work

Can iWork on the iPad really compare to a Mac?

Apple offers versions of its iWork suite (Pages, Keynote, Numbers) for both the Mac OS and iOS platforms, and given that the new school year is right around the corner, students might be weighing the options for creating and managing projects using either iPads or Macs.

While having been a fan of Apple's iWork suite in OS X since its debut and enjoy having the apps available for other platforms, I have been somewhat skeptical of using the iPad or iPhone to write a full report, a formatted resume, or managing calculations in a spreadsheet. Being a touch-only device, I've considered the iPad in large part as a viewing tool where you can look up information and browse through it, rather than buckling down and creating intricate and detailed content, especially with regard to office-related tasks. While Apple's touch-based input panels in iOS have made entering strings of text relatively easy, and along with gestures it provides a unique approach to drawing and arranging objects in applications, the question does arise as to whether this approach is adequate for more-detailed work such as word processing, presentations, and spreadsheets.… Read more

Facebook drops off the greatest places to work list

Marquee tech companies have always had a good rap of being great places to work: beautiful campuses, casual clothing, free food, and lunchtime workouts. But maybe that's not really the case?

A new list by company review site Glassdoor compiled the 25 best places to work for those trying to achieve an even work-life balance for 2012. And the results are surprising.

Of all well-known tech companies out there, LinkedIn, Orbitz, and CareerBuilder were the only ones to make the list. And for the first time, Facebook entirely dropped off the list. However, of the 25 companies, 12 were … Read more

Updates to iWork, iMovie, and iPhoto follow Mountain Lion release

Whenever Apple releases a new version of its OS X operating system, it soon follows with updates to some of its popular programs for OS X. Today's release of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion (see here for CNET's full review) is no different, and Apple has made several updates available for its iWork productivity suite, its iPhoto consumer picture manager, and its iMovie home video editor.

The updates are available through Mountain Lion's Mac App Store, which Apple has unified for managing updates to both Mac App Store purchases and also other system updates in the … Read more

iWork.com users have one month before Apple shuts it down

In the wake of the closure of MobileMe, Apple is again reminding people that it is pulling the plug on iWork.com at the end of the month as it transitions users to its iCloud service for online syncing and storage.

"As of July 31, 2012, you will no longer be able to access your documents on the iWork.com site or view them on the Web," the iWork.com site says. "We recommend that you sign in to iWork.com before July 31, 2012, and download all your documents to your computer. For detailed instructions on … Read more

Apple reminds iWork.com users of impending closure

If you have Apple's iWork productivity suite and have used Apple's iWork.com collaborations, Apple has sent out another notice to remind users that this service will be canceled on July 31. The service, which was always in a beta release status, was an attempt to provide an online storage and collaborative environment for iWork programs, similar to Microsoft's SkyDrive and SharePoint options for its Office suite.

Apple's decision to shutter iWork.com comes after its transition of its MobileMe service to iCloud, which provides an online syncing and storage option that is system-wide and usable … Read more

Link up with business associates

LinkedIn for iPad doesn't have all the features you'd find on the business-oriented networking Web site, but a nice layout and new integration with your calendar make it a worthy download.

Formerly just on smaller devices like iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and Palm Pre, the new LinkedIn app for iPad has some interesting functionality built in that lets you map out your busy workday.

Upon launch, you can browse three categories: All Updates, You, and your Inbox. Touch You and you can see who has viewed your profile, people you may know (through your connections) and all your current … Read more

Pages brings Apple word processing to iOS

Pages for iOS may not be as sophisticated as other desktop word-processing apps, but it packs plenty of punch when you just want a way to produce nice-looking documents on the go. After only a few minutes playing around with the controls, we were able to create documents with stylized text, imported images, tables, and graphs, and make formatting changes on-the-fly, all using the touch-screen keyboard. The program comes with 16 Apple-designed templates to start from, including standard letters, letters with photos, resume layouts, project reports, and many more. With Apple's keyboard dock connected, Pages performed much like a … Read more

Apple's supply chain: A portrait of a Foxconn factory worker

The average Foxconn worker logs at least 56 hours a week, finds the factory stressful, has seen an accident, wants better air conditioning, and plans on a tenure of about two years. That worker also wants better food in the canteen.

Welcome to Apple's supply chain.

After logging 3,000 staff hours while investigating three factories since February, the Fair Labor Association finally released its very detailed report about labor rights violations going on within the factories of Apple's largest supplier, Foxconn. What has emerged from the report is a composite sketch of the day in the life … Read more

Apple making progress on work hours, but 'can do better'

Apple says it's making progress on working conditions in supplier facilities.

The company recently issued its monthly report on "excessive work hours" in supplier factories around the world, saying that 89 percent of workers were in compliance with a 60-hour work week. In January, 84 percent of the employed workers were found to be in compliance.

According to Apple, the typical factory worker was on the job for 48 hours each week in February.

"That's a substantial improvement over previous results, but we can do better," the company wrote on its Supplier Responsibility page. &… Read more

Retraction and all, Foxconn still in crosshairs

Despite the undercutting of Mike Daisey's claims against working conditions at Foxconn, the company hasn't been fully exonerated.

Speaking to Reuters in an interview published today, a fund manager at Polaris Financial Group with investments in Foxconn parent company Hon Hai Precision said that he and other investors will be keeping a close eye on what's discovered about working conditions at Foxconn's factories.

"The retraction has somewhat cleared Foxconn's name, but not all the way," Simon Liu told Reuters. "The press and stock investors will continue to watch how Foxconn treats its … Read more