Google Docs as viewed on an Android tablet.
Online collaboration emphasized
Over a year ago, Google Docs released new editors and has since added over 60 new features to their free offering as they go head to head with Microsoft Office, and gaining ground, as Microsoft Office is no longer the standard free software that comes with computers, it now much be purchased separately in many cases.
Google Docs has also sought to make collaboration online more realistic, a move that has been popular with virtual offices across America.
Google Software Engineer Steven Saviano announced today that Google is releasing a preview of a “new version of presentations with faster collaboration and more features.” 50 new features, to be precise.
50 new features
Bridging the gap between Apple’s Keynote, Microsoft Power Point, and the web, Google has added the following features:
- Transitions to move between slides with simple fades or spicier 3D effects
- Animations to add emphasis or to make your slides more playful
- New themes to create beautiful presentations with distinct visual styles
- Drawings to build new designs, layouts, and flowcharts within a presentation
- Rich tables with merged cells and more options for adding style to your data
Already included are features like built-in chat and history tracking, but with the new emphasis on aesthetics and function, Google is certainly giving Microsoft a run for its money!
How to get access now
Although the new features are not available yet to all users, those interested in using the new features now can click the gear icon in the document list, select “document settings,” and from the editing tab, check the box to “Create new presentations using the latest version of the presentation editor.”
Google advises that not all features are supported by older browsers, and of course, Google products typically work best with each other (ie Google Chrome browser may be your best bet).
