RollApp launches cloud-enabled beta of ‘Open Office on iPad’

On-demand software startup rollApp has launched a free beta of “Open Office on iPad,” its first big stab at bringing cloud-powered software to the iPad’s browser.

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rollApp’s focuses on developing the technology to run any existing software app on any device that has a browser. The company specifically has the iPad in mind because that device still faces software challenges when an app isn’t built natively. So the company has decided to start by giving users access to the popular Open Office suite because they won’t have to worry about licensing costs. Additionally, rollApp includes integration with cloud storage big wigs Dropbox and Box and Google Docs, which means users also have access to their files in the cloud.

Vlad Pavlov, rollApp’s founder and CEO, is extremely confident about the product he’s created, telling VentureBeat: “We’ve developed the most advanced cloud technology in the world. We have the best team on this planet. And our channel partners are about to bring our technology to hundreds of millions of their users. At this point, we are unstoppable.”

Pavlov’s advisory team includes Bjarne Stroustrup, the author of C++; Richard Wirt, General Partner at Oxantim Ventures; Bob Iannucci, former CTO of Nokia; Richard Soley, CEO of Object Management Group; Mike Gurevich, a former Chief Architect for Bank of America; and tech entrepreneur Vivek Wadhwa.

rollApp will compete with already established players including OnLive and CloudOn, both of which let you run Microsoft Office on the iPad. OnLive even takes it a step further by offering a full edition of Windows that can be accessed via the iPad.

Open Office on iPad will be free until the product leaves beta. User registrations may be staggered depending on demand.

Palo Alto-based rollApp was founded in 2010 and has raised $350,000 in seed funding from U.K.-based TMT Investments. It is currently looking to raise new funds.

You can see a few more screens of Open Office on iPad below:

rollApp is one of 80 companies chosen by VentureBeat to launch at the DEMO Spring 2012 event taking place this week in Silicon Valley. After we make our selections, the chosen companies pay a fee to present. Our coverage of them remains objective.

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