Google Apps

Now that Google’s released a developer preview of Chrome OS’ almost entirely new look, it feels like a good time to do some Q&A.

Microsoft debuts the revamped version of its cloud-based office suite, Office 365, tomorrow, with better admin/management tools than Google and a price that keeps Microsoft in the game.

Verizon and Google have a deal they think is great for small business customers. Well, very, very small business customers. Customers that have three employees or fewer, are close enough to financial disaster that $5 a month could make or break them, and are not smart enough to see the difference between "marketing" and "BS."

Google's App Engine isn't in the same league as most corporate app dev platforms and never will be; but it's coming up through the minors and will find a role that plays to its strengths.

Google Calendar is the single best cloud service you're not using. It's been around for years, but I know plenty of people who still don't see the point of a calendar that lives on the Web.

Did you notice Google Apps has a new competitor? Didn't think so. You'd think IBM and Lotus could come up with 1) a better product to compete on Google's turf and 2) figure out a way to make a bigger splash. All we have here are lame offerings created by idiot vice presidents and marketed by other idiot vice presidents.

Do you like Gmail, but also like Outlook 2003 or 2007? Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook helps users who love their Microsoft Outlook e-mail client keep using that client when they switch to Google's Gmail service.

Just as you can specify a Web site for Google searches ("google tips" site:itworld.com), you can use a variety of search operators with Gmail. Say, for example, that you want to gather all your messages that have attachments. Try searching "has:attachment".

I've been asked by a client to use Google Docs as a way to share files, and it seems like a good idea--an easy way to track revisions and updates, and share files between multiple parties. In that respect, it works almost like a wiki, or a very basic content management system.