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sarah11918 · 07-22-2011, 04:38 PM

OK, more on the Google Docs experiment:

DOWNLOADING FROM GOOGLE DOCS:

Downloading using Lightweight 2 browser was similar to my experience downloading from a regular website that had pdf links on it. I could choose to download any of my docs in a variety of formats (I chose PDF) and was allowed to navigate through and choose a destination directory. The document downloaded successfully. But again, the Eee Note's Reader program will not detect that a new PDF file exists. (I currently have one copy in the default "download" folder, and one in the var/ebooks folder (where my other PDFs that can be detected) reside.

I suspect that if I were to download with the default browser that the Eee Note would be able to see this file. But, that browser kept crashing before I could complete the process. I don't think it's stable enough to handle logging into google and staying there. Lightweight is quite stable (sometimes hangs while attempting arduous tasks) but doesn't seem phased by trying to navigate through Gmail, Google Docs, Google Reader etc. The default browser will sometimes work long enough to let me log in. Sometimes it crashes just at the site of Google.

UPLOADING TO GOOGLE DOCS FROM EEE NOTE:

I have to admit, this surprised me, but it worked. I tried two separate actions: uploading a note and uploading a screenshot of a note. When I selected "upload", Google Docs asked whether I'd like to convert text in my file to text. (I guess this is standard, but I don't typically upload to G Docs, so I had never seen this option before.) I was hoping this might mean that if I wrote clearly enough, it would recognize my handwriting and convert to text! Well, no. (Although I'll try again writing REALLY neatly and see, because it "sort of" worked.)

When I uploaded a plain note (all I did was open up a new note, write by hand, save), the result was a .zip file in G Docs. G Docs allowed me to click on the zip file to reveal a gif. It wouldn't let me view the gif directly, but it did allow me to download the gif. Here is the gif if you want to view it. Notice that although I had the lined background, the lines did not export, only the text strokes. (And don't worry about the phone number. It's ticket sales for our local arena.)

I also tried uploading a snapshot of that same note. Google imported that as a .gif (not .zip) but when you click on it in G Docs, you're in a regular word processing document with (a) that gif imported into the word document and (b) an attempt at converting the text below it. This is what possibly gives me hope that if I write neatly enough, maybe it will attempt to convert my handwriting. (But as you'll see, my handwriting is far from horrible as it is, so you might have to have text-quality writing to get conversion to work.)

Because this is a snapshot of the page, it includes the menu bar across the top and the menu items along the bottom (Back, Home etc.) It is those words that it actually DID successfully convert. I downloaded to my laptop this file as a pdf, and you can view it here. Again, this is a snapshot of a note (so a graphic file on the Eee Note) uploaded to G Docs with both "convert to the closest/appropriate G Doc format" and "convert text found within graphics/pdf to text" options checked.

So, if you don't use Evernote, you certainly can upload to G Docs through the Lightweight browser. It's a much slower process than just clicking the button to upload to evernote, but of it does allow you to upload the snapshot (but you're going to get all the menu stuff included) and possibly convert text (?).

Assuming you just want to upload a note to the cloud somewhere, the main difference is that uploading to evernote keeps the background of your template (lines etc.) whereas uploading a note to G Docs, resulting in a .zip that becomes a .gif when you download it locally, does not. Also, note that with Evernote, you can view your .gif online directly. In G Docs, you can't view the uploaded note directly (although you can upload a snapshot of a page of your note directly.) As a final point of comparison, here's the Evernote-added version of the note (also a .gif)

Just to summarize:

Note added directly to Evernote results in THIS gif.

Note uploaded to G Docs becomes a .zip file which unarchives as THIS gif.

Snapshot of a Note uploaded to G Docs becomes a word doc within G Docs, but printed as THIS pdf.

07-22-2011, 04:38 PM	#139
sarah11918 Tablet Enthusiast Posts: 335 Karma: 30400 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Aura One (formerly: Asus Eee Note, enTourage eDGe EE, Nokia N810)	OK, more on the Google Docs experiment: DOWNLOADING FROM GOOGLE DOCS: Downloading using Lightweight 2 browser was similar to my experience downloading from a regular website that had pdf links on it. I could choose to download any of my docs in a variety of formats (I chose PDF) and was allowed to navigate through and choose a destination directory. The document downloaded successfully. But again, the Eee Note's Reader program will not detect that a new PDF file exists. (I currently have one copy in the default "download" folder, and one in the var/ebooks folder (where my other PDFs that can be detected) reside. I suspect that if I were to download with the default browser that the Eee Note would be able to see this file. But, that browser kept crashing before I could complete the process. I don't think it's stable enough to handle logging into google and staying there. Lightweight is quite stable (sometimes hangs while attempting arduous tasks) but doesn't seem phased by trying to navigate through Gmail, Google Docs, Google Reader etc. The default browser will sometimes work long enough to let me log in. Sometimes it crashes just at the site of Google. UPLOADING TO GOOGLE DOCS FROM EEE NOTE: I have to admit, this surprised me, but it worked. I tried two separate actions: uploading a note and uploading a screenshot of a note. When I selected "upload", Google Docs asked whether I'd like to convert text in my file to text. (I guess this is standard, but I don't typically upload to G Docs, so I had never seen this option before.) I was hoping this might mean that if I wrote clearly enough, it would recognize my handwriting and convert to text! Well, no. (Although I'll try again writing REALLY neatly and see, because it "sort of" worked.) When I uploaded a plain note (all I did was open up a new note, write by hand, save), the result was a .zip file in G Docs. G Docs allowed me to click on the zip file to reveal a gif. It wouldn't let me view the gif directly, but it did allow me to download the gif. Here is the gif if you want to view it. Notice that although I had the lined background, the lines did not export, only the text strokes. (And don't worry about the phone number. It's ticket sales for our local arena.) I also tried uploading a snapshot of that same note. Google imported that as a .gif (not .zip) but when you click on it in G Docs, you're in a regular word processing document with (a) that gif imported into the word document and (b) an attempt at converting the text below it. This is what possibly gives me hope that if I write neatly enough, maybe it will attempt to convert my handwriting. (But as you'll see, my handwriting is far from horrible as it is, so you might have to have text-quality writing to get conversion to work.) Because this is a snapshot of the page, it includes the menu bar across the top and the menu items along the bottom (Back, Home etc.) It is those words that it actually DID successfully convert. I downloaded to my laptop this file as a pdf, and you can view it here. Again, this is a snapshot of a note (so a graphic file on the Eee Note) uploaded to G Docs with both "convert to the closest/appropriate G Doc format" and "convert text found within graphics/pdf to text" options checked. So, if you don't use Evernote, you certainly can upload to G Docs through the Lightweight browser. It's a much slower process than just clicking the button to upload to evernote, but of it does allow you to upload the snapshot (but you're going to get all the menu stuff included) and possibly convert text (?). Assuming you just want to upload a note to the cloud somewhere, the main difference is that uploading to evernote keeps the background of your template (lines etc.) whereas uploading a note to G Docs, resulting in a .zip that becomes a .gif when you download it locally, does not. Also, note that with Evernote, you can view your .gif online directly. In G Docs, you can't view the uploaded note directly (although you can upload a snapshot of a page of your note directly.) As a final point of comparison, here's the Evernote-added version of the note (also a .gif) Just to summarize: Note added directly to Evernote results in THIS gif. Note uploaded to G Docs becomes a .zip file which unarchives as THIS gif. Snapshot of a Note uploaded to G Docs becomes a word doc within G Docs, but printed as THIS pdf. Last edited by sarah11918; 07-22-2011 at 04:42 PM.