Overview of office file viewers (doc and docx) for Android

    I reloaded pictures to my server, everything should be fine


    Introduction


    In the iPad, Apple has integrated a mechanism for viewing and editing office documents from Microsoft. I don’t know how convenient it is to work with large documents on a tablet, but viewing documents is really necessary, because it is not always by mail that comes a more convenient pdf for this. With the release of the numerous brood of tablets on Android, I became interested in how things are with them with viewing documents. I created several files in Microsoft Office 2007 (under Vista) and saved them in doc and docx. Then he created a virtual Android device (unfortunately I do not have a living tablet yet) with a 1024x600 screen as on the Samsung Galaxy Tab. The following applications were installed on the emulator:
    1. OfficeSuite
    2. Documents2Go
    3. Offiviewer
    4. Thinkfree mobile
    5. Gdocs

    Under the cat there are a lot of pictures in png with a width of 1024 points, about 2 megabytes of traffic. Habr will slightly reduce the picture, so the text seems blurry, then I can not do anything.

    Formulation of the problem


    A document was created containing text in different font sizes, colors and typefaces, a wraparound picture, Microsoft Equation mathematical formula, and a table were inserted into the text. Actually MSO itself displays this file as follows (reference rending):


    The file itself can also be uploaded ( docx and doc ).

    Android was emulated with a standard emulator from SDK 2.2:


    Testing



    OfficeSuite


    This package comes with HTC devices. While HTC does not release tablets, so miracles of adaptation for them are not worth the wait. The APK was ruthlessly torn out of my hero and installed on the emulator. Immediately I want to note that the interface fits perfectly into the high resolution. Although this plus relates more to the Android platform than to software manufacturers.

    First we try docx:

    The result, generally speaking, is not really.
    1. The picture moved out
    2. The formula is displayed as hell knows what, but it is difficult to understand something.
    3. The text is terribly small (lack of adaptation to the big screen affects)
    4. Styles of 2007 Word are not displayed.

    From the pros:
    1. Formatting is more or less left, the table in place, in principle, readable.

    Doc also looks like this, so we won’t give it here.

    Documents2Go


    Vinar software, familiar to mobile computer enthusiasts even by Palm and WM2000. Once I had a desktop part that converted office files into its own special format and displayed already prepared files on HPC. Now they have refused the converter, everything happens right on the device. By the way, the program allows you to view files for free, and to edit you need to buy a key for $ 15.



    In my opinion, it looks nice, better than in QuickOffice, the color of the headers in place. However, again, the picture moved out, the formula is a curve, but something can be understood.

    doc is almost no different.

    Offiviewer


    Unlike the others, it does not provide editing capabilities (the name hints) for any money. It works on the principle of old Documents2Go, sends files to itself on the server, does something there - shows the result.
    docx:

    Formatting is saved more or less, instead of a formula, some kind of plug. It is interesting what kind of software is used to distill documents. Font smoothing is horrific, it's hard to read.
    doc:


    Well, the result is decent. It would be almost perfect, if not for curved fonts.
    The disadvantages include the impossibility of the program without a fast Internet connection. Although, on the other hand, where did the file come from if there is no Internet? So this is not particularly critical. It should also be noted that the program does not adjust the size of the document to the size of the device, so it will be unrealistic to read documents on phones.

    Thinkfree mobile


    This program is installed just on the Samsung Galaxy Tab, in addition, it is available in the market. Whether these are the same versions - I do not know, so we will be content with the version from the market. The program has a terrible greed, namely it doesn’t even want to show files without buying a key. The key costs $ 10 for all types of documents (doc, xls, ppt, pdf) or $ 6 for each. Due to the fact that in the market it is possible to return the program within 24 hours and get my money back, I was able to test it. I consider this a huge advantage of the market, it is unnecessary to buy a cat in a bag. AFAIK is not anywhere else.
    docx: The
    ThinkFree Mobile <
    picture moved out, there is no formula at all, the formatting is more or less saved. The table is normal. You can read the text.
    doc is the same.
    I don’t know if Samsung will finish anything in this software, but it’s impossible. Also, the money requires almost nothing. So the program will have to be returned - eat it yourself.

    Gdocs


    Freeware, positioned as an Android client for Google Docs. in fact, I had particular hopes for this program, since the Google service will render my test files almost perfectly (with the exception of formulas) .

    We look:
    ThinkFree Mobile <
    EPIC FAIL. Unfortunately, the program shows only text, and even with some stripes. So it is swept away once.

    Another world



    The review would not be complete if there were no comparison with other platforms. Actually, there are always two competitors (on the ARM platform): iOS and GNU / Linux. The viewer on the iPad is built into the system (Google what were you thinking, eh?) And allows you to view documents from any program, which is certainly correct and convenient. This is what the files from dropbox look like (thanks to payalnik ):

    Rendering is perfect. (Something is not very clear

    how to size it into an album) Then I launched my OpenOffice and squeezed it to the size of a tablet window:

    Everything is also very, very good. Plus, of course, everything can be edited, and spellchecking swears in quasi-Latin. (Sockets, of course, can be removed to taste, adaptation for tablets is needed.)

    Verdict


    While there are no tools for normal viewing of MS Office package files under the Android platform, we are not talking about editing at all. However, there are 3 commercial programs, one of which has a very good history, there is also a free viewer that is almost-almost ready. In fairness, it should be noted that under WM for all its long life an adequate office has not appeared.

    So if I needed a tablet for editing office documents, I would choose either an iPad or some kind of device with the ability to install full-fledged GNU / Linux. In terms of the latter, MeeGo looks promising, but the appearance of at least some tablet devices is not yet visible on the horizon.

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