Microsoft had better watch out: Google is redoubling its efforts in the field of office. Indeed, the Google Docs blog, Jonathan Rochelle, Product Group Manager, announces that a new version of Google Docs is a result currently being refined. The development team have thoroughly reviewed the tools available for text editor, the manager of spreadsheets and presentation tool. Note the arrival of a range of drawing tools with a dedicated editor and new collaboration features.
For the document editor, Google Docs team has inspired Google Wave by adding real-time collaboration, that is to say, characters after characters. There is also the opportunity to discuss various changes via an embedded instant messaging module within a new sidebar on the right. The implementation of these technologies have also required a new architecture capable of supporting the dynamic editing of documents. At the same time formatting options have been improved with better layout, a new comments system, tools, import and export reviewed and corrected or improved compatibility with older browsers. This speed was also found on the manager spreadsheets. From the document the user has the ability to change on the fly field formulas, drag and drop columns and always work with colleagues in real time. Google introduces a new drawing editor on which it will be possible to concoct some illustrations using a set of predefined shapes and different tools. These creations can then be inserted directly into a document.
To enable these new features, go in Settings> Document Settings> Editing. Check the box labeled "Create text documents using the latest version of the document editor. Then Google should work on the management of the HTML5 offline, that is to say by integrating technologies cached and indexed Web Storage Database. Below is a video presentation (in English).
Recall that last month Google acquired DocVerse a small plugin that is grafted to the applications of Microsoft Office (2003 and 2007 editions). DocVerse saves its documents on the Internet, synchronize and update them automatically. The firm in Mountain View is also trying to attract users of Microsoft Exchange and enhances features of migration to its hosted services.
