Google Lets You View PDFs in Your Search Results

As we're all too aware, Google search results sometimes include browser-unfriendly documents such as PDFs. Up until now, Google had made it possible for users to view these files in HTML, avoiding the need to download the PDF and open it in separate application. Nice, but still kind of annoying when the HTML screws up the formatting of the document you're looking at.

Far be it from me to tell you what's a big improvement and what's not but I'm definitely a fan of the Google's latest effort to take the little PDF-shaped thorn out my searches. Using the same technology Gmail and Google Docs users are well used to, Google has added a "Quick View" link to the PDF search results that allow you to view PDFs in your browser. The improvement on Google's HTML solution? No more skewed formatting! You'll see your PDF with all the pretty graphics and tablets you couldn't get before.

The best part of this news is that Google plans to roll out more "Quick View" links for other types of documents. Check the full post here.

  • apache_lives
    you know any other company out there would slap a "pro" to the name and try to charge people - gotta give credit to google for the work and services they provide.

    Kudos to google
    Reply
  • lemonade4
    foxit pdf reader is so much quicker than adobe reader. I don't even have to wait over 2 seconds for pdf files to load on my AthlonXP 2400+.
    Reply
  • wildwell
    Very nice. Bing/MS, your move..
    Reply