Google debuts Docs for Android - thanks to Aussie R&D

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 28 April 2011 10:52

Google has introduced a version of Google Docs app for Android - developed by Google engineers in Sydney.

In a posting on the Google Australia blog, David Loxton, product manager, Google Docs said: "For the past couple of years, a team of engineers in Sydney has been improving and adding new features to Google Docs. Recently, our team started working to enhance the mobile Docs experience, starting with today's launch of Google Docs for Android. Together with the design team in Tokyo, we crafted a simple user experience to deliver the best of Google Docs to your phone."

It added: "You can quickly find, create, edit and share documents, and you can open Docs from Gmail without having to enter your login credentials each time'¦We were able to work with other members of the local Google Docs team in Sydney to pack extra features into the Android application too.

"The engineers here were instrumental in creating optical character recognition (OCR) in Google Docs, which converts uploaded images to text. They helped us integrate that functionality into the Android app so that you can take a photo with your phone's camera, then extract the text from that into a new document."

Google says that: "With this new app it's easy to filter and search for your content across any Google account, then jump straight into editing docs using the online mobile editors. The app also allows you to easily share items with contacts on your phone, right from within the app.

"The Docs app also allows you to upload content from your phone and open documents directly from Gmail. You can also add a widget to your home screen for easy access to three core tasks: jumping to your starred documents, taking a photo to upload, or creating a new document with one tap."

The app is currently available in English and works on Android 2.1+ phones.