Updated Google Mobile for iPad: the beginnings of a file-system workaround?

[anthonymoody]

I posted these questions in another Google Mobile thread, but that thread is focused on voice.

I see that the new Google Mobile, updated for iPad, provides access to Googledocs. As I am (still) waiting on my 3G, would someone please confirm:

1) What options it gives you to open documents (i.e. in iWork apps? in Safari?) and once open, can you successfully modify? Create new docs?

2) Assuming the answer to #1 includes Safari, presumably it gives you the ability to save back to googledocs?

3) Does it give you the option to attach a document to an email?

If the answers are positive, then google may have just become our file system.

 

[xROBERTxDAVISx]

You need to try goodreader. If I understand right it basicly does what you want already. It also is a file system. If you use pages crossed with this it will work realy well and can tranfer from your computer wirelessly and alot of other stuff including downloading files on the ipad.

 

[Matthew Yohe]

Google docs does not allow editing in safari.

 

[r0k]

You need to try goodreader. If I understand right it basicly does what you want already. It also is a file system. If you use pages crossed with this it will work realy well and can tranfer from your computer wirelessly and alot of other stuff including downloading files on the ipad.

Goodreader is a workaround for receiving files only. Once you edit something on the iPad in iWork, you are stuck having to email it to get it off the machine, unless you want to resort to the usb cable + itunes method of managing files.

Airsharing is a competing and more expensive workaround but has better network capabilities than goodreader. But even Airsharing doesn't offer a way to get stuff out of iWork and back onto the network.

Docs2go has a googledocs capability. It seems to allow you to open, modify and save files on googledocs. But docs2go is an iPhone app and you have to bear with looking at it in 2x mode. Not so bad in a text editing app, really but it will probably bother some users. I have not tried the updated google app yet. I'll give it a try when I get a chance.

To tell you the truth, I smell a wave of jailbreaking over this. Those of us who want to create content on the iPad will jailbreak in order to move files around rather than deal with usb cables and email to manage files. Just as jailbreaking put pressure on Apple to allow wallpaper, I'm sure Apple will finally relent and allow iPad users to manage files. The only down side is... Look how long it took! (people have been jailbreaking to get wallpaper and folders for years now)

 

[anthonymoody]

Google docs does not allow editing in safari.

Boo hiss! But thanks for checking.

To tell you the truth, I smell a wave of jailbreaking over this. Those of us who want to create content on the iPad will jailbreak in order to move files around rather than deal with usb cables and email to manage files. Just as jailbreaking put pressure on Apple to allow wallpaper, I'm sure Apple will finally relent and allow iPad users to manage files. The only down side is... Look how long it took! (people have been jailbreaking to get wallpaper and folders for years now)

Agreed. I JB'd my iPhone on and off over time but never found anything *so* compelling for me that I wasn't willing to lose the JB when updating the OS.

But this...on the iPad this is sufficiently compelling and necessary that I'll do what it takes.

The iPad is just too small and light and otherwise magical () for me to go any other way...

 

[BabyGotMac]

Maybe my Google app is broken, but all mine does is show a list of services and when clicked, they route over to Safari - there is no integration inside the app itself. It also refuses to rotate - staying in portrait mode. It's a fairly useless app.