http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2008/03/bringing-cloud-with-you.html

"We know that many of you have been waiting for offline access to Google Docs, and I'm happy to tell you we'll be rolling it out over the next few weeks, starting today with a small percentage of users."

[Title changed from "Offline Google Gears soon" – Tony]

I think I want to give Google a big, fat kiss.

Google:
Make the YouTube video public.

The thread title should be "Offline Google Docs soon", as Google Gears is the tool for making it work offline. (It already enabled Google Reader use offline).

Now we need some offline Gmail functionality, so you can compose/draft emails without an active internet connection.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/offline-access-to-google-docs.html

Niraj: You're right... ups!

the thumbnail for that video seems to show an older version of Google Docs (with tabs)

Admittedly I probably wouldn't use this (My PC's always connected and my Laptop runs Win98SE) but it would still be cool to have this feature (if the wireless network goes down)

...Don't suppose there's any chance of Google Gears working on Firefox 3b4 anytime soon?

I was able to watch the video a few minutes ago but I am getting the "video no longer available" message. It's a short video of the manager of the Docs team demonstrating Google Docs offline.

If you click the YouTube URL for their video it simply says

"This is a private video. If you have been sent this video, please make sure you accept the sender's friend request."

Hmm.

(Sorry, meant to post... here's the link for anyone feeling lazy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cyHYEfpRVA)

huh? You don't have to tell it to sync like with Reader? Cool!
Even though it's not much use to me I still want it!!!

Recovered the video from Firefox cache, uploaded to my site, just in case.
http://googlified.com/files/videos/google-docs-offline.html

Well, nevermind, it seems that Google removed the restriction on the video...

Looks like a more finished version of what I saw a while ago:
http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2008-01-28-n40.html

Thanks for the title change, Tony.

Yesterday my Google Gears extension was updated, but, unfortunately, it still doesn't work with Firefox 3.

Does anybody has the offline mode working BTW?

The last image in the video shows a "saved searches" link beside the search box. The "search the web" button has disappeared in this private version (I've never seen it before).

BTW, I wonder why they don't kill the "search the web" button as (almost) everybody has the Google Toolbar (wich also search within Google Docs).

Every time a Google team shows a new video, they also show unknown features. How to make buzz easily...

The help pages: http://www.google.com/support/writely/bin/topic.py?topic=13768

Seems like you can't create new documents while offline.

Paul just create an empty doc and hide it: you'll then be able to use a new doc when offline ;-)

Offline mode is really great. It works very well and it's not much use for me but for people who won't always be connected it will be very useful. :)

I think the video about Google Docs Offline is a fake. Because the guy leave the building and go in a park next the Googleplex. He says he doesn't get any wifi network. AND THE GOOGLE WIFI IN ALL MOUNTAIN VIEW?
:-)

Niraj

seems the offline feature for Gmail might be around the corner.

Maybe someone can verify it... look in the Javascript source & search for "offline".

It was too much JS so my eyes got blurry.

See Google Russia: http://googlerussiablog.blogspot.com/2008/04/adwords.html

They introduce new way to pay for AdWords: Google Cash. Since everyone is used to cash in Russia, that's the most convenient way for them.

The machine doesn't actually collect money, it destroys them, after scanning the bill and sending the number to the Central Bank.

Finally got Offline Docs!!!

I've got this on my non-Gmail Google Account. I'm not seeing it anywhere else yet though.

I don't have Docs Offline yet, but I got an icon near my name! Thanks!

I prefer my new icon!
but none of my docs accounts have the offline option activated
*sigh*

I don't understand why everybody don't get it. I have the icon of Google Gears in Google Docs since it has been announced.
I got an error when I have downloaded 100% of the docs.

I don't have it yet, and I expect I wont for many weeks.

It looks like that, when you click on the button
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/18/captureofflinegoogledocai4.png

But there is a ***HUGE*** problem:
when you are offline, you can't create new document! I can't believe it.
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/5091/capture2offlineab9.png

TOM
It was suggested further up by Jérôme that you could just create a blank Doc or two and hide them (not sure if this is possible or not). Obviously this is not ideal and Google should address this in due course.

What about calendar?

I have a better workaround for creating new documents: use OpenOffice, AbiWord, Word etc. When you go back online, upload the document.

When you're offline, Google Docs doesn't create revisions and you're not collaborating with anyone, since the document is newly created.

I also wonder if Google shouldn't authenticate users in the offline mode. When all Google apps will be available offline, it will be very easy to read someone's email, agenda, feeds.

Ionut
Sure, but the ultimate goal is to get an "autonomous" word editor/web browser. At least for simple works.

I thought you might want to check this out. Google Talk Labs Edition. To be honest, its pretty lacking in features. Seems to have fewer overall than the original talk for desktop. It basically is just the talk gadget as a desktop program.

http://www.google.com/talk/labsedition/

Online office is a fake concept.

How about OpenOffice+Synchronization? Fast and simple. Or, a plugin for Windows Office, Sync to Google Disk.

How does it handle conflicts?

If you edit a shared document while offline but someone else edits the original online version, when you come to sync back with the online version what happens?

<< Furthermore, offline edit reconciliation isn't quite what I was told it would be. I fired up a shared Docs file, pulled the Ethernet plug on my machine, and started to make changes. Meanwhile, I asked Josh, still online, to edit the same block of text I was working on. When I plugged my machine back into the Net, Josh's changes overwrote mine with no warning. The revision history kept a record of all edits, but unlike the real-time collaborative editing that occurs when all parties are online, Josh did not have a chance to see the changes I was making; his text just took precedence. >>

http://www.webware.com/8301-1_109-9908395-2.html?tag=frontdoor

Still haven't got the feature in my primary account yet ... I so think that Google should distribute the new services to according to the usage of accounts. The heavier the faster they get new services. ;)

For explanation thanking I do

[Signature removed – Tony]

>>The heavier the faster they get new services. ;)

Absolutely. I'm use GDocs almost every day and I'd love to be able to use it offline (given the amount of places I take my laptop, including sixth form/college etc)

>>The heavier the faster they get new services. ;)

Yeah but they'd want to test to see if it can handle 10 Documents rather than 1,000 Documents :-)

I too use GDocs regularly (mostly for school/college) and have about 200 Docs (inc. Spreadsheets) on there (~100 of which since September) And no sign of offline :-(

Hi,
  
I just installed Google Gears today and wanted to see if it worked with the Google Reader, when I am offline. I therefore disconnected my internet after having chosen to be offline in the Google Reader. When I reopened my browser and went to the site www.google.com/reader my reader occurs for 2-3 seconds, and then afterwards it goes to an empty page. The same thing happens everytime I go to www.google.com/reader . What might the problem be?
  
Thanks in advance.
  
Jakob

I experienced the same problem... I had to re-download all G.reader stuffs few time (or waiting for a new version of Google reader, as they notified me quite often of a new version available) and it works pretty well now.

Explain what you did to make it work, please?

Why is it taking Google so long to roll it out to me?