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Google is working on a Web-based PowerPoint clone to complement its Docs & Spreadsheets application, according to files accidentally discovered by Alex at the Google Operating System blog.
The information in the files refers to an application called Presently — apparently a reference to Docs & Spreadsheets’ original name Writely.com — that can convert documents into online slide shows.
The files have since been modified by Google to remove reference to the term “Presently,” but a screenshot remains.
By launching an online slide show app, Google completes its office suite and moves closer into competition with products like Zoho, ThinkFree and of course Microsoft Office Live.
But, as I’ve said many times before on this blog, Google’s goal with its office apps is really to a) incent more users to save their data to the Google cloud and b) learn from how the users work online to build better apps and search.
Although Google’s office apps aren’t enterprise-worthy workhorses, Google will find a bigger market with casual and small-business users. Integration with Gmail will help adoption significantly.