For a while now I’ve been half watching two developing tools/add ons that should help advance the move towards using web based, cross platform compatible programs like Google Doc’s. I’ve began to use online suites more often lately, the Google Calendar is a very useful tool, especially for some one like me that travels and is always out of the office but needs to keep track of his diary as well as allow others to book in appointments.

The only downside with online apps has always been what happens with no internet connection. You suddenly have no access to the applications and the data they hold. This is why I’ve have been keen to see the development of Google Gears and Mozilla Prism (and to a lesser extend Adobe’s Air). Now it looks like Gears is finally beginning to get some power behind it

1. Its now possible to use Gears to access and edit any documents that you might have offline
2. You can now use Google Doc’s offline to view any presentations or spreadsheets you have

Hopefully soon to follow will be the ability to edit spreadsheets and presentations, making for a neat little tool giving the basics of an office suite, all for my favourite price (Free!) I’m looking forward to the day that Google Calendar becomes full integrate with Gears, allowing me to view my diary offline as it was the last time I had web access.

Read more on the Google Docs Blog