It seems as though Google Labs releases another Ajaxy beta web-based tool every hour on the hour, and it would be a chore to cover them all. The latest, Google Spreadsheets, is a real winner, so it deserves an in-depth look. Think Excel in your browser. You can open XLS or CSV spreadsheets inside the tool and perform calculations, data sorting, run formulas — everything that you would expect from a solid spreadsheet app.
There is also a marked emphasis on multi-user editing. Two or more users can view and edit a document at the same time. Users can be invited to view or edit a document, and Google Chat has been integrated into the application so that multiple users can offer input during the work session. When you're done, spreadsheets can be exported as HTML, XLS, or CSV. You can also invite others to view the sheet in their browser (and download the file if they want to) by plugging in their email address and sending a notification.
The app is still first come, first served and invitation-only, but you can sign up and reserve your place in line. Google Spreadsheets is still closed to the general public, but you can check out similar browser-based data crunching applications from iRows and Zoho. Zoho Sheet incorporates robust sharing features and also offers tagging.
You can view more screenshots and even a couple of demo videos of Google Spreadsheets (in WMV format) over at Google Blogscoped.
