BANGALORE, INDIA: Google recently released Fusion Tables, which they like to call as data management on the cloud (it's in Beta). This allows you to manage data better by visualizing it. Currently it allows users to upload data tables through CSV or spreadsheet format files with a maximum of 100 MB per table and 250 MB per user.

Once you upload a spreadsheet to Fusion Tables, the data can be instantly viewed on a chart or a map. Tables can also be merged with other tables having the same entity. Also, you can share tables with others and multiple people can edit data or comment on simultaneously.

When a table is shared, the owner can also specify which columns to be visible to other users. Fusion Tables, though looks like Google Docs, is slightly different. It's largely meant for large databases and users can perform tasks like data filtering, aggregation, merge, etc. Also compare to Google Docs, table can be shared as a contributor, collaborator, owner or just a viewer.

How to use
Using Fusion Tables is very simple. Just go to the above mentioned URL and sign in with your Google id. To get started, you can browse through the already available public tables, otherwise just click on the New Table. This will launch Import New Table Wizard.

Simply choose the file you wish to upload or you can also import a spreadsheet from Google Docs. Now depending upon the type of data, you can create graphs or maps from the 'Visualize' option. To merge the table with any other table, click on the 'Merge' option.

Here you will see the columns available in the sheet, choose the column which is common in the sheet, you wish to merge. Next choose the second table or provide its URL. Again select the column, provide a name for the table and click on the Merge Tables button.

Users can discuss data present in a table, by posting comments on anycell. All discussions going on a table can be viewed under 'Discussions'.

Users can instantly view graphs from the table. Graphs can also be created for filtered entities and shared with other users.

Fusion Tables also allows to create a small view. This can be done by choosing View option from file and specifying the columns for the view. To instantly share the entire table with anyone over email or IM, click on 'Snap it' button. This will give you a link to the table, which can be easily shared with anyone.