Google Docs Introduces New Features, Collaborative Drawing & Better Speed

Yesterday, the Google Docs team announced that they’ve made some major changes to the underlying infrastructure of Google Docs. In fact, they’ve rebuild it to make it faster and better.

And they’ve introduced a host of new features too.

Faster Editors

The main focus in their announcement post seemed to speed. Speed has been one of the complaints of Google Docs users, especially in spreadsheets. The new document and spreadsheets editor is faster with increased performance.

New Features

Here are some of the cool new features you can see in the new Google Docs.

• Real-time editing and collaboration in documents.
• Sidebar chat in documents.
• Formula bar for cell-editing and auto-complete in spreadsheets.
• Drag and drop columns and better navigation between different sheets.
• Faster interface.

Collaborative Stand-alone Drawing Tool

Drawing tool was there but collaboration in that wasn’t. The new stand-alone drawings tool brings real-time collaboration to drawings, designs and charts.

Try the new version

You can enable the new version by going to Documents Settings -> Editing -> check the box that says new version and save. (see the screenshot below).

The Google Operating System blog has published an article with instructions on trying out the new Google Docs. Check that out.

So, what do you think about the new Google Docs? What are the things you like about it? Tell us in the comments.