Written and posted by James Roughton at http://www.jamerought.com

If you are a PC user that works with Microsoft Office and now have your own iPad that you use on the go then you should read this post in detail. 

Many of us have made a partial transition into the Mac world by purchasing the iPad and now we have a lot of new things that we have to learn.  Typically after you purchased your iPad, you probably looked for apps that you could use to have the same functionality as Microsoft Office on your PC.  But you probably found apps through recommendations and/or research, which appeared to have a potential use for you. 

So you paid the fee and downloaded them only to find out that they do not really work as intended, which limited your productivity between your devices. The good thing about iPad apps are that they are generally low cost and will not break your bank account.

For me, after I purchased my iPad, I started to look for an app that works similar to Microsoft Office, so that I would not have to learn another piece of software or have to do gyrations to get my document back to my PC.  I wanted to be able to access my files on the go. So, what do you do when you are between the two worlds?

As I am all about being more productive when it comes to using social media, so I am always searching for new techniques, apps and ideas to make my life easier. The other day I was doing some research and came across a great app that I really like and think that other PC users will love as well. This app is called “CloudOn”.

For clarity, I selected several quotes from the “CloudOn” website that I found interesting:

“With CloudOn, the tools you need to get your work done are right at your fingertips. Literally. You can access your information, use popular applications and share your work – in a single workspace, on your favorite tablet.”

“CloudOn provides you the files you want and the applications you need on the devices you love — all in a single workspace.”

I immediately downloaded the app and tried it out. And I am really glad that I did. The great thing about this app is that it is FREE.

What is “CloudOn”?

According to the developers, “CloudOn brings Microsoft to your tablet.” I have found this statement to be very true, if you use, create, or update documents using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Excel, you will find that this app looks and feels like Microsoft office that you currently have installed on your PC.

The use of CloudOn makes it very handy when you are traveling and if you use one or more of the cloud storage services. As long as you have access to a Wi-Fi network you will always have your files available to you.

The best feature about this app is that it integrates your iPad directly with Dropbox, Box, and Google docs, allowing you to create, edit, copy, and/or move files between folders just as you are on your PC.

As an added bonus, you can share your documents via email with attachments.

Flexibility and Security

A common thing I hear from people when I discuss the Cloud is “how do I know that my files are safe?” The nice thing about “CloudOn” is that your files are not saved in “CloudOn” or your iPad, but are stored and accessed directly in the application(s) that you have chosen, Dropbox, Box, or Google docs. Security will be dependent on how well those services maintain their processes.

If you use Microsoft Office, it is best that you experience the feeling of freedom as I have. I would suggest that you take it for a test drive to experience the potential that it has. Once you use it, you may find as I have that you cannot do without it. You can find the “CloudOn” app here