As most of you know, it’s no big surprise to learn that Google fan boys (and girls) everywhere have been waiting quite some time for a native Google Docs app. It’s actually quite humorous now looking back on launch day as I was checking out my Twitter feed, I saw dozens of tweets like “Sweet, Google Docs has an Android app!” and “Yes! Finally, a Google Docs app!”. Heck, I have to admit that I could barely contain myself when I heard the news, because I’m a huge advocate for the service. As of today, I currently have 200+ documents uploaded to Google’s servers and constantly require frequent and easy access to them. I’m what you consider a Doc junkie. In my line of work (Wireless Telecom) there is a doc for everything. MOP’s, SOP’s and dozens of PDF’s are highly relied upon to keep track of day to day troubleshooting and operations. So, how does the new native Google Docs app measure up now that you’ve downloaded it and tried it out? Well, just check Twitter out again and you’ll see disappointed tweet after disappointed tweet.
The app left quite a bit to be desired, unfortunately. Don’t get me wrong, I think the app has great potential, but simply put, it’s just not there yet. In my opinion, the problem is that the app was most likely initially judged by and compared to already existing document applications like Docs To Go by DataViz and QuickOffice Pro, just to name a few. When comparing Google Docs to these document app giants, clearly it falls extremely short in a few departments. The UI for starters is just not intuitive enough. I realize Google likes to keep things simple, but this is too simple in my opinion. Hands down, if you’re looking for a clean, streamlined and smooth UI, QuickOffice is the app you’re looking for. As of now, I just can’t see myself giving up QO for Google Docs. One of the biggest complaints and short comings, if you will, was the fact that when you open a document for editing in Google Docs, you’re taken to what seems to be a mirrored web version of the editing page, which frankly is as limited as it comes. The settings are very lacking as well, only offering the ability to alter the cache size or clear it all together.
I do however, like the simple main page which breaks down your documents by category for quick access. If you’re just looking for an image, say of the OSI Model, then you can quickly tap the image icon and bypass all other formats of docs. At start up you can see All Items, Collections, Starred, Documents and Images, making it extremely easy to access just what you need, eliminating the daunting task of sifting through all of your docs to find the one you need. Scrolling could be a little smoother as well and transitioning from screen to screen could definitely use some improvement too. Furthermore, you can’t format anything in a Word doc. So, if you were thinking about highlighting something or bulleting a list, it’s out of the question in this version.
Overall, I think if you’re a huge document junkie and you are constantly accessing docs via your mobile device or tablet, you would be better off with QuickOffice or Docs to Go, as Google Docs still needs a bit of work. However, this is also a segway into the fact that, for many, price could be the determining factor, as it most often is. Price in conjunction with a ridiculous 15 min return policy would drive anyone to a free app no matter how lacking it is. As of now, QuickOffice is on sale and will run you $7.99 and is jam packed with features along with a great UI, making this app the best buy for the price. Docs to Go offers a free app for simply viewing only and if you want to edit documents, the key version is going to run you a whopping $14.99, but nevertheless gets the job done. Google Docs is free and could be considered the better choice here if money poses as the driving force. So, what’s your opinion? Is the Google Docs app good enough for you or do you need something just a little more?
Native Google Docs for Android Link and QR Code
Screen shots compare Docs To Go, QuickOffice and Google Docs
