Getting Docs Out of Google Docs ... and More

When considering cloud computing, one of the questions we often here is "How can I get my data out if I decide to change services?".

Over the past few months, Google has confirmed its commitment to ensuring data portability. This week, they delivered on this promise with export capabilities that let you export multiple files into a zip file.

As part of the release, the documents screen will identify new documents and indicate those that have been updated by collaborators since your last view/edit session.

Learn more here.

More Consistency Across Google Docs

One of the legitimate criticisms of Google Docs has been that the menu options and user interfaces differ between Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations.

Just released, Google has updated Google Docs to minimize the differences between the apps.

Learn more and see the updated menu bars here.

Share with Groups!

In a recent enhancement to sharing in Google Apps, you can now share documents for viewing or editing by Group. This feature makes sharing with project teams, customer teams, or large numbers of individuals faster and easier.

Group sharing is works with:

• Docs (documents, spreadsheets, and presentations)
• Sites
• Video

To learn how, Click Here.

To learn more about how to improvide sharing and collaboration, Click Here.

Snap to Grid is Snappy Feature

One of my biggest frustrations with Google Presentations has been the inability to easily align text and images.

With the addition of "snap to grid", this problem is solved. You can now use the Alt, Ctrl, and Shift keys to fine tune object and text placement.

[ALT] while dragging turns off the grid and gives you smooth drag (use [OPTION] on a mac)
[SHIFT] while dragging enables vertical and horizontal dragging guides
[SHIFT] while moving an object with arrow keys enables 1 pixel nudge
[SHIFT] while resizing preserves the aspect ratio of the object
[CTRL] while moving leaves the original object and drops a duplicate in the new location

Click here to learn more ...

Domain-Level Templates in Google Apps

Last fall, Google released a public template gallery for Google Apps. Last week, Google released template galleries for domains using Google Apps Premier and Education Editions.

Now, any user in the domain can submit a template to be shared with all other domain users. Templates exist for Docs, Spreadsheets, Forms, and Presentations.

This feature should improve your ability to standardize the look and feel of corporate documents.

Click Here to learn more ...

Google Presentation: New Shapes and Text Box Features

Google has added a few handy features to Google Presentations that will make us PowerPoint users happy:

• Multi-shape formatting allows you select multiple shapes and/or text boxes, and format them all at once
• Manipulation of text boxes now includes auto-growth and vertical alignment

Click Here to Learn More ...

Google Docs Gets New Drawing Feature

All editions of Google Docs include a new feature that lets you create and insert drawings into documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. The Insert Drawing menu option provides the ability to add, color, rotate, and adjust lines, shapes, text labels, and free-hand scribbles.

Learn more ....