Google Testing Web 'Page Creator' Beta

As Microsoft waves goodbye to FrontPage in Office 2007, Google seems to be picking up the slack and is beta testing a new Web-based HTML editor dubbed "Page Creator." Google's service utilizes AJAX to give it the feel of a desktop application, but at the moment the tool's functionality remains limited.

Google Page Creator currently enables Google Account holders to create single pages, with up to 100MB of storage. The company provides a free URL at http://username.googlepages.com to access the pages a user creates. Google says Page Creator does not currently support making full "sites" of content.

Creating a page using the service requires just a few mouse clicks, and although it's still an early beta release, industry analysts and pundits say it already shows promise.

"From the Page Manager, click on the title of the page you want to edit. This will take you to the Page Editor. Once you've clicked into your page, just start typing in the text boxes," explains Google. "On the left side of the page are tools to: change the size and style of your text, create links, and insert images."

Different layouts can be selected through a sample gallery, along with "page looks" that provide color and style options. Images can also be uploaded and inserted into pages.

"What Google does get right is overall approach, which replaces Geek Speak for everyday language. It's a refreshing way and one I can't enough encourage Microsoft to take with Office 2007 and Windows Vista," commented Jupiter Research senior analyst Joe Wilcox.

Google isn't saying how it plans to deploy Page Creator, and whether the service will be aimed at the general Web public or simply its own Blogger users. But it's a sign of the growing trend to move applications onto the Web, from e-mail to instant messaging to HTML editing.

"I do believe that Web-based products like Google Pages can reach the good enough threshold, so that bells-and-whistle products like FrontPage wouldn't be necessary for most people," added Wilcox. "Microsoft clearly recognizes this, by the decision to put down the product."