Google brings Slides to iOS, adds Office compatibility to productivity apps

It took a while but Google has finally ported its Slides presentation editor and viewer to the iPhone and iPad. Along with the new app, the tech company also updated its Docs and Sheets apps to allow for Microsoft Office compatibility. This means you can open your Office documents in these apps. The Office compatibility is also available on Google Slides.

Source: Gigaom

Google Drive update pushes users to download standalone apps to edit files

Google is taking the fight to the mobile version of Microsoft Office with its new update for Drive. The former cloud storage and document editing app now just serves as cloud storage for your documents and files. If you want to edit your files, you will be prompted to download the standalone Docs or Sheets (depending on the file type). A standalone Slides app for presentations will be coming soon as well.

This might inconvenience you at first but the separate editing apps bring the possibility of offline editing and Drive now supports password-protect access to your cloud storage. The update has rolled out on the iOS version of the app and will be coming out for Android soon.

Source: The Verge

Google introduces Add-on store for Docs and Sheets

Google is aiming to take away some Office users and migrate to its own document suite with its new Add-on store for Docs and Sheets. The store features both third-party and Google-made tools to give users more features needed by documents and spreadsheets such as making labels and sending customized emails. There are about 30 add-ons at the moment including EasyBib’s Bibliography Creator to help students look up academic sources and insert citations in the different formats.