Can you synch microsoft with an ipad?

[abendbrot]

I have the usual MS laptops, PC etc at home, but want an ipad for use outside, for showing presentations to clients, photos, keeping contacts in order, calendar, bookkeeping etc.

Will an ipad be compatible and easy to link up to my photos and docs at home?

[lilystar]

You can sync your photos fine, via itunes. With regards to your documents, it will depend on what format you create them in, you might need to download an app to access and edit them.

[abendbrot]

Pardon my extreme ignorance but how do you put photos onto itunes?

I haven't got an ipod or icamera or anything i at all...

[MmeLindor.]

Yes, it is compatible. You can either open the docs in Word or in Pages, they are fully compatible.

With the new iCloud, you can put the photos onto your photostream on the pc and they will transfer wirelessly to your iPad.

Do you use Outlook? iCloud is now able to sync to Outlook, so that you can keep your contacts, calendars etc up to date.

[BadgersPaws]

"Pardon my extreme ignorance but how do you put photos onto iTunes?"

As MmeLindor says you can share photos with your iOS devices and computers using photostream which is a part of iCloud.

Or you can use iTunes to sync photos onto your iOS device, instructions are here:
//support.apple.com/kb/HT4236

And you can get photos off of your iOS device by treating it exactly as you would a digital camera.

So photos don't actually go into iTunes, but iTunes controls what goes onto the iOS device from your computer.

[abendbrot]

Thanks Madame

So they are 'beamed up' like in Star Trek? Undamaged and intact?

So is it just a myth that you have to be all Mac or all Windows? In the same way that Spock is half human half vulcan?

This sounds good. I'm tempted to buy a tablet but the ipad is just so... modern.

[MmeLindor.]

They are indeed magically whooshed between iPad and PC.

I have iPhone, iPad, iPod and have had absolutely no problems syncing back and forth.

If you download the iCloud, you have access to your iWork, just checking it now to see what happens.

Ok, I have chosen something that I had on Pages on iPad. You can download to Pages on Mac or Word on PC. Then open. Yes, that worked perfectly.

You may have to watch which fonts you use, as some are not available on iPad, but generally it is very easy to move stuff back and forth.

[abendbrot]

Thanks folks, it looks as if you can have your feet in both camps as it were, and stuff can get magically beamed from one camp to the other. I shall do some more looking up now, regarding specs and prices.