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Zoho Writer is the newest web application to enhance its abilities with Google Gears, an open source project by Google which enables web apps to function offline.
At present, you’ll only able to view documents offline. In weeks ahead, Zoho will let you edit documents offline and then sync it with online version. Zoho has also revealed that they will soon roll-out offline capabilities to their other products.
You’ll need to install Google Gears browser plugin before enjoying offline capabilities. The browser plugin is available for Internet Explorer 6 (and higher) and Firefox. Unfortunately, Opera and Safari are not supported by Google Gears.
This video tour will show you how the offline feature works (better version of the screencast available here):
Ironically, Zoho’s biggest rival Google Docs and Spreadsheets, which also happens to be a Google Service, has not yet implemented offline capabilities using Gears. I believe that Zoho Writer will have some serious impact on Microsoft Office and other online/offline office suites.
[Via: ReviewSaurus]
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wrote, on August 22nd, 2007
The world desperately need a good alternative to MS Office. Something at least as good and far cheaper, preferably free. Open Office just doesn’t match up. I hope these new developments provide some good end results.
wrote, on August 23rd, 2007
I agree with you, Audio Mecca.. But MS Office 2007 is really masterpiece of microsoft
wrote, on August 25th, 2007
as you said that it’s quite strange that google has not made use of Google gears and zoho did it
I think they are smart enough to do so and managed to create the buzz about this news
wrote, on November 26th, 2007
[...] Back in August, Zoho Writer implemented Google Gears and added offline reading ability to their word processor. You could read your saved documents while away from an active internet connection, but you couldn’t edit or save them. Zoho has now improved their offline capabilities by going one step ahead and allowing users to edit as well as save their documents while remaining offline. [...]