Tablets today are often regarded as
subpar tools for writing. But is that really the case? We discover that
tablets, while imperfect are great tools for catching up on the word count. All
you need are the right tools for it.
It was on that one fine day in which I sat
myself in an American coffee house to find myself surrounded by writers.
Hardworking, dedicated writers, hunched over mugs of cooling coffee and...
tablets. Computer tablets. iPads and Android slates and what have you. I was
surprised, and perhaps a little disgruntled. Who told them that tablets were
good writing tools? Everyone agreed that they were subpar, unwholesome gadgets
when it comes to processing words by the bulk.
"They kinda are, yeah," one
writer told me, eyes cocked and smirk curled like I was the only guy who never
got the memo. "But you kind of mound them into one, see. Turn them into
good tools and get used to them."
And it's true. There are tablet users out
there that swear on the utter inability of the tablet to function as a proper
writing tool. After all, tablets today are made for content consumption. Yeap,
you can't deny the fact that the tablet was never designed to accommodate word
processing optimally, but it doesn't mean that you cannot turn it into one.
Why aren't many writers flocking towards
the wondrous portability and immense battery life of the tablet? Many cite the
lack of a physical keyboard being one, and you know it yourself. The virtual
keyboard will never cut it. Others believe that the tablet lack the proper software
to optimize its productivity output, and by default that is true.
But these people miss out on the joy of
writing on tablets, too. They miss out on the ease and instantaneousness of
using tablets at work. They miss out on the wonders of the Cloud. And the
problems at hand? They can be solved with a little searching and clever
investment.
Hardware
The single one hardware you really need to
invest in is a keyboard. A made-for-tablet keyboard. The best candidates go to
the Apple Wireless Keyboard (for the iPad, and it looks great and types well if
not a little heavy), and the Logitech Tablet Keyboard (both the iPad and
Android variations). The latter in particular has a nifty separate stand and a
useful carrying case.
Frankly, though, any wireless keyboard for
tablets work here, so long they type with the sort of tactile feedback that
you're comfortable with. Also look for something you don't mind carrying
around; keyboard cases would be good if you hate to have to lug a separate
device. Otherwise, invest on a convertible tablet, such as the ASUS Eee Pad
Transformer, which come with a keyboard dock that not only types well, but also
increase its overall functionality.
The
single one hardware you really need to invest in is a keyboard.
The apps
Word processing apps are not cheap. It’s
doubly more expensive sometimes because it comes with a full office suite, and
that might feel like a waste if you don’t need the other functions. What you
should be looking for are uncluttered document management, seamlessness in
workflow, Cloud integration and word count. We’ve rounded up the best apps that
we know.
Daedalus Touch
Price: $4.99
Developer: The Soulmen
Daedalus
Touch
The best bit about Daedalus Touch for the
iPad is that it’s created specifically as a text editor. There are no file
lists, no folders and no documents in the ordinary sense; you work on paper
stacks which you create by the infinite number of sheet you can summon. It has
both word and character count, and add to the seamlessness of it, it even comes
with an integrated web browser for Internet access. You can keep on working on
it without any worry; it reportedly can support large text files of 20,000
words and more. Simple, organic and – most importantly – wittedly, Daedalus
Touch is that touch to writing you’ll like on your iPad.
iA Writer
Price: $0.99
Developer: Information Architects
iA
Writer
iA Writer is the iPad word processor you
get if you’ve not invested in a wireless keyboard. The virtual keyboard for
this app is fantastic, coming with additional sets of useful keys, along with a
better keyboard arrangement and actual arrow buttons. That’s not all that’s
good about iA Writer. The design of the app is to allow better focus on the
text rather than the program, with a useful FocusMode that lets you concentrate
on the active text on screen. The interface is clean and simple, and there are
DropBox and email integration to keep your workflow smoother.
Kingsoft Office
Price: Free
Developer: Kingsoft Office Software
Corporation
Kingsoft
Office
All Android users really need is the extra
effort to go ahead and download the Kingsoft Office. This office suite is
absolutely free, at the cost of only supporting the most barebones of features.
Still, what is has to offer pretty much beats having nothing to work on at all.
The Kingsoft Office’s word processor allows you to view and edit files of DOC,
DOCX and TXT formats, and you can copy and paste between apps and utilize the
magnifying glass text selector to better type. If you’re not willing to fish
out the cash for something more wholesome, Kingsoft Office will be all you
need. You cheap kate.
My Writing Spot
Price: $2.99
Developer: PT Software Solutions
My
Writing Spot
It may sound like a simple app, but its
simplicity is what makes My Writing Spot so good. It’s a basic word processor
that maintains the features that matter, such as word count and adjustable font
size. The best part of My Writing Spot is how its web-based app, which means
you can very seamlessly access and write your manuscript from any other
computer. You can even password-protect it to keep it from prying eyes. It
might not have fanciful features, but it keeps you in the task of writing and
does a fine job keeping your workflow seamless.
