Thursday, February 22, 2007
Google Apps: Right for Your Home Office?
Google unleashed Google Apps with Web-based tools appropriate for a nonprofit or home office. Word processing, spreadsheets, calendaring, and e-mail are now available in free Standard and paid Premier packages. The latter offers additional e-mail storage, shared calendaring, ad freedom, and tech support for a reasonable $50 per year.
I'll keep this short, but the implications for this modest offering from Google may mean the end of dominance for Microsoft Office in the SOHO environment. Google talks low, but is unequivocally setting its sights high. Time will tell.
In the meantime, your home office may find use for Google's free tools that cost hundreds of dollars from Microsoft. Apple, too. DotMac appears less appealing each day. If Google extends Google Apps to iCal and smartphone syncing, many Mac users will say goodbye to DotMac.
I'll keep this short, but the implications for this modest offering from Google may mean the end of dominance for Microsoft Office in the SOHO environment. Google talks low, but is unequivocally setting its sights high. Time will tell.
In the meantime, your home office may find use for Google's free tools that cost hundreds of dollars from Microsoft. Apple, too. DotMac appears less appealing each day. If Google extends Google Apps to iCal and smartphone syncing, many Mac users will say goodbye to DotMac.
