Can Word documents be stored in iCloud?

Correct. Once I got iCloud going I dragged and dropped multiple Microsoft Word (2011 for Mac) docs into the 'documents' section of my iCloud. I can then access those, via a web browser, on any of my other computers/phone/ipad.

What it *doesn't* do is auto-save to the cloud as I work...I don't think. When I use a program like iA Writer, it auto-saves my document into iCloud as I write, and auto-updates that document on other devices real time.

But yes, you can drag and drop Word docs into the Cloud.

I agree iCloud is a massive disappointment compared with iDisk. Now I have to look elsewhere for cloud storage. Poor move Apple!

cheviotbob wrote:

I agree iCloud is a massive disappointment compared with iDisk. Now I have to look elsewhere for cloud storage. Poor move Apple!

I disagree, iDisk can not sync calendars or contacts, can't get mail, can't really do anything other then store files.

I assumer you're referring to the MobileMe services, not the old iDisk. I'll admit that as of right now there's not much of a difference between the Cloud and MobileMe for my uses aside from one program I use which does the iCloud integration (iA Writer).

So, where exactly is the "documents section" of your iCloud? In my iCloud window there is only Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Find My Phone, and iWork. Is there some other area I'm not accessing?

The iWork section is what you're looking for. Once you are in there, you'll see the 3 tabs for uploading the 3 file types; Pages/Word, Numbers/Excel, Keynote/Powerpoint. You can only upload file types that the iWork suite supports, and they will appear on your devices immediately.

Of course if you upload non-Apple files and edit them on your iOS device, they'll have to be converted into the iOS equivalent before saving. You can't upload a Powerpoint, edit on your iPad, and save the changes back to the original Powerpoint file. Instead you'll have 2 files, a PP and a Keynote.

If you back into the iWork web, you can download your new Keynote in PP format though.

As usual Apple squeezing every last $ it can out of it's oh so loyal customers, wonder how the sales of the iWork App are doing. I am pretty annoyed because all my work is done using Microsoft Office for Mac. I own iWork but refuse to change the way I work to suit. iCloud is a disappointment compared to MobileMe and iDisk and I was always losing work on iDisk for no apparant reason.

Microsoft offer a Free 25GB's of storage on SkyDrive which is linked into your Hotmail account. If like me you use Office, the latest version comes with Microsoft Document Connection and there is an iPhone/iPad App available so it should be easy enough to use. Funny Microsoft don't deny you saving iWork documents!

Fingers crossed for a smooth initiation, i'm only just starting to explore SkyDrive but I don't see any major issues from the community.

Ok, I'm not a giant fan of iCloud in it's current implementation either, but lets be honest: this isn't about Apple squeezing money out of anyone. iCloud is free to you, and there is absolutely NO requirement to use it or to use Apples iWork suite.

In fact, they're actually saving you money. MobileMe was a $99/year subscription that gave you email/calendar/contact syncing and website access, along with photo galleries and iDisk. iCloud is a FREE solution that does 90% of what MobileMe did, minus galleries and iDisk.

iDisk was never a valid syncing solution to begin with, you were always better off with Sugarsync or Dropbox.

iCloud isn't intended to be an open filesystem in the cloud like Skydrive, they are two completely different products for different purposes.

Yes, document syncing is currently limited in it's scope, and not a lot of apps have implemented it yet, but that isn't Apple's fault; the API is out there and available for developers to use when they're ready.

Maybe MS will eventually build some iPad apps and put iCloud storage into their desktop products, if enough customers ask for it. But it's important to remember that isn't something Apple can do; only MS can add the iCloud code to their Office suite.

Good afternoon stephen.bradley;

I have been reading the posts on this issue as they come up. I enjoyed MoblieMe because it allowed me to do the things I wanted to do; sync email/calendar/contacts and then have a place to store my documents. I did not mind paying the yearly fee for this service.

I agree that Apple is not responsible for making other developers and companies get on board with their new format.

I do blame Apple for not developing a proper business solution. More and more individuals are going to Apple, and Apple seems to be gearing itself to video and music production, but not business solutions. What I want, and I know this is wishful thinking, is I want MS Office for Apple that WORKS JUST LIKE MS OFFICE FOR THE PC, with Outlook syncing with my iPhone.

I know there is an MS Office for Mac, but it simply does not work like the PC format does. Outlook does not sync with the iPhone on the Outlook format like it does on the Apple format.

I want APPLE to build a new office system that is better than MS Office, and I want it to sync seamlessly with my iPhone.

I am looking to upgrade to a new computer system and smartphone, and unfortunately I am seriously considering going to a PC for the fact that it has a platform that is better for business and syncing with smarphones.

There is more business software out there for PC than Mac, and Apple seems to simply allow it to happen. They do not take real proactive steps to get an advanced and functioning business solutions into the market.

Thanks for the time.

Initially when launching iCloud I couldn't see any way of adding files that were produced in systems other than the iWork suite. So I eventually solved the problem by downloading Pages to my iPad, adding a file to iCloud and from then on I could drag and drop existing 'Microsoft Office for Mac' files into iCloud using any laptop or PC. Its still not as simple as the MobileMe/iDisk solution, so really Dropbox or something similar is the better proposition (as has been indicated by contributors above). I still hold that iCloud is a retrograde step compared with the MobileMe/iDisk solution that is being withdrawn.

@mcbently

Hi

I guess I'm not sure exactly where you're going with this. First, nobody syncs Outlook with their phones anymore. Smart phones sync directly with the Exchange server, bypassing Outlook. Yes, Outlook can also sync with that same Exchange server, but that's not the same as syncing your phone with Outlook, which involves a piece of software that install so you can plug your phone into your computer and transfer the Outlook information over. Nobody has done that since Blackberry took over the business world. (Ok, there are some backward companies still doing it I'm sure, but it's not "the norm".)

Essentially, unless you work in a CAC (common access card) mandatory environment, your iPhone can sync with anything that Outlook can. My phone is syncing calendar, contact and email across 3 different accounts, one of them an Exchange server that I also connect to with both the Windows and Mac version of Outlook. How much more connectivity do you want?

It makes perfect sense that there is more business software for PC than Mac; Windows has been in business software for decades. They essentially have a lock on the business with Office and to a less extent Sharepoint. Could Apple compete in this space? Sure, but why? And what exactly are you missing? I mean, OS X has multiple Office suites, including MS Office which at least in the 2011 version, closely resembles the Windows version, and certainly has all the same functionality (minus Access). There is accounting software, mind mapping software, project management software...

I'm not trying to convince you to prefer Mac over PC or iPhone over Android or Windows Phone. I coudn't care less what platforms other people use, as long as I can use what I like. But since you took the time to post all that, I'm trying to understand where you're coming from and what you're looking for. Of course, none of this has anything to do with iCloud...

Hey stephen.bradley;

Thanks for posting a reply. Let me be very clear about this, I am not looking for an argument with you. I was posting some thoughts that did not come across clearly. I appreciate your comments listed above.

I was trying to say, which I obviously failed to do, I simply like Outlook. I do not use an exchange server, I simply use my MacBook, my iMac and my iPhone. I want to be able to use Outlook to sync across all of them without having to plug in my phone. Clearly I am technologically ******** since I cannot figure it out. I need to read some more.

I like outlook because it is all there; contact, mail, tasks, etc.

I am now using Pages in place of MS Word or Word Perfect. I used to us Word Perfect because of the awesome legal pleading template, but I found one that I can use for Pages, so I am converting over.

I think it just takes some getting used to. I used WP and MSWord for so long on a PC format, and now that I am converting over to Mac, I want PC for my Mac. I agree with you that PC is the cornerstone for business software because it has been there so much longer. I just wish Apple would take it over. I know, **** in one hand and wish in the other and see which fills up first.

I just love my Macs and I want them to do all the stuff the PCs do so I can love them more.

I will keep looking and learning so I can use only Mac.

I use a sync program that MS make available with their free 25GB SkyDrive. Within this you can download Windows Live Mesh for Mac and Windows which uses 5GB of SkyDrive' space and allows you to sync from any Mac, PC or Phone

Its great because it lets you upload your entire folder/s into Live Mesh/SkyDrive. I have syncronized my entire Mac Documents folder which updates SkyDrive the instant to create or amend something within the Folder you've uploaded. It works just like iCloud basically but unlike Apple, does not restrict the type of files you have within it i.e: iWork files.

Feb 2012 Review of SkyDrive for Windows and Mac

Microsoft SkyDrive - Access Files Anywhere

Working with SkyDrive in Office 2011 for Mac - For Dummies

iPhone App

Yes! You CAN upload Word, Excel, and powerpoint documents to iCloud. A patch was released that allows you to store Microsoft files in iCloud. I just tried it and it works. HOWEVER. If you open the document on your iOS device in the corresponding app, it will convert the document to the format of the application. You can open a copy and the original Microsoft document will be in tact. PDFs are still not an acceptable format and certain older versions of Microsoft documents will not upload.

Do you mean a patch is available for Office for Mac OS? I looked on Microsoft's website and could find no mention of a patch for Windows Office products.