Ubuntu Tips n Tricks

Posted: 18 Sep 2011 07:12 PM PDT

Besides the well-ironed suit, the leather briefcase and the swiveling chair, the smartphone has become an important part of the office. Though BlackBerry has been the de facto standard amongst office goers, its position is slowly being usurped by the ever-growing platforms like Android and iOS. The closed attitude Apple has towards its app ecosystem hasn't allowed many office apps to flourish. Android on the other hand can proudly brag about the plethora of apps it has ready for office and productivity software users.

So, without much ado, here are 10 great Office apps for your Android devices.

Google Docs

Don't let the relatively lower ratings of this app fool you. The recently updated version of Google Docs comes with exciting new features making it a complete office app. And yes, there's built-in cloud integration so that you won't have to worry about backups and stuff. With the Google Docs app you can create, open, edit, save and delete your documents just as you would on your desktop. You can also view any PDFs or images you might have stored on your Gdocs account. What's more, you can also edit spreadsheets on the go. Once you're done editing your document, you can easily send it to any contact on your phone. Additionally, Google Docs for Android also provides a unique functionality wherein you could snap a picture of printed text and convert it directly into a Gdocs document. For quick access, I recommend dropping the Gdocs widget on your homescreen, as it will easily allow you to create new documents on the go. Overall, it's a must-have app for your Droid even if you aren't a Google Docs fan. More info...

OfficeSuite 5 Pro

OfficeSuite5 Pro is a popular suite for Android which allows creating, saving and editing documents, spreadsheets and presentations. It is a complete office app featuring a File Browser along with support for a variety of document formats like DOC, DOCX, RTF, TXT, LOG, XLS, XLSX, CSV, PPT, PPTX, PPS, and PPSX. Other formats supported are PDF, EML and even ZIP. Once you install OfficeSuite5 Pro, you'd be able to open supported email attachments and mail them to your friends and colleagues. For those who rely on the cloud, there's support for uploading documents to Google Docs. The suite is quite popular, as it has already been preloaded on over 20 million devices worldwide. Though the full version will cost you money, you can try out a fully functional trial version of the software free of charge. The only thing lacking in this app is the support for open document formats. Well, let's hope that they fix that soon. More info...

Documents To Go

This is an app that comes from a company that has been developing applications for the past 26 years. Dataviz's Documents To Go comes packed with powerful features that many office users are looking for. You can create, view and edit MS Word, MS Excel and MS Powerpoint files on the go. Don't worry if they're password-protected, Documents To Go can open them too. Apart from supporting MS Office (97-2008) files, the feature-laden application also comes with support for viewing PDF files. A unique feature of this application is its ability to sync with the desktop version of the app. As the desktop version is Windows-only, one could always rely on Gdocs sync that the app already provides. Documents To Go is not free, but you can always try out the trial version before buying. Overall, a great and powerful Office suite, but the lack of open documents support is a bit annoying. More info...

ThinkFree Office Mobile

ThinkFree Office comes with everything you need from an office suite. It can create, view and edit MS Office files from version 97 to 2010. Also, features like PDF support, file manager and Google Docs manager make it a complete office suite. Apart from the usual features that the aforementioned apps can boast of, ThinkFree Office comes with some unique features like free 2GB cloud storage, multi touch support, ZIP file extraction, Easy Zoom and more. Additionally, this popular app provides almost all the essential features desktop software provide; for example, Cut/Copy/Paste, support for embedded objects, live update when editing chart/data, insert/edit/delete rows etc. Again, the only thing missing about this app is the lack of support for open formats. ThinkFree Office Mobile, quite contrary to its name, is not free. However, you can easily try out the trial version before spending your money. More info...

QuickOffice Pro

QuickOffice Pro comes with most of the essential features of the aforementioned apps plus with some unique features of its own. The award-winning office suite can edit documents and then share them via email, bluetooth or SMS. One striking feature about QuickOffice Pro is its tight integration with the cloud. Instead of just integrating with a single service, QuickOffice integrates with a host of popular services like Google Docs, Box.net, Huddle, SugarSync and MobileMe (yes folks, you heard me well). The best part about QuickOffice is that it's tightly integrated with Android and is one of the most well designed apps out there. NY Times has rated it as one of the 10 must-have apps for Android. The app isn't free though. More info...

Olive Office

Olive Office is another great office suite which deserves a mention on the list. As far as the basic features go, this app pretty much does everything we need, that is open, create and edit, MS Office documents, save files and stuff. Apart from opening PDFs, Olive office can open '.CHM' files too which is quite a unique feature. Olive Office comes in 2 versions, both of which are free. The basic version allows users to just open and view their documents. The Premium version on the other hand allows users to edit, create and save documents. One thing that's quite annoying about the app is the fact that since both the versions are essentially free, there is no need to make a distinction between a basic and a premium version. Nevertheless, the app is a good competitive office app if you're looking for something free yet functional. More info...

PDF Converter

Okay, we've covered plenty of Office Suites today, now it's time for some power tools. PDF Converter is an amazing free app that lets you convert any kind of file into PDF format. Supported formats include everything from .doc to sdw (Starwriter files). It even supports converting open document formats to PDF. The converted file is saved to the SD cared, which can then be transferred to the desktop or can be mailed to any of the contacts. Overall, it is an essential app even if you're not an avid office goer. More info...

Remote Powerpoint OpenOffice

Another great app an office goer must have in his repertoire is the Remote Powerpoint OpenOffice application. This nifty little software lets you control your Powerpoint / LibreOffice presentations from your phone thus turning it into a remote control. To get it working, the only thing you need to do is connect the phone and the PC using their IP addresses. That's it, no applications to install, no malware and no spyware. Once connected, the app allows you to switch between the slides as well as provides a nice little preview of the current slide. There is also an option for wake lock that basically allows you to stop the phone from going to sleep/lock mode while the presentation is running. Now, unless you aren't into a habit of putting your audience to sleep during your presentations, that option is absolutely necessary. Overall, it is a great free app to have. More info...

Adobe Reader

Ah! The dreaded PDF file quietly arrives in your mailbox. Don't let bulky PDF files bother you with the mobile version of one of Adobe's most popular applications. Adobe Reader for mobile brings enhanced PDF viewing capabilities to the mobile platform thanks to great features like gesture-based navigation, high quality PDF rendering, page navigator, ability to open password protected files and more. The free app works across Android-based smartphones as well as tablets. More info...

Open Office Document Reader

This open source app brings an impressive feature to your Android Smartphone. Once installed, Open Office Document Reader will allow you to open any .odt or .ods file from almost any app on your device. Upon opening a file, you can zoom in, copy text, and change the formatting of the document. The app is a simple document viewer and not a full-fledged office suite; so, editing documents is not supported. If you've got a LibreOffice (or Open Office) file in your Dropbox, Gmail, Browser, Zumodrive or any other app, Open Office Document Reader will open it for you. It is a must-have app if you tend to work a lot with ODT and ODS files. And yes, it's free! More info...

Conclusion: So, that was TechSource's list of the quintessential office apps for your Android gadgets. If there's any app we've missed out on, do feel free to mention it in the comments section.