Documents
Just as with the spreadsheets, the new version is an opt-in toggle for the time being. Rather than a simple "New Version" link at the top of the page, though, to get to the changes in documents you have to go to the "Document Settings" page and select "New version of Google documents".
Unfortunately, Google is rolling out the new functionality over the next couple of days, and none of the Google Docs accounts I checked actually have this option available yet. But, once it's available the Documents functionality will contain a number of enhancements.
On the Official Google Docs Blog, Rochelle explains "We've brought the responsive, real-time editing experience you've come to expect from our spreadsheets over to documents, which means you can now see character-by-character changes as other collaborators make edits."
That alone is a huge step. As I said for spreadsheets, the online, real-time collaboration is actually one of the main elements of Google Docs that sets it apart from the traditional Microsoft Office experience and provides some additional value.
According to Rochelle, "The new technical foundation also helped us improve document formatting, which means better import/export fidelity, a revamped comment system, real margins and tab stops, and improved image layout within documents."
Drawings
With the changes rolled out today, Google is also introducing a new tool which brings yet another piece of the Microsoft Office suite to Google Docs. The new Google Drawings app lets you create flowcharts and diagrams similar to the way Microsoft Visio is commonly used.
One of the caveats for using Google Drawings is that it won't work with existing versions of Internet Explorer. My attempt to launch Google Drawings with Internet Explorer 8 was met with an error screen letting me know that my browser doesn't support the app.
The changes being introduced by Google, and particularly the Google Drawings app itself, are based on HTML5 and require HTML5. The same reason that this functionality won't work in Internet Explorer 8 is also why the new editors won't work offline with Google Gears. Google has promised to bring back Google Gears functionality as soon as possible, though.
Basically, Google Drawings takes the drawing tool Google added to the other apps last year, expands the features and functionality, and turns it into a standalone application on its own. As with spreadsheets and documents, you can make and view changes to collaborate in real-time, and you can use the sidebar chat function to communicate with one another. 
I started a new drawing, and invited another user to collaborate with me on it. I was impressed with the speed of the real-time updates as changes were made. I was able to converse using the sidebar chat to talk about the changes to be made to the drawing, and see those changes instantly as they were being made.
Summary
There are still a couple of pet peeves I have with Google Docs. First of all, I don't like that it seems to open a new tab or windows almost every time I click on something. Just trying to open and work with a doc I managed to somehow have ten different tabs open. The other thing is that once you are in a Google Docs app there doesn't appear to be a simple way to get back to the main Google Docs console or open or start a new doc. 
There is a lot to like about Google Docs, and the new features and functionality add a lot more. For hardcore documents, spreadsheets, presentations, or diagrams, the applications in the Google Docs portfolio do not compare to the functionality offered by their Microsoft Office counterparts, but Google Docs will suffice for most users, and it offers a superior platform for sharing and collaboration.
Tony Bradley is co-author of Unified Communications for Dummies . He tweets as @Tony_BradleyPCW . You can follow him on his Facebook page , or contact him by email at tony_bradley@pcworld.com .
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