Google has integrated the Google Docs PDF Viewer Gmail (I haven't quite gotten used to calling it Google Mail yet) meaning you can finally view PDFs without having to launch Adobe Reader (either the desktop application or within the browser) or use the HTML view in Google Docs which often doesn't display formatting and strips images. Since today, when you receive an email that includes a PDF attachment you are given a 'View' option next to the file. I didn't have any emails with a PDF attached so I sent myself one so I could demonstrate.
Using the PDF Viewer in Gmail
Using the PDF Viewer in Gmail
The default display shows the first page of the document in the main frame (left hand side), In the right hand section you have your navigation, arrangement, search and zoom tools as well as thumbnails of each page in the document.
The arrow buttons allow you to move through the pages of the document, showing you which page you are on (and how many pages there are). The plus ( + ) and minus ( – ) buttons zoom the document in or out. The two buttons between the zoom buttons reconfigure the document between displaying 1 page, with the rest of the document flowing on sequentially (see above) and displaying two pages next to each other with the subsequent spreads flowing on sequentially (see below).
At this state the search function (under the zoom and arrangement buttons) will return results based on a keyword search. Returned results appear directly below the tools section and before the page thumbnails.
The original function to view a PDF in HTML is now accessible via the 'Plain HTML' link at the top of the left column. It also provides links to 'Download' or 'Print' the document.
I'm tipping it won't be long before we see the PDF Viewer integrated into Google search results.
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