docs

How to play videos from Google Docs on Android

Since Google Docs doesn't require you to sign up for yet another cloud storage account, it's the perfect place to host some of your files.

And what better files to host than videos--ones you can play on your mobile Android devices? Here's how to get started:

Step 1: Log in to Google Docs and upload a video or two for later watching. Keep in mind you will need to adhere to the storage limits of your Google Docs account.

Step 2: Install the Google Docs app on your device and check that you have a decent Internet … Read more

Google Docs optimized for Honeycomb

As of today, Android owners running Honeycomb get to enjoy a tablet-optimized Google Docs app (download) featuring a better-functioning and better-looking three-panel view. With the enhanced tablet view, you can now navigate through filters and collections, view your documents list, and see document details all at once. What's more, the details panel on the right side of the screen gives you an instant thumbnail preview along with sharing and collaborator details before you even open the file.

The enhanced three-panel Google Docs is available now for download on devices running Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) and up.

Gowalla goes with stories, guides

Films from Miramax premiere in Facebook, Fusion Garage's Grid 10 gets a date and a $200 price cut, and Gowalla announces version 4.0 of its app that focuses on stories and guides.

Links from Tuesday's episode of Loaded:

Google apologizes for this week's Docs outage

Google has officially apologized for this week's Google Docs outage.

On Wednesday, Google Docs--the search giant's productivity suite, featuring a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation app, and drawing service--went down. In a statement, Google said that it was "aware" of the problem, and was working on a resolution. About an hour later, the service was brought back up.

Writing on the company's blog, Google engineering director Alan Warren, said that the company was "very sorry," adding that the service was hit by a "memory management bug" that was exposed following an … Read more

Google restores offline abilities for Gmail, Docs

After months of delay, Google this week will let people use Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Calendar even when they're offline, a key feature for making the company's cloud-computing vision more practical.

The company is a powerful proponent of the Web-based services, but the practical reality is there are plenty of times when Google's vision falls victim to the practical limits of Internet access. For Google's services to fully compete with Microsoft Office, it must work even in Internet dead zones like subways, airplanes, and rural regions.

And Google knows it. It's been testing the … Read more

My vexing time outside Google's Net bubble

Very often, Google and I see things the same way. Just as often, though, Google's vision and my practical reality seem to be worlds apart.

Where we see eye to eye is in the effects the Internet is having on business and personal life. Where we don't is on a crucial stumbling block on the way: Internet access. The physical infrastructure and access fees are still holding back the promise of full-fledged cloud computing.

I base this pronouncement after spending more than a month moving from England to France, vacationing in France, working from Michigan, and fighting canceled … Read more

How to get notifications of changes to your Google documents

Google Docs makes collaboration simple, but if you are monitoring more than a couple of files (or your collaborators like to make lots of changes at random times), it can be a pain to keep track of it all. E-mail notifications are fine, but if you want to keep your inbox clean, there's a great Chrome extension that can make your life easier. Here's how to use it:

Download and install WatchDoc. Click the WatchDoc icon in your extension bar and then click Login. Tell Google Docs to grant access. (You only need … Read more

Media Converter for Android does it all

Media Converter for Android lets you convert images, videos, audio files, and more into just about any compatible format, from PDF to MP4 to you name it. It can even convert video files to MP3s.

Media Converter's interface is as straightforward as it gets. Just launch the app, then choose one of the converter options on the Home screen: Video Converter, Audio Converter, Image Converter, Document Converter, Ebook Converter, or Archive Converter. From there, browse for your file, choose your output format, hit Convert, and watch the magic happen. The app itself actually doesn't do much converting. What … Read more

Jot it down

When it comes to programs that can handle text documents, it's a balancing act: sometimes you need more functionality than bare-bones text editors like Notepad can offer, but full-featured word processors can be too big and bloated, especially for portable use. Qjot is the best of both worlds, with the slimness of a text editor but many of the basic features of a word processor. It's a great choice if you need a way to work with documents on the go.

The program's interface is plain and intuitive, with menus and a couple of toolbars across the … Read more

This Day in Tech: Obama signs debt limit bill; ZocDoc announces $50M funding round

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Tuesday, August 2.

Finally, President Obama signs debt limit bill after nasty fight to avert economic catastrophe Tuesday. According to CBS News, Obama said the deal to cut spending and increase the nation's $14.3 trillion debt limit marked an "important first step to ensuring that as a nation we live within our means."

Doctor booking site ZocDoc announces $50 million funding round from DST Global, and plans to use the investment to expand its presence to … Read more