Docs
Latest
Google Docs adds 450 fonts and 60 templates, sadly includes Comic Sans
Google Docs has lagged behind offline apps in the number of fonts and pre-made layouts to choose from, but that's just changed with a much larger catalog for both. More than 60 new templates and 450 fonts are now on tap to use in your presentations and reports. This comes on top of a handful of other recent improvements, such as Google Drive support, searching the Life Photo archive and boosts to accessibility and spreadsheet layouts. Apps Script gets both a Google Drive tie-in and new publishing control, too. Be forewarned: Comic Sans is one of the new font options, and it's clearly not an April Fools' gag.
Google Drive official: 5GB of free storage, Chrome web apps, Wave-like sharing and editing (video)
If it happened any other way, it just wouldn't be as satisfying, now would it? After years of leaks, murmurs, hubbub and other familiar synonyms, Google's mythical cloud storage platform is now official... sort of. As Lady Fate would have it, the company apparently outed a memo of the features on its French blog earlier today, but before it could yank the 'pull' switch, an eagle-eyed reader managed to grab the text and run it through -- surprise, surprise -- Google Translate. What's left is an official-as-you'll-get-right-now transcript of Google Drive's features, but contrary to the hype, it all feels way more enterprise-centric than consumers may have wanted. For starters, there's no real mention of music (we guess Google Music is on its own, there), and there's just 5GB of free storage for "documents, videos, photos, Google Docs, PDFs, etc." According to the brief, it's designed to let users "live, work and play in the cloud," with direct integration with Docs and Google+. We're also told that Drive can be installed on one's Mac, PC or Android phone / tablet, while an iOS version will be "available in the coming weeks." Of note, Google's making this accessible to visually impaired consumers with the use of a screen reader. As for features? Naturally, Google's flexing its search muscles in as many ways as possible; if you scan in a newspaper clipping, a simple Search All within Drive will allow results to appear directly from said clipping. If you upload a shot of the Eiffel Tower, it'll show up whenever you search for the aforesaid icon. Moreover, Drive will allow folks to open over 30 types of documents directly from a web browser, including HD video, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and more -- "even without the software installed on your computer." For those concerned about access, the new platform will have the same infrastructure as any other Google Apps services, giving admins a familiar set of management tools on that end. On the topic of storage, just 5GB are provided gratis, with 25GB costing $2.49 per month, 100GB running you $4.99 per month and 1TB demanding $49.99 per month, with a maximum of 16TB ($799.99 per month, if you're curious) per user; thankfully, Google Docs will not be included in your usage total. Finally, the note played up the ability to "attach documents directly into your Drive Gmail," and given that it's intended to be an open platform, Goog's promising to work with third party developers in order to enhance Drive's functionality even further. The source link below is still dead as of right now, but it simply can't be long before the lights are officially turned on. Oh, and if you're not enamored at the moment, the outfit's suggesting that "many more developments" will be arriving in the coming weeks. Update: It's live on the Google Play store, and a pair of explanatory videos are embedded after the break!
Google Docs bumps up free storage to 5GB, primes servers for Drive?
Is space at a premium in your Google Docs folder? Good news from Mountain View, then, as it's just stealth-increased the storage allowance for its cloud-based document editor. Unfortunately, anyone that's already plumped for a paid extension of their Google Docs storage won't see an extra 5GB on top. This new storage limit also tallies with what we're expecting to see from Google Drive -- presumably pretty soon. [Thanks Kenji]
Google Drive SDK, Gmail integration hinted at in Google Docs source code
Still wondering if Mountain View's Google Drive service will launch as a Google Docs rebranding? The folks at the Google Operating System blog have some code you might want to peek at, then. Apparently the Docs' source code mentions an SDK connected to the upcoming Google Drive, opening the door for third party app support. The code hints at deeper Gmail integration too, "Say goodbye to email attachments and hello to real time collaboration," it says, "Drag anything shared with you to My Drive for easy access." If Drive turns out to be more than a hefty Docs update, at the very least it seems clear that the new service will play nice with El Goog's other web apps -- after all, isn't that what that consolidated privacy policy is supposed to be about?
Google Docs for Android update brings collaborative editing for all
It's been barely a month since Google Docs on Android got offline support, but here comes Mountain View with another equally impressive update. Those upgrading today are treated to collaborative editing, much in the vein of their desktop counterparts. That means you can now watch edits happen in real time from your Android tablet or smartphone. In addition, there's a bevy of interface tweaks too, including a new pinch-to-zoom gesture and rich text formatting. Feel good video demoing all awaits after the break.
Google Docs for Android updates: adds offline support, better tablet experience
Google clearly didn't want to blow everyone's mind right away with its Google Docs app for Android. That's why it's been slowly rolling out the updates, incrementally adding features and turning what began life (more or less) as a glorified web browser into a useful app. The latest upgrades deliver possibly the most requested feature -- offline access. Now there's an option to pin individual files for local storage and the app will automatically sync the latest version anytime you're on WiFi. If that's not often enough, you can manually update whenever you have a data connection. There's also a new layout for viewing docs on tablets that allows you to swipe left and right to flip between pages and a scrubber at the bottom for quickly jumping from one part of the doc to another. Hit up the Android Market now to score the update for yourself.
Use iConvert to scan documents directly to your iPad
I saw quite a few document scanners for iOS devices at CES last week, but this is about as elegant as they come. Brookstone is offering a scanner called iConvert, which uses your iPad as the receptable for anything you scan with it. Not only does it scan your documents with a 300 dpi scanner, but it even does a very nifty graphical representation of the document showing up on the screen. The iConvert is US$50 cheaper than the popular Doxie Go at $149, but of course this scanner is specifically built for the iPad or iPad 2 and offers fewer features than other scanners. There are also a few apps out there (including Scanner Pro) that will let you use the iPad's camera to pull in documents without extra hardware. Those don't work nearly as well, though. If often bring drawings or forms into a digital format, you'll want something more reliable. The iConvert seems like a solid option, and the fact that it's completely based on the iPad means it should be simple to port around. Brookstone is offering it for purchase next month. [via Dvice]
BioWare's docs: Free-to-play can't invest and create at our level
If BioWare's not in a war against the free-to-play business model, it certainly is skirmishing with the notion that F2P is the only way to go. In speaking with our sister site Joystiq, BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk defended the traditional subscription model by saying that it not only works but allows dev teams to achieve games on a larger scale. Zeschuk mentioned that it was simply a case of the right business model for the right game: "I'm not saying it's better or worse. It just doesn't supplant the other things. 'Cause we can do some things no one else can. The free-to-play people can't invest to the level we can invest, and can't create something of the size and scale of something we can create." Even with its love of the subscription model for Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare is open to free-to-play where it sees fit. Muzyka dropped a tantalizing hint as to the company's F2P aspirations: "We have some other stuff we haven't announced yet coming from our play-for-free team that I'm really excited about. It's gonna bring back some IP that people have a lot of fond memories around."
GDrive test page pops up in Google search, inches closer to an actual product
The GDrive leaks and rumors have started up again in earnest, really for the first time since 2007. The service seemed to destined for the dustbin when Docs started accepting any type of file, but in September hints started dropping that Drive may be resurrected. The latest interesting, if not entirely telling development, is a link to a "test page for Platypus (GDrive)" that pops up when you Google "Writely," the online word processor that eventually became Google Docs. Those with more robust memories may remember that Platypus was the codename attached to Google's cloud storage solution back when it was originally being dogfooded. Clicking on the link takes you Google Docs, just as any Writely.com URL would, but that does line up nicely with what we've heard about Drive being a rebranded Docs -- potentially with a file syncing component. Hopefully the Mountain View crew will take the covers off this bad boy soon -- we can't take much more of this mystery and intrigue stuff.
Google Drive could finally be ready for launch, may just be rebranded Docs
GDrive, GDisk, Google Drive - whatever they're calling it these days - is coming. At least according to our friends over at TechCrunch. The service has not just been a rumor, but an actual product since 2007. Sadly though, it never made it past the dogfooding stage. The internal cloud storage tool for Googlers has been highly anticipated, but in 2010 it seemed like the final nail was put in its coffin when Docs was turned into a makeshift replacement with the ability to store any file. Well, Google Drive still exists, and speculation is that Google Docs will eventually be rebranded as Drive and relaunched with non-Docs file storage moved to the forefront. What's more, it's rumored that there will be a desktop syncing component, similar to Dropbox. Of course, the image above (from a Google-sponsored presentation) and recently discovered mentions of Drive.Google.com in Chromium don't necessarily mean anything. But, if Google actually plans on taking this Chrome OS thing seriously, Drive seems like a natural companion service. For now though, we're just going to have wait patiently to see what, if anything, comes of these latest rumblings.
Adobe CreatePDF for Android does exactly what its name implies
Google's mobile OS is growing and maturing into a business-savvy adult before our very eyes. With the release of Adobe's CreatePDF in the Android Market, we're delighted to finally see a PDF-creation app on the mobile front. Not only does it let you build a PDF from the ground up, it can convert most popular filetypes -- Word, Excel, Powerpoint, OpenOffice, Photoshop, RTF, and Illustrator, just to name a few -- into PDF format. You can import any of these kinds of docs from your phone to app via the built-in file manager, or transfer an email attachment to it using Android's share function. Available for a one-time payment of $9.99, CreatePDF won't be for the light-walleted or the casual app enthusiast; don't be put off by the price, though, because the online version charges that much per month to do the exact same tasks on your computer. Anyone rocking Eclair or better can partake of the PDF love, so head to the source link to get straight to installing.
Google Docs gets an Android app, we go hands-on with tiny spreadsheets (video)
Staring at spreadsheets crushed down to unreadable sizes on a 4-inch phone screen is far from pleasurable but, clearly there is a demand. In fact, we've been clamoring for a proper Google Docs app for ages, even though sometimes we're not entirely sure why. It was only a matter of time before Google finally got around to appeasing us mobile workaholics and put an official app in the Android Market. Well, our masochistic prayers were answered -- the Mighty Goog unleashed the new, native Google Docs for Android app and we rushed on over to the Market, clicked the install button, and gave it a whirl. %Gallery-122400%
April Fools' Day roundup: Google overload edition
Ah, April 1st. It's that time of the year again when the internet is rife with odd news and pranks. As before, news sites like us end up with a healthy stream of tips throughout April Fools' Day (thanks, by the way), so let us round up some of the best findings for your comedic appetite. Contenders include the usual suspects like Google and ThinkGeek, the former of which dominating the gigglesphere this year with some new "features." We also have some interesting submissions from Hulu, a font company, and probably plenty more to come as the day progresses, so keep watching this space as we add new entries to this post. Right, let the fun commence after the break.
Google Docs: now supporting mobile editing in 45 languages
Never mind the fact that you'll need to have a basic grasp of English to even understand this report -- if you're an avid user of Google Docs on your Android 2.2+ phone, you can now edit in 45 languages. Heck, even if you're not using Android, you can surf on over to docs.google.com with any iOS 3.0+ device and accomplish the same thing. Would it make it any clearer if we spoke slowly and removed all adjectives? [Thanks, Calvin]
Google Docs presentation makes PowerPoint weep, beg for mercy (video)
And you thought your year-end PowerPoint -- complete with that snazzy "Ding!" after every slide -- was something to admire. The video below is a Google Demo Slam entrant, going up against a Voice Search piece featuring Maria Sharapova. We know precious little about what it took to create, but somehow or another, a trio of animators created a mind-blowing 450 page presentation in just three days, and none of 'em were located in the same space. Thankfully for you, it's all explained in a blistering one minute, twenty-nine second YouTube clip. Enjoy.
Full version of Google Docs now works on iPad, but you can still go mobile if you want
The big G just revamped its mobile device interface of Google Docs to make it closer to the full-fledged experience you get when editing from a proper computer -- you know, something that probably has a keyboard, a big display, and a price that didn't come with any two year agreements. Now that top shelf interface is also available on one of those devices that fits somewhere in-between those two segments: the iPad. Users of Apple's tablet can opt into the desktop version for big-time editing of spreadsheets and documents and, while Google still recommends using the mobile editor, if you want full power it's yours.
Google Docs now supports mobile editing
While Android and iOS aren't short on productivity applications for cobbling together a .doc and sending it on its way, we've been really hankering for native Google Docs support since pretty much day one. Google is finally ready to deliver, and it looks like they've actually put some thought into the UI, particularly on the phone end of things. Edits show up in near realtime across platforms, and you can even edit tables embedded in documents -- though don't try to get too fancy, the tools still look pretty basic. Android also allows you to insert text using voice recognition. Currently Google Docs will be supporting Android devices with Froyo and iOS devices with 3.0 or newer (including the iPad), with the functionality rolling out over the next few days. There's a video after the break demonstrating the new features.
Google acquires Slide, aims to 'build a more social web'
We can't say we've ever heard of Slide (okay, maybe in passing), but there's a good chance the entire tech universe will know their name after today. Why? Google just picked 'em up for an undisclosed amount of cheddar and good will, with the overriding goal of "building a more social web." Google's own announcement is rather cryptic, nothing that there aren't any "detailed product plans to share right now." We're guessing that some of the company's web apps will be fleshed out with social features at first, but the minute we see Farmville load within an applet in Gmail, we're gone, baby, gone. And that's a promise. Update: Reuters is reporting that Google shelled out a staggering $182 million for Slide, not to mention an extra $46 million in "employee retention bonuses." It pays to be wanted, eh? Thanks, Chris!
Readdle's anniversary sale and iPad giveaway
Readdle started developing iOS apps three years ago as of yesterday, and to celebrate they are discounting all of their apps (a rare occurrence for them) and offering up three iPads in a giveaway for Twitter followers of the company. More details can be found here. For you math students out there you may realize that three years of app development on iOS means Readdle actually provided a document reader app before the App Store opened. Their apps are quite awesome, although they sometimes suffer from too many features (if simplicity is your thing). When we reviewed Scanner Pro, for example, the UI was a little overwhelming for TJ. Still, Readdle Docs is one of the best document viewers out there, and Flash Drive offers up some nice features like ZIP compression support. We reviewed BookReader here. All of these apps (and more) are on sale for just $.99 until later today. For more info on the iPad giveaway, check Readdle's page here.
First Look: MiGhtyDocs
Google Docs gives you document storage in the cloud, so why shouldn't you be able to access your documents anywhere you are connected to the cloud -- including your iPhone? Well, Google Docs viewing on the iPhone has been a bit kludgy ... until now.Thanks to MiGhtyDocs (iTunes link), you are now free to roam about the office to view your Docs on the go. You can't edit and you can't view spreadsheets or presentations, but MiGhtyDocs does cache your documents for offline viewing. This application just does one thing, and does it great. And did I mention that it's free? You can download MiGhtyDocs from the iTunes App Store today.
