Google Docs and Google's Cloud Connect toolbar for Microsoft Office combine to let you do simple editing of Word and Excel files on an iPad without having to pay for a separate app.

Apple's iPad productivity suite might be fine for light work, but it doesn't play well with your existing Office documents. That's okay: I've got a great alternative that does.

How to Read Excel Files on an iPad. The iPad has become a popular business tool for many different reasons, ranging from its ease of use to its security model to its support for business applications.

Because CloudOn integrates with DropBox, I can edit a spreadsheet locally on my iPad and then have the changes sync on my other devices.