WinZip is a new iPad app released this week, and an iPad version of the long-established and leading name in file compression software for many years (more than 20 according to its App Store page).
Here are some of the capabilities of the app:
- Open Zip files and Zip attachments from email
- Browse and view Zip files, including multi-file attachments
- Open encrypted Zip files
- Copy the contents of Zip files to the clipboard
- View Zip file attachments from webmail (Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc)
Zipped file types that can be previewed:
- .txt, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .rtf, .pdf, .key, .numbers, .pages, .htm, .htm, .jsp, .bmp, .jpg, .jpeg, .tif, .tiff, .png, .gif
There’s no lack of current iPad and iOS apps that can manage compressed files (including those in the .zip format) – but I think it’s just very cool to see WinZip make it to the App Store. I installed it just a little while ago, as much for nostalgia as anything else I guess. It works as advertised. It’s not going to rival GoodReader and other far more versatile apps, but if you just need a good, old friend of an app to handle compressed files on the iPad then this may be a very good option – being a free app doesn’t hurt either.
Here’s an App Store link for WinZip; it’s a free app and a universal app designed to run on both the iPad and iPhone.