AppJet’s EtherPad, the real-time Google Docs-like wiki tool we wrote about last fall, has been upgraded to be prettier, more user-friendly and far more collaborative than before. EtherPad was the brainchild of former Googlers (who founded online programming tool and Y Combinator funded AppJet) who wanted a real-time, yet group oriented way to collaborate on notes and documents. Thus, EtherPad was born. We have 100 free beta invites to the premium version of EtherPad here.
When we first reviewed EtherPad, we found the web-based rival to Google Docs to be sore on the eyes but incredibly useful. What made EtherPad unique from the start was the ability to have multiple people making edits and writing in a document in real-time. You simply create a document, send the link around, and anyone can join. Each user’s edits are highlighted in a different color (with a key featured on the side with which color belongs to each user). Changes are made in absolute real time, something even Google hasn’t been able to do (Google docs update every fifteen seconds). Users can also chat in the sidebar and save versions of documents forever. → Read More
On the Google Docs blog today, the company took the time to make a non-announcement. Basically, there’s a bunch of words that bury the real story: That Google Docs will soon be launching a “brand new shiny interface.”
Hmmm. I wonder why. Obviously, earlier this week Microsoft laid out its plans for Office 2010, which includes a web-based component meant to take on Google Docs. But once again, there is nothing to actually see right now from Google, instead this is a pre-announcement to let users know that they may be seeing wonky elements over the next few weeks as they tweak things on the fly. → Read More
The timing of Google’s announcement of Chrome OS was curious. I don’t mean the fact that Google moved up the post on it by a day when some details leaked out, I mean the fact that they were announcing it on some seemingly random date in July, well before anything is actually ready to show off. Now, we likely know why.
On Monday, Microsoft is set to unveil its plans to counter the attack Google previously had launched on it with Google Docs. Yes, Microsoft Office is going to the cloud. This is something which we all knew was eventually coming, and there is already some limited functionality, but the full details will pour out Monday at Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans. You can expect the new version of Office, that syncs with the cloud, and the ability to use it in the cloud without any software as well. → Read More
Security consultant Ade Barkah checked in with us to alert us to a couple of serious security issues associated to Google Docs, the web-based office software from the world’s most famous search engine company, giving a whole new meaning to its mission to make the world’s information universally accessible. On his blog on software, infrastructure and security, Barkah outlines no less than three issues that he discovered while investigating some potential security lapses.
Since he did the right thing by contacting Google about his findings (only to receive no response after five business days), we’re hoping that this article will help trigger the company’s engineering team to plug the holes asap. In case you missed it, earlier this month we uncovered some major privacy blunders going on with Google Docs, which the company later confirmed and fixed (we pinged them for this too).
Update: Google has published its stance on these issues on the official Docs blog (they don’t believe there’s a significant security risk)
So what’s up?
(read on after the jump) → Read More
In a privacy error that underscores some of the biggest problems surrounding cloud-based services, Google has sent a notice to a number of users of its Document and Spreadsheets products stating that it may have inadvertently shared some of their documents with contacts who were never granted access to them.
According to the notice, this sharing was limited to people “with whom you, or a collaborator with sharing rights, had previously shared a document” – a vague statement that sounds like it could add up to quite a few people. The notice states that only text documents and presentations are affected, not spreadsheets, and provides links to each of the user’s documents that may have been shared in error.
I’ve contacted Google for confirmation and haven’t heard back, but this seems to be legit – our tipster says that he had previously shared the document listed in his notice, but now it has been reset to show 0 collaborators (one of the precautionary measures mentioned in the note).
Update: Google has confirmed that the note is real, and says that it was an isolated incident affecting less than .05% of all documents. The damage may not be widespread, but it’s still an unsettling lapse in security. → Read More
Google Spreadsheets can now be edited on Android mobile phones and iPhones. Up until now, all Google Docs (online docs, spreadsheets, and presentations) could only be viewed on mobile phones. Editable spreadsheets work inside the mobile browser, which for both Android and iPhone is based on Webkit.
Jonathan Rochelle, the senior product manager in charge of Google Spreadsheets, showed me the app on his Android G1 a couple weeks ago. As he added rows, edited, sorted, and filtered on his phone, the changes would automatically be reflected in the same spreadsheet on his desktop. (I took a photo of him doing this—with my iPhone, naturally). Each row can be edited by clicking on an “edit” link, and columns can be sorted via a box at the top of each one which then pops open an overlay screen that allows you to select each name or other variable you want to view in that column. → Read More
Google’s Chrome browser has this neat little feature built-in that lets you browse the web in porn incognito mode, which essentially means it will refrain from storing any information when you visit web pages. According to this help page explaining the feature, you can switch to browsing incognito if you want to “plan surprises like gifts or birthdays” in stealth mode.
Except you won’t be able to do that using Facebook, and not because it falsely claims it’s a phishing site this time. It won’t even let you open and edit files using Google’s own Docs.
Update: Google confirmed the bug and says it’s working on a patch. → Read More
Not good enough~! How do you feel about online apps aka “cloud computing”? You know, Google Docs, Photoshop Express, Meebo, etc. Love them? Hate them? Couldn’t give a toss? Well one angry journalist, Paul Boutin, hates them… now! See, he used to be all about network-dependent apps, thinking, in his crazy youth spent at an MIT computer lab, that such applications simply made sense. Why wouldn’t you want all your stuff—applications, documents, and whatever else—accessible to you on every single terminal on Earth? But the more he used full-fledged desktop apps, like PowerPoint and Word (…), the more he appreciated their sheer power… new window, open! To make an already too long post that much shorter, Boutin doesn’t like the “dumbed down”-ness of online apps; Google’s online presentation application just isn’t flashy enough for the man. Web browsers (read: Firefox) aren’t elegant enough, either, to be relied upon for mission-critical work. And what if they crash? Or your network connection dies? All those open tabs, the photo I’m editing, the e-mail I’m writing, the calendar I’m pretending to fill with can’t-miss appointments, all gone. Horrors. A strange piece. He’s not too keen on the new Photoshop Express, which just came out, so all online apps stinks. Whatever, man. They do a good enough job. That I have the ability to log into Google from the library, my friend’s box of an apartment, Biggs’ attic or wherever, and write posts, fire up Google Reader and check on upcoming assignments can only be viewed as a positive. Suave, hombre. → Read More
Google has replaced function tabs on Google Docs with drop down menus. Spotted by the ever vigilant Philipp Lenssen, the new drop down menus join the new Google Docs Toolbar added in February. Combined the service now looks more and more like Microsoft Office (pre 2007) and is no doubt being implemented by Google to make the service more familiar to Microsoft Office users in its push to grow the Google Docs user base. → Read More
Google has quietly updated the look of Google Docs, offering a more Microsoft Office (pre 2007) like interface. First spotted by Philipp Lenssen, the changes aren’t huge, but visually they’re pleasing. Gone is the Google Docs blue background toolbar with its unique layout. In its place is a grey toolbar that will be immediately familiar to users of other offline and online office packages. Fonts now have a dedicated box with the list being rendered in the particular font listed. Text sizing also gets a familiar drop down box as well. The changes have been rolled out across the three core Google Docs products (Writely, Spreadsheets and Presentations). Although still not as fully featured as offline alternatives, and even some online competitors as well, Google Docs has gained strong support in the first adopter community and is slowly finding a market in the business world as Google pushes its corporate packages. The new look will make it easier for new users to immediately use Google Docs and that will help sell the package. → Read More
Google has announced support for forms that link into Google Doc’s spreadsheets, providing elementary Access/ DB style form support for its online office suite. The new service allows users to add data to a spreadsheet without having to enter it directly into the spreadsheet itself, or having to log in to add the data. A form can be set up to include the specific fields, then a link is offered to the form itself. One obvious use for the feature would be to conduct a survey. The forms are not embeddable as yet, however data can be extracted via RSS feed. Although still far from becoming a competitor to Microsoft Access, this basic functionality will appeal to those who use Access as a glorified spreadsheet with forms for data entry, which at least in my previous workplace experience, its a decent portion of Access users. Here’s hoping that SQL querying might come next. → Read More
A new survey by NPD has found that the 73% of Americans have never heard of Google Docs and other online office applications, but perhaps worst still only 0.5% of respondents have abandoned desktop office applications for an online alternative. 94% of Americans have never tried a web based productivity suite. To be fair though, the survey was of “600 PC users” so it (possibly) didn’t count Mac users for example, nor really ask enough people to even be a statistically valid survey of computer users. Although some will undoubtedly use the figures as proof that online applications are failing to gain popular acceptance, they do represent an opportunity waiting to happen. Google and others are working hard to change the way businesses use basic services such as wordprocessing with a continued marketing push into the enterprise sector. The challenge is to overcome over 25+ years of what people consider to be normal (desktop apps) by proving that the online alternative is ready and capable of being used. There’s little doubt today, at least based on OS X and Linux adoption figures that there is a very real and definite move away from Microsoft, accelerated by the disaster that is Vista. Whilst there are always desktop alternatives on both platforms, there will be a continuing number of users who question the need to buy Microsoft Office, be that as an upgrade for an existing OS, or brand new as they switch to Mac. It’s a slow switch, but given the online alternatives there is little doubt that the number making the switch to online apps will continue to grow. (via Download Squad) → Read More
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