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January 23, 2009 9:47 AM PST

Open up most files with Google Docs automatically

by Josh Lowensohn

If you're a big fan of opening up PDFs and Microsoft Word .doc files in Google Docs from Gmail, you're probably wishing you could do the same thing from every other Web app or site you're on. Firefox users now can with a small extension called "Open in Google Docs." Once installed it will open up any file type that Google accepts in--you guessed it--Google Docs. This includes both PDFs and PowerPoint files, the latter of which will open up straightaway in the presentations app.

This is a marriage of convenience for people on Netbooks, or machines where they don't want to install a bunch of software. With this installed you can open and edit nearly every text file you'd normally download and edit offline. I'm hoping future versions will let you open up certain files, like PDFs, in Google's document viewer for those times when you simply want to view them.

Note: You'll need to be logged in to your Google Docs account for this extension to work.

Open up any Google Docs compatible file right in your browser with this smart extension.

(Credit: CNET Networks)
Josh Lowensohn writes for Webware.com, CNET's blog about Web applications and services. E-mail Josh, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Josh.
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Add a Comment (Log in or register) (6 Comments)
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by yobosensei January 23, 2009 9:57 AM PST
awesome! Just added on firefox.
Reply to this comment
by LinuxRules January 23, 2009 10:52 AM PST
Hey, by the way, why is flash not a web app already, why do I have to have flash anymore? It would be hell of a lot easier on everyone if it was a web app.
by LinuxRules January 23, 2009 10:48 AM PST
Wow, can it do flash? I am getting tired of downloading the 'lastest' flash or not having the the right flash version or have to have flash on my computer. Flash is to fat and slow on my computer.
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by LinuxRules January 24, 2009 12:06 PM PST
Sorry, this experimental plug-in does not work for me, imac g4.
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by MafiaPenguin January 24, 2009 3:36 PM PST
I thought LINUX RULED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by MafiaPenguin January 24, 2009 3:36 PM PST
Better than OpenItOnline how???
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