One of the hallmarks of Google Docs (and now Google Drive) is that you can use it anywhere. Within reason, any device with a modern web browser can deliver some level of viewing, editing, and collaboration. On iOS devices, however, native Office-style apps like Quickoffice tend to deliver a somewhat better user experience and are capable of opening, editing, and syncing documents with your Google.
There’s a clear value for such capability on an iOS device in that most apps deliver a better experience than Google Docs running in mobile Safari. Is there a similar need on the desktop? Would a native app a better solution than using Chrome or Safari on your Mac? According to Mac/iOS developer Tricky Duck, the answer is yes.
Tricky Duck announced the latest version of its RocketDocs app today. The app, which costs $5.99 and is available in the Mac App Store, offers the ability to use a dedicated app rather than a browser to work with documents in your Google Docs/Drive account. It supports some key Mac/Lion features including full-screen editing, multi-touch gestures, and drag-and-drop editing. Like other apps it can be accessed from the Dock as well as the Mac’s menubar.
RocketDocs does have two general limitations, however. Currently it doesn’t support Google Apps accounts. For individual users, that may not be a problem. For companies, schools, and government agencies that have migrated to Google Apps from Microsoft Office, this makes RocketDocs a non-started in many ways. The other missing feature, which is more surprising and more limiting, is that it doesn’t support offline editing. That’s particularly disappointing – offline access through some sync mechanism would be a killer feature in RocketDocs for anyone needing to work on the road. Still, there is more than a little value in the app’s core goal of making Google Docs a more app-like and Mac-like experience.
If it’s offline capabilities you’re after, however, The official Google Drive client may be a better option because it simply syncs your content to a folder on your Mac. If you haven’t made the transition from Google Docs to Google Drive, GoSync is well-received $4.99 alternative.
Source: Tricky Duck
