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Google Docs could make writing that term paper a little easier
Formatting and inserting citations are some of the worst parts of writing a term paper. But Google wants to help make that tedious process a little less soul-crushing. An upcoming update to G Suite will toss those attributions in as a footnote for a Doc, Sheet or Slide with a single tap. It's thanks in part to how the new, contextual "Explore" tab Google launched earlier this year works. It's a little confusing though, because screenshots in the blog post are from mobile web and there isn't any clarification if this is a desktop option as well.
Google Docs helps you figure out who's responsible for tasks
It's not always easy to determine who's responsible for what in a given online project, but Google thinks it can sort out that mess. It's introducing a slew of Google Docs updates (as part of a larger G Suite upgrade) that help you delegate tasks. On the desktop, typing phrases that assign tasks will automatically suggest action items -- write "Andrea to schedule a weekly check-in" and you'll foist that duty on your colleague. Both desktop and mobile users can also manually assign items by mentioning people in comments, so it should be easier to ask for an edit or status update. You'll get a heads-up on any files with tasks assigned to you.
Google makes Docs, Drive and Calendar more productive
If you spend your work days toiling in Google's productivity apps, the first thing you might notice today is that Google for Work is now called "G Suite". Once you get past the new label, you might also notice a slew of smart updates across the board that ought to save you time and keep your workflow moving.
Google Apps for Work has a new name: G Suite
As predicted, Google Apps for Work has a new name. Calendar, Drive, Docs, Gmail, Maps for Work, Search for Work, Sheets and Slides all fall under "G Suite" now. A few of those items might jump out at you as being Google Apps for Work. It all falls under Google Cloud (the backend powering everything), as TechCrunch writes, and will encompass Chromebooks too. Nope, definitely not unnecessarily complicated at all. The whole reason for the change? Proving that the search juggernaut is all about its enterprise customers. "We are the full power of Google in the Cloud," the company's Diane Greene said. "We are Google Cloud." That's one way of showing off your confidence, I guess. The company promises G Suite will continue to grow, with built-in collaboration being the name of the game.
Google for Work will supposedly be renamed to Google Cloud
If you're used to seeing Google for Work branding on your employer's web apps like Docs and Inbox, changes are coming. For now, it sounds superficial, according to a report from The Information. The publication's sources say that the search juggernaut is changing the name to Google Cloud, and that the change will also cover Chromebooks and Android devices in addition to web services. "The name change is Google's way of saying, 'We have the best cloud platform, period,'" according to an anonymous source. The publication goes on to say that this should all be made official at a Google Cloud event later this month on the 29th.
Google Docs finally adds multitasking tools for iPads
Google Docs, Sheets and Slides' most recent iOS updates make them play a whole lot nicer with multitasking on iPads. The patch feels a little overdue at this point, but hey, we'll take support for iOS 9's tablet features like Split View and Slide Over whenever we can get 'em. Supported models include the iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 4 and both sizes of iPad Pro, and if the update hasn't hit your device yet, that's what the source links below are for.
Google Keep can autocomplete your grocery list entries
In the years since Google launched Keep, its note taking app/service has continued to slowly add new features, and today it's rolling out a couple of new tricks. The Keep website has a lightly refreshed design that looks similar to the new Google+ web layout, while across platforms (Chrome extension, Android and iOS) it's now able to show previews for links to websites with a picture, the page title and domain. It has a new autocomplete feature that only works on lists so far, and it can also detect duplicates as soon as they're entered. They're not huge changes, but they should make staying organized a little easier, or at least prettier.
Google Slides has a new audience participation Q&A feature
Presentation apps may not be the most exciting software out there, but there's no doubt that tools like Powerpoint and Google Slides are important to large swaths of professional and educational users. Today, Google is adding what seems to be a pretty unique and clever feature to Slides to encourage more audience participation. It's simply called Q&A, and it lets audience members submit questions to a speaker throughout a presentation; you can also vote on which questions you want to have answered.
Google Docs lets you limit access with an expiration date
In business, many people collaborate with clients, contractors and other small companies for a short length of time. You might want to give them access to some of your documents -- a list of your team's contact details, for instance -- and then revoke access once the job has been wrapped up. Well, Google is now starting to offer that feature to Google Apps customers that use Drive, Docs, Sheets and Slides. So when you share a file with someone, you'll also get the option to set an expiry date. Handy.
Google Docs gets speedy Android navigation and an outline tool
It'll soon be a lot easier for you to browse through Google Docs files on Android phones and tablets. With the latest version of Docs on Android, you'll now see a small overlay when scrolling through documents. Tapping on it brings up the basic structure of your file, which you can then use to hop to different sections. It's a fairly minor addition, but it's one that should make it much easier to edit documents on Android (it certainly would have been nice when reviewing the Pixel C).
Google Docs now lets you edit and format text with your voice
Back in September, Google rolled out voice typing in Docs, letting you compose text without needing to touch the keyboard. Whether or not talking instead of typing is more efficient is still up for debate, but it can be handy in a variety of situation. Google has today expanded its voice typing feature in Docs to add the ability to recognize a variety of editing and formatting commands that works seamlessly with the existing dictation features.
Google adds chat-like commenting to Sheets and Slides on your phone
Over the last year or so, Google has put a focus on making the phone and tablet versions of its productivity suite up to par with the web versions. The latest new feature Google's rolling out around that mission is a revamped commenting experience in Docs, Sheets and Slides for Android and iOS. For starters, Google is adding mobile commenting to the latter two apps -- it launched in Docs last year, but was absent from Sheets and Slides until today.
Google lures your workplace away from Office by covering app costs
Google really, really wants your company to jump from Microsoft Office to Docs. So much so, in fact, that it's willing to pay a lot to make sure that happens. It just launched a promo that will cover your firm's Docs costs so long as it's stuck in an enterprise agreement with someone else -- your workplace only starts paying when the old contract runs out. That's no small offer when Docs costs at least $50 per person per year, which could add up to tens of thousands of dollars at an outfit with hundreds of employees.
New Google Docs, Sheets and Slides features make schoolwork less miserable
Google is holding a "back-to-school" event today at its San Francisco office to introduce a set of new Google Docs tools specifically built with the classroom in mind -- though all Docs users will benefit from these changes. Some will only be appearing on Android, some will be in the desktop, and some will be hitting both, but regardless it should make life easier for Docs users. Google introduced six new features, including built-in Search for Docs on Android, voice typing, automatic chart creation for Sheets and more.
Google adds screen reader support to Docs, Sheets and Slides apps
Google's Docs, Sheets and Slides apps aren't easy to use on a phone's small screen at all, but this set of updates could make things just a bit more convenient for both iOS and Android users. Documents now come with real-time spell check, spreadsheets are now able to hide rows and columns, and presentations can lump similar shapes together. Even better, they all now work with Android TalkBack and iOS VoiceOver -- screen readers that will make the apps friendlier to the visually impaired -- though those who only need just a bit of help reading on a small screen can use the magnification tool instead. Finally, if you're using an iPhone or an iPad, you can start using your fingerprint to unlock the apps if you want to make sure no nosy workmate can get into your files. The updates are now rolling out for both mobile platforms and are now available on Google Play and iTunes. [image credit: shutterstock]
Draftback finds the hidden history of your Google doc epics
A good story is a very special incarnation of magic, and if there's one thing more interesting than seeing how it unfolds, it's seeing how it was put together. Thankfully, a terribly neat new tool called Draftback -- created by New York-based writer/programmer James Somers -- sort of lets you do just that... as long as the story in question lives in a Google document.
Google drops Quickoffice now that its own apps can handle your work
Google bought Quickoffice to boost the productivity of its Apps suite, and it clearly accomplished that mission when it released a slew of mobile editing tools that merge Quickoffice's file tech with Google Drive. Accordingly, the search firm is pulling the plug on the earlier software; it's going to remove Quickoffice from both Apple's App Store and Google Play "in the coming weeks." You can still download it after that if you're an existing fan, but newcomers will have no choice but to use either Google's apps or their rough equivalents.
You can now crop and add borders to images in Google Docs
You'll have to download the standalone apps to get to work on mobile devices, but you can now crop, rotate and add borders to images inside Google Docs. The same handy modification tools that have been available in Slides now make their debut in Mountain View's word processor. Gone are the days of firing up a separate app to crop those snapshots down size before properly illustrating your thesis. If you're in need of a step-by-step breakdown, Google provided one right here.
Google releasing standalone mobile apps for editing docs, spreadsheets and presentations
Google's long had a Drive app for both Android and iOS, but who knows, maybe you just can't handle that many features in one program. If for some reason you're the kind of person who only wants to edit documents and never see another spreadsheet again (not that we blame you), Google just released standalone Drive apps for Android and iOS, each with offline support built in. These include Docs and Sheets to start; a Slides app for presentations is coming too, but hasn't been released yet. If all you want is a text editor or spreadsheet repository, though, you'll find the appropriate download links below.
Move over Chrome, Google Docs has add-ons now too
Power users have been tricking out Google's Chrome browser with extensions for years, and now they can do the same with... Google Docs? Today the search giant launched an add-on store for its word processing and spreadsheet web apps so that productivity buffs can get more work done with less hassle. So far the store comes stocked with about 60 tools, ranging from the seemingly arcane (Supermetrics somehow turns Docs into a web analytics tool) to the incredibly useful (EasyBib takes the sting out of crafting those awful works cited pages). If you're feeling particularly creative, you can start crafting a Google Docs add-on of your own too -- just make sure you've got a nifty use-case in mind or Google will shoot it down. Neat as it is, though, the move is no surprise. Microsoft rejiggered its own web-based Office suite just last month, and courting developers could help the folks in Mountain View keep their edge in a battle that's only going to heat up.
