Luckily, there are educators out there embracing new paradigms in learning, utilizing new technologies, and things like iBooks 2 and iTunes U could really boost those new initiatives. Take, for example, the case of Clintondale High School in Clinton Township, MI, which recently had success with a “flipped” classroom model. In Clintondale, students view lectures at home, posted to YouTube and other online outlets, and then come into the classroom and do their “home” work with the teachers. And they’ve had real success with it!  They’re leveraging existing technology in a way that helps their students succeed.

So, what happens if you plug an iPad into the hands of every kid in Clintondale? Lectures can be delivered in a more consistent format via iTunes U, which also comes with other tools to keep kids connected and on track. Textbooks can be delivered in the more dynamic iBooks format, great for a curriculum already learner-driven and student-centered. If the educators at Clintondale aren’t salivating over iBooks and iTunes U, they should be. It could be a legitimate boost to their already successful curriculum.

As an educator, I love to see a company like Apple developing tools specifically to help our kids learn. It will get their attention, it will make them interested, it will prime them for learning. But I desperately hope that Apple is reaching out to teachers as well as to publishers with ideas on how these new tools can be utilized. And I hope that school administrators realize that these tools will only be effective if the curriculum is designed to use them to the fullest. Anything less will be a wasted opportunity — for Apple, for schools, and ultimately for us all.

iBooks 2 and iTunes U: Excellent New Tools, But Not the Cure-All for Education is a post by App Chronicles

In some ways, Siri has nothing to worry about. After all, Evi isn’t built into your iPhone, and thus can’t offer the convenience of tapping into your calender/reminders/clock to set up your day. That’s sure to turn some potential users away from Evi, especially those who already have a healthy relationship with Siri… But then there’s the matter of searching the web and getting answers to all kinds of trivia that comes to mind. It’s here where Evi appears to soundly beat out Siri.

The app comes to us from True Knowledge, and it’s powered by Nuance voice recognition technology. What gives Evi such an edge for answering your questions is her extremely deep database and built-in web browser. Instead of pointing you to another source like Siri often does, Evi wants to answer your questions right within the app, and early video of the app in progress makes it look like she does quite an impressive job.

Though both virtual assistants are still considered to be in beta mode at this time, it looks like you can put Evi on the fast track to getting smarter and becoming more useful. By rating her answers, you teach Evi about her job and potentially make her more effective at doing it.

So are you content with Siri, or is it time to play the field? Evi is currently available in the App Store for $0.99.

Can Evi help you More than Siri? Try a new Virtual Assistant is a post by App Chronicles

The Pew Research Center has come forward with findings showing that 19% of Americans now own a tablet computer. That compares to 10% prior to December. When we throw around the word tablet in connection with these findings, it’s safe to assuming we’re talking about iPads, Kindles, and Nooks. Basically, any device used for computing, reading, or some combination.

Given the timing of this marked increase, one might guess that the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet played a pretty big role in the percentage increase. We expect that iPad sales were strong as well, though Apple’s Q1 conference call (happening tomorrow) should offer confirmation either way.

With the iPad gaining huge acceptance in the business and home markets these days, it’s easy to see how the presence of Apple’s tablet and lower-priced alternatives is driving more and more devices into the hands of Americans. It could be that this holiday season was a tipping point for the industry. How do you think that 19% figure will look at this time next year?

American Tablet Ownership Nearly Doubled during the 2011 Holiday Season is a post by App Chronicles

At first glance, iTunes U for iPad is a simple way for instructors and students to interact with things like a class syllabus, course overview, office hours, or document sharing. In additions, students can use the app as an alternative way to sign up for classes.

But iTunes U can be used for more than just keeping tabs on everything. Students should really benefit from its note-taking features and integration with the new iBooks 2. Teachers, too, can utilize iTunes U to direct students toward specific sections of a text. And when it comes time, assignments can be added to a course—to be checked complete once they’re accomplished by the student.

I’m sure you’re hoping your school will be one of the early adopters of this approach, but for the time being only a privileged few get to experience education iPad-style. There are only about five schools on the list so far (including Duke and Yale), but give iTunes U a chance to prove itself and we should expect to see it on a lot more campuses soon.

Apple brings Online Classrooms to iPad with iTunes U app is a post by App Chronicles

According to officials with Future Shop and Best Buy, this scheme has been pulled off almost a dozen times. It’s simple, really: Buy an iPad 2, swap out the pricey contents for a cheap slab of clay, and then return the resealed box to an unsuspecting employee at one of the electronics stores… It sounds like the kind of trick that would only have the possibility of working at a mom-and-pop store, but the fact that Best Buy and Future Shop are on the list indicates that these criminals are pulling it off with polish.

You can imagine the confusion that arises when a customer returns to one of the retailers with an iPad box stuffed with modeling clay. It’s not an easy refund to get, as discovered by those who have been dragged into the mess. Luckily, local police in Vancouver are teaming with Apple personnel and the affected retailers to get to the bottom of what’s going on, and it appears that refunds have been doled out as appropriate. In one case, we’ve even heard of a customer getting his money back along with a free tablet. Makes you not feel so bad for the “victims” of this particular scam.

Canada reports fake iPad scheme at Best Buy and Future Shop is a post by App Chronicles

… Oh, except that this “announcement” falls under the category of speculation, too… This rumor in particular comes from a supplier in Asia, who claims that the actual release of Apple’s new tablet will be early in March, maybe about a month after the announcement. As rumors go, this one does seem pretty safe. After all, the iPad 2 was introduced in March of last year, so ultimately getting our hands on an iPad 3 just about a year later isn’t a far stretch of the imagination.

So if you’re keeping track, that means we could be in for just a few more weeks of analysts spewing their opinions on the camera, display, battery, speed, and other specs of the next-generation tablet. If you can’t take even another day, you’re best bet is to go dark until Tim Cook and the team take the stage and lay it all out.

Along with the iPad 3, the next Apple event is expected to showcase what will be new in iOS 5.1. If that software update coincides nicely with the release of the iPad 3, then chances are it will pack some surprises (Facebook integration?) that make the user experience nice and fresh for early adopters of the latest tablet. We’ll be sure to bring you confirmation when-and-if a date gets attached to this big event.

iPad 3 announcement rumored for February. The wait is almost over is a post by App Chronicles

A quick glance around a cafe or an airport and it’s pretty clear that business men and women have been quick to adopt the iPad. What’s more, over 80% say that a tablet from a company other than Apple would not come into consideration if they had to get a new device… So what are these people accomplishing on their iPads? Reading is huge, with 97% of respondents saying it’s one of their primary uses for the tablet. Browsing the web and workplace communications also top the list for what’s getting done on tablets everyday.

But it’s most interesting to note the marked shift toward the iPad as a vital part of an everyday businessperson’s operations. If you don’t fall into the 12% who claim it as their primary device, chances are you’re in the other chunk who say it has at least partly replaced their laptops or desktops for certain tasks.

So there’s a snapshot of what the iPad has accomplished in the business world in just a few short years of existence. Anyone want to guess what will happen to these numbers for 2013 and beyond?

New survey shows iPads quickly replacing laptops for business use is a post by App Chronicles

We can’t really begin to imagine how this possible, just like we can’t wrap our minds around how OnLive manages to stream console-quality games to various devices through their other service… The streamed version of Windows 7 is called OnLive Desktop , and you can get it now to start using programs like Excel, Powerpoint, or Word. No big download is necessary since all of this is simply streamed, and a free account comes with 2GB of storage. If this sounds like something you’d really use, consider paying $10 a month to get 50GB and other benefits like accelerated browsing and other apps.

So on the surface, this is yet another low cost way of getting Microsoft Office on your tablet. But looking a little deeper, it appears that OnLive Desktop may have a lot more to offer than CloudOn. Both are worth checking out, but it doesn’t hurt that OnLive is already building on a very strong reputation in the streaming arena.

You can read more about the Onlive Desktop experience on our hands-on report.

OnLive Desktop: Another way to get Microsoft Office on your iPad for Free. Now Available is a post by App Chronicles

The App Store is back in full swing following the holidays, and this week brings a whole batch of new titles to check out. Read on for more on the latest from Gameloft and others.

Urban Crime

Urban Crime Universal (Optimized for Both the iPad and iPhone)

(4 stars with 1203 Ratings)

Free

The recipe for this latest effort from Gameloft looks to be some sort of combination of Gangstar and Six Guns. The download is free, but those with experience in the freemium model know that Gameloft will be asking for your money if you want the good stuff like inventory space, ammo, etc… Regardless, it’s worth watching the trailer to see if crime, Miami, and freemium are worth your time.

Roo Roo Run

Run Roo Run HD iPad Only

(4 stars with 719 Ratings)

$1.99

Simple premises make great games, so there’s reason to hope that this effort from the makers of Scribblenauts could be a good one. Play as a kangaroo who is searching for her baby as you traverse each level and overcome obstacles. It can all be had for just 99 cents (iPhone version) .

Star Marine: Infinite Ammo

Star Marine: Infinite Ammo iPhone OS

(4 stars with 120 Ratings)

$1.99

There are lots of retro shooters for the iPhone, but perhaps none that come this close to the classic Contra experience. That’s what we’re hoping, anyway. This 2D side-scroller is looking slick, and we’re anxious to find out if it’s worth the $1.99.

This Week’s Hot New Games. Star Marine, Roo Roo Run, and Urban Crime is a post by App Chronicles

Now, you can hold on to those speakers you love and you don’t have to let technology pass you by. The Griffin Twenty is a slick little unit that utilizes AirPort Express to grab your AirPlay stream and turn it into something your speakers will recognize and then play it in lossless sound.

There’s nothing to compare against the Griffin Twenty, as it really marks an innovation that could bring AirPlay to many more homes. Until now, we had to choose from pricey AirPlay-enabled speakers, and the limited options meant you might not be able to find exactly what you’re looking for even if you have the money. Now all it will take is an AirPort Express and the Griffin Twenty.

Wish we could say exactly when Griffin Technology will release this wonderful creation. It was just introduced at CES, and it looks like the best you can do at this point is sign up to get on the mailing list and be notified right away when the Twenty becomes available… Anyone else wondering how something like this will be priced?

Non-Airplay Speakers can become AirPlay-Enabled using the Griffin Twenty is a post by App Chronicles

To understand how the app works, it helps if you know something about the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)… In plain speak, that’s the test cops do when they have you look to one side with your head remaining forward. They’re watching your irises at those times, and that’s exactly what BreathalEyes does. By gauging any involuntary movements of your eyes, the app works it’s magic to determine an estimate for your blood-alcohol content… Sounds gimmicky, right? I’d have to agree, except that it appears to work with astonishing accuracy (it’s usually not off by any more than .02%).

Check out the video below if you’re still not a believer… Of course, it’s wise not to take BreathalEyes as the final word if it’s a close call (as the developers are quick to point out themselves). But still, maybe it could be the tipping point in convincing a friend not to get behind the wheel? Whatever the case, it’s a great example of how there are still new, untapped ways to use the iPhone, and some of them might turn out to be really useful.

The BreathalEyes app Examines Your Iris to Estimate the Blood Alcohol Level is a post by App Chronicles

It’s called Tagg—The Pet Tracker, and it uses GPS powered by Qualcomm to constantly keep track of pets like dogs and cats. The tracking unit consists of a pretty subtle collar attachment that shouldn’t throw off what ever style your animal has going on. Once it’s activated, you can use the free iPhone app to see the location of your pet(s). What’s more, Tagg lets you set up boundaries and offers notifications when borders are breached… The whole thing costs $99 up front, and after one month of free tracking services users will pay about $8 per month.

Well, it certainly beats strapping an iOS device to your dog and using FindMyFriends… And I’m sure I’m not the first to point out the other possible uses for Tagg—such as keeping track of babies, kids, and the elderly (anything important that moves, like I said before). Check out pettracker.com for purchasing details.

Use Tagg-The Pet Tracker and Never Lose your Pet (or kid) Again is a post by App Chronicles

So how is this possible? CloudOn utilizes Dropbox to manage your files, and when inside the CloudOn WorkSpace users can create and edit their material by way of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Of course, you’re not actually downloading any of the software—just accessing it over the CloudOn servers. That’s quite a feature set for the developers to be offering for free, and we don’t expect it to stay that way for a very long time. As CloudOn finds its legs, expect some sort of pricing plan to be introduced. That will likely happen sooner than later, especially given the overwhelming demand that has already led to the app being temporarily removed from the App Store.

As we continue to await the release of official iPad-optimized Microsoft Office apps, those anxious for PowerPoint, Word, or Excel may be looking at an extremely viable alternative.

CloudOn for iPad brings the Microsoft Office suite into the Cloud for Free! is a post by App Chronicles