Google Docs Rolls Out Dictionary, Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, and Table of Contents

Google Docs just added several new features that may tempt even more Microsoft Word users to switch.

First up: a dictionary, a thesaurus, and an encyclopedia. Just select any word, then click Tools > Look up word to get a definition, a list of synonyms, or a relevant encyclopedia entry. Google Docs taps Merriam-Webster for the former two options and Britannica.com for the latter. (Unfortunately, the Britannica links didn't seem to be working when I ran my tests: Every link produced a "page not found" error.)

Next: It's now possible to add a table of contents to your document. Just click Insert > Table of contents, then choose a numbering style. Note that your document must incorporate Heading paragraph styles or this option won't work.

I'd like to see the dictionary and thesaurus options more readily available, like in the toolbar or right-click context menu, but they're still great, long-overdue additions. [via Google Operating System]