Peepel Provides a Better Online Office Suite Solution

I'll be perfectly honest; I hate Google Docs. From the moment I first set eyes on Google Docs, I knew they were going to launch some sort of fee-based service, because I can't remember the last time I saw a web service so completely hobbled for regular users. The spreadsheets are slow. Functionality is limited. But it's attached to the Google name and has a built-in audience, and, let's face it, there haven't been any products released that are really much better. Until now, that is.

Lanched last week, Peepel is the latest entrant into the online docs space, and it's prettier, faster, has more functionality, and gosh darn it, I like it. Unlike Google Docs, where you are constantly heading back to the start page to access a different document, Peepel's app emulates the look and feel of a typical office suite, allowing multiple documents to be open in the same space. The Peepel folks have gone out of their way to give the app a slick UI, including two nifty little features called “Stack” and “Half Maximize” that allows you to have all your documents open in the window, and page through them, much like the pages in a book. There's no more heading back to the main page to find the next document that you need, and no more individual browser tabs or windows to have all the documents you need for a project open at the same time. Each document can also be resized as needed using a very simple drag on the document outline.

Right now, Peepel has four applications: Peepel WebSheet (spreadsheets), Peepel WebWriter (word processor), Peepel Desktop (the app that allows you to have all your apps open in one place), and PeepelPanel, which is a fantastic little toolbar that stays at the top of the Peepel Desktop and changes depending on what type of document you are working on. Whoever was responsible for the design here really deserves a standing ovation, because the functionality of the toolbar is separated into tabs, providing better organization and enough room so that the toolbar doesn't look cluttered. I only wish Microsoft Office toolbars looked this nice. Peepel also contains a calculator right in the app, so you don't have to move back out to your OS's calculator function, and Peepel's web site promises that Peepel WebMaps are coming soon.

I spoke with Peepel's CEO Stephen Kelly about some of the upcoming features. The only thing that's keeping me from making everyone I know switch over is that sharing functionality hasn't been implemented yet, but Stephen assured me that they are already working hard on that code, and that being able to share documents is coming very soon. Peepel also promises upcoming releases that will bring tighter integration between the document types.

As soon as the sharing functionality is added, I'll be switching over to Peepel for all my online document needs, and pushing everyone I know to do the same. It's just that easy to use, and eliminates most of the aggravations I have with Google Docs.

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