The new document type was revealed in a Google video leading to speculations on its meaning

Jul 27, 2010 10:55 GMT  ·  By

When Google makes an announcement, it is usually accompanied by screenshots or videos which make it easier for the users to see what’s new. But since these videos and photos are created by Google employees, who have early beta access to many features and tools still in testing, they sometimes reveal something that the general public isn’t supposed to see just yet.

In a blog post describing how users can include specific Google searches for facts and data inside the Docs Spreadsheet editor, a video revealed a new document type along with the existing ones, Document, Spreadsheet, Presentation and so on. The new document type is labeled as Punch. With no explanation from Google and with little to go on, several blogs speculated on what this new document type could be.

Google Operating System, which discovered the new feature, wondered if this new document type wasn’t a mash-up of sorts, enabling users to mix documents, spreadsheets and so on. Others said it could be aimed more at publishing documents, a competitor to Microsoft’s Office Publisher perhaps. Google expectantly, wasn’t of much help in the matter.

However, the truth may not be as exciting as it seems. TechCrunch received some indications that the new document type is just a placeholder for an upgraded version of an existing editor, yet to be released publicly. And all signs point to it being a new Presentations editor.

Google recently unveiled revamped Document and Spreadsheet editors. These were rewritten from the ground up and are based on several new technologies. The new editors have been made the default for all users recently. Logic would dictate that the rest of Docs’ editors would get a revamp as well and this new hint makes it rather obvious. The Punch icon is also very similar to the Docs Presentations one. So it looks like Google may already be testing a revamped Presentation editor. Of course, there is still a real possibility that this is a new editor or something different altogether.