Google Docs Now Allows Streaming of Uploaded Videos

Google Docs Now Allows Streaming of Uploaded Videos

Ever since Google Docs started allowing file uploads of any type, it's been a great way to store and share files in the cloud. As of today, though, you can not only store, but play uploaded videos right in Google Docs.

It's actually a pretty nice feature if you want to, say, share videos with friends without uploading it to YouTube. To play a video in Google Docs, just navigate to it in your documents list—it should already be processed through a YouTube-like player and be streamable. Video files can be up to 1 GB, and will need to be in one fo the following formats:

  • WebM files (Vp8 video codec and Vorbis Audio codec)
  • .MPEG4, 3GPP and MOV files - (h264 and mpeg4 video codecs and AAC audio codec)
  • .AVI (many cameras use this format - typically the video codec is MJPEG and audio is PCM)
  • .MPEGPS (MPEG2 video codec and MP2 audio)
  • .WMV
  • .FLV (Adobe - FLV1 video codec, MP3 audio)

You will need Flash installed to stream the videos. Any videos you've uploaded in the past should be playable, though Google's still processing all the videos on their servers, so it still may take a little while for all of yours to show up (depending on when you uploaded them). Hit the link for more info.

Send an email to Whitson Gordon, the author of this post, at whitson@lifehacker.com.

track');

Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.

Media_httpcache01gawk_isgea
Loading comments ...
Media_httpcache01gawk_hdwdl

In order to view comments on lifehacker.com you need to enable JavaScript.
If you are using Firefox and NoScript addon, please mark lifehacker.com as trusted.

Mac App Store is open for business!

It's here, and it scares me.

I think about all the money I've spent on the App Store for the iOS devices I've used, and having the same thing for my Mac elicits visions of my bank account shrinking.

That said, this is friggin' awesome. Purchasing is easy (too easy,) but the update feature is what I've been looking forward to. One centralized location for grabbing software updates for all the apps on my computer. Just like on the iPhone and iPad. Love it.

Angry Birds on my Mac? Hell yes.

I'll throw in another plug for Evernote. It's still the one piece of software I recommend to everyone. Evernote is my brain on drugs. The good kind. Not the kind that fry your brain.

Also, I'll throw in a plug for the official Twitter app. So far, I like it better than others I've tried. Clean, simple, free. And it supports multiple accounts. I've tried several, but keep going back to the official app (formerly known as Tweetie.)

Who's tried it out? Anyone? What do you think? Do you foresee yourself spending your kids' college tuition on apps now? Sorry, Angel... But community college is great too!

(download)

Skype at 30,000 feet

Photo

Tried doing a video chat with Skype for iOS while flying yesterday.
Apparently, GoGo in flight internet didn't have the bandwidth? It sort
of worked later in the flight, but quality wasn't even as good as it
is over 3G.

Still. Video chatting on a plane is awesomely geeky.