With the rise of mobile Internet-connected devices came the increased popularity of cloud computing - using programs that reside and store files online, up in the clouds, where you can get for them from any Web-enabled machine. What this means is you don't have to drag around a seven-pound laptop stuffed with business software just to update a spreadsheet, because you can edit it online with a two-pound netbook. Or an iPad.
Not every cloud-computing site works together with the iPad - Adobe's Flash-based Photoshop.com site, which lets you edit pictures online, for instance. Others may have limited functionality, like the ability to read files, but not edit them. Still, if you need to quickly lookup something in a document stored online or look into the status of an ongoing project, pointing your iPad toward the cloud works.
Google Docs is most likely one of the most popular cloud-computing apps, partly because it's free, partly because it can handle Microsoft Office documents, and partly because it belongs to the growing Google Empire. To make use of it, you just need a Gmail or Google account. Once you register, you can create, edit, and share files right in your computer's Web browser - including word-processing documents, spreadsheets, and basic presentations.
Since those files are online anyway, you can also get to them from the Safari browser on the iPad. There are some limitations, though. For one, you currently can't edit documents or presentations on the iPad, so these files are pretty much read-only copies for reference when you're on the road. You can, however, do basic editing on your spreadsheet files.
And in contrast to Google Docs on a standard computer, you cannot use the "offline" feature that enables you to edit and save files even when you don't have an Internet connection.
Another cloud-computing company, Zoho, has a whole slew of business and productivity apps that work through your computer's browser. Most of them are free for personal use; you just need to sign up for an account. Zoho Writer, Sheet, and Show roughly match Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and may open and edit files in those formats. The organization also has a door for mobile devices at mobile.zoho.com; you can log in through the iPad if you need to refer to your file stored online in a lesscluttered interface.
A high level big fan of cloud computing and already use services such as the Basecamp project management site (basecamphq.com) or DropBox for filesharing, have a run through the Productivity area of the App Store for iPad-friendly programs that work specifically with those sites. For example, the free QuickOffice Connect app gives you a convenient portal to your files stored on Dropbox, Box.net, Google Docs, and MobileMe.
Dedicated Basecampers have several App Store choices as well. Programs like Satchel ($10) Groundwork ($8), Insight ($10), and Outpost ($13) allow you to keep tabs on ongoing projects, tasks, and deadlines by checking in with your iPad.
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