Google Docs Puts More Power in Your Hands With Add-ons

google-addons

Google Docs puts powerful tools at our fingertips, but not all these tools are always the easiest to use.  Google is making changes to change that.

Just over a week ago, Marques Brownlee leaked on his Google Plus page that Google Docs has in browser dictation support coming.  Google Docs has come a long way from the simple in-browser text and spreadsheet editor it started as, but is still lacking in many of the rich features most people depend on in desktop office suites, such as Microsoft Office or Open Office.

While the voice dictation service still has yet to get an official release from Google, there was still a massive update to Google Docs dropped this week in the form of add-ons for Google Docs.  Patterned after the wildly successful Chrome add-ons, the update for Google Docs brings templates and features for both word processing and spreadsheets.

Developers will be open to submitting new add-ons for anything that can be accomplished using the word processing or spreadsheet tools natively  available in Docs.  This means that add-ons such as the Avery add-on can enable anyone to generate labels for use in creating nametags, address labels, or any other Avery standard.  This tool can even be linked to spreadsheets to pull in the data you need to populate the labels just like creating a pivot table.

For spreadsheets, this means templates that enable any sort of calculations or organization you may need.  Be it a monthly budget, fantasy football stat tracking, or creating a class schedule, any add-ons enabling templates to accomplish these tasks will be available in the add-on store.

 

The fact that Docs and Spreadsheets are all stored in Google’s cloud services means that the add-ons have the liberty to incorporate data from each, making Google Docs even more powerful, yet incredibly easy for anyone to leverage with a mostly point and click setup.

Add-ons for Google Docs may also have mobile implications.  Although it isn’t explicitly available via mobile at this time, but creating a template in a spreadsheet or doc from your desktop may enable it to be accessed and manipulated from a mobile device, making budgets or any other spreadsheets in use that much more valuable.

We have yet to see how significant of a response we’ll see from developers, but even a limited selection will be beneficial.  Docs and Sheets contain some powerful tools, and Google just put those tools into everyone’s hands.  Good job, Google.

Source: Engadget

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Firefox 15 to arrive in finished form on August 29th, promises truly stealthy updates for all (update 2: stand-alone, Android too)

Firefox 15 to arrive in complete form on August 29th, promises truly stealthy updates for all Mozilla has been keeping to a tight schedule of having a completed Firefox release every five to six weeks, and it's very much on track. The browser team's Ehsan Akhgari has confirmed that a properly polished version of Firefox 15 should reach the download servers on August 29th. When it does arrive, the new release will primarily expand the silent updates that Windows users first saw in Firefox 12: future iterations on all platforms will install themselves in the background and should be truly ready to go the next time the browser starts. Beyond this deliberately subtle change, the finished version 15 upgrade should still support Opus audio as well as clamp down on out-of-control memory use from add-ons. We're looking forward to not noticing the differences very shortly.

Update: Although it's not on the front page yet, both Mozilla, reader Josh and this writer can confirm that Firefox 15 is rolling out sooner than expected -- there's no reason to wait.

Update 2: It's now easier to get a stand-alone copy if you're not updating, since Mozilla just updated the Firefox front page to reflect the new version. Android users are also getting an update through Google Play that brings earlier speed updates to tablets, a personalized start page and a whole host of extra fixes, some of which come directly from the desktop Firefox 15.

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Firefox 15 to arrive in finished form on August 29th, promises truly stealthy updates for all (update 2: stand-alone, Android too) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raspberry Pi teases finished Gertboard I/O extender, revs creative engines (Update: pre-orders open now, video)

Raspberry Pi teases finished Gertboard IO extender, revs creative engines

The Raspberry Pi faithful have been looking forward to the Gertboard almost as much as the main device itself: Gert van Loo's I/O extender promises to flash lights, spin motors and otherwise take on the tasks that the Raspberry Pi doesn't directly manage on its own. While we've seen work on the project since late 2011, the expansion now looks to be closer to reality following a fresh teaser. The refined design's biggest tweak is replacing its original PIC controller with an Arduino-powered chip -- an element no doubt familiar to the crowd that would already be looking at a very hackable, miniature Linux computer. Most everything else is a refinement, although Gert has brought in three physical buttons and two-channel analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters. We'll learn the full story later this week, and until then we'll be dreaming of all the off-kilter Arduino projects that might be made better with a little Raspberry Pi companionship.

Update: The wait turned out to be short, and interested parties ready to do some soldering of their own can pre-order the Gertboard for £30 at element14 now. Check the Raspberry Pi blog (2) for more info, or check out a video interview with Mr. van Loo himself embedded after the break.

Continue reading Raspberry Pi teases finished Gertboard I/O extender, revs creative engines (Update: pre-orders open now, video)

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Raspberry Pi teases finished Gertboard I/O extender, revs creative engines (Update: pre-orders open now, video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PoP Video peripheral turns iPod touches and iPhones into pico projectors for $99

PoP Video peripheral turns iPod touches and iPhones into pico projectors for $99

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Continue reading PoP Video peripheral turns iPod touches and iPhones into pico projectors for $99

PoP Video peripheral turns iPod touches and iPhones into pico projectors for $99 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 02:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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