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Introducing Quip

When I left Google half a year ago for a startup, I couldn’t tell you what we were doing…but now I can! We’re excited to announce our new product, Quip. It’s a modern word processor that lets you create beautiful documents on all of your devices – phone, tablet, and desktop – by focusing on collaboration, mobility, interactivity, and simplicity.

Check out our blog post and the New York Times article. More importantly, please give it a try! It’s free for personal use; just install the iOS app or sign up on the web. We also have a preview Android app, if you already have an account and you’re willing to tolerate some quirks.

Going to a small startup was a change after so long at Google, but it’s been great so far. Most of us had worked together before, so we shared a common culture, not to mention valuable experience from past startups. Oh, and our office is awesome.

On the technical side, I’ve been a bit of a mercenary. I’ve worked on every part of the codebase: the server and storage system, data model, synchronization protocol, web frontend, iOS app, and Android app. I had to learn lots of new things in short order, often overnight, which was challenging at times but always worthwhile.

On a related note, Google’s CEOs may have scored points with the code they used to write, but I love that Quip is small enough that Bret and Kevin still spend most of their time writing code. Not a bad sign.

In any case, I’m excited for you all to try it out. Enjoy, and let us know what you think!

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42 thoughts on “Introducing Quip”

  13. Ryan Barrett

    Roger Hu: keep it, yes. we may quietly add yourmom jokes though. I REGRET NOTHING.
    Carmen Benitez, good question! it’s already on web, ios, and android. which other platforms would you like? via Facebook

  15. Carmen Benitez

    Hi Ryan- in the sense of other app eco-systems; will the platform push/pull its functions into say the yammers/evernote/zohos of the world? or is quip saying do away with those and just use ours as it does all that and more? via Facebook

  17. Ryan Barrett

    ah, I see. integration with other ecosystems can definitely be valuable. we don’t have a concrete roadmap just yet, but it’s on our radar!

    re the quip team message, you’re right, it’s just a canned intro message, not a real account you can talk with. we should make that clearer. thanks for the feedback! via Facebook

  18. Carmen Benitez

    Also… I see what looks to be a shared chatter messaging board with Quip Team listed, but it doesn’t appear that Quip is aware of the message I sent, which seems peculiar as it shows itself as profile. I do the add person function, but shouldn’t the Quip team be automatic given they are part of that thread? I will check out the help center as well. thanks and best of luck! via Facebook

  19. Stephen Morrish

    Ah Quip I remember them the cheap international phone line company… You guys are aware that the name is trademark in the UK. M$ lost out when they used other company’s names Metro and SkyDrive… My guess is that your lawyers are bigger than theirs so you should be fine.  ;)

    via plus.google.com

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