With Vids, Google thinks it has the next big productivity tool for work

What would spreadsheets reimagined as a messaging app look like? Not repurposing existing spreadsheet software for messaging, but a messenger app that's spreadsheet-like. Like the same way Discord is messaging reimagined as audio-first, this would be messaging that's…tactile-first?

As we spend more and more of our lives in video calls, I think there's room for productivity tools to support this behavior. One example of that is a plugin that serves as a timer and checklist inside existing solutions. Even something as simple as this could better structure SCRUM meetings, pitches, and calls, ensuring visibility and alignment. Th... See more

At the same time, Google’s incremental approach to improving Docs also reveals a dilemma that the company often faces when trying to improve its most-used products. Introducing lots of changes is appealing to designers, developers, and the tech enthusiasts like me that they serve, but often causes average users to revolt.

Collaborative editors like Google Docs allow people to work on a rich-text document in real-time, which is convenient when users want to immediately see each others’ changes. However, sometimes people prefer a more asynchronous collaboration style, where they can work on a private copy of a document for a while and share their updates later. The al... See more

The intimacy and immediacy of watching videos on a phone screen (how about 70% of YouTube viewers watch) helps creators connect with their audiences, opening opportunities for making money beyond just a cut of ad revenue. Sergey Vashketov films his two sons, Vlad and Niki, who make wildly popular videos for kids. The boys dress up in costumes, play... See more

I’ve identified eight categories here: Messaging, Voice & Video, Calendar & Meetings, Documentation, Project Management, Design, Search & Context, and Low Code/No Code & Internal Tools. Companies across these categories share a melange of the same core customers: knowledge workers, remote and distributed teams, product development teams, and white ... See more