Anyone going to use GoogleApps?

Hey, I've been talking to a friend about Google apps lately, and I hadn't actually heard about it before. I was familiar with iPhone apps, and obviously android apps, but Google Apps is a bit different, as I now understand it. It is about providing all of the functionality you currently get out of your desktop programs (microsoft office, photoshop, accounting software, outlook etc) from an organised network of online applications. So rather than installing programs, you just go to a website application which performs the job. Just like most people use Gmail instead of Microsoft Outlook. Google Docs instead of Excel. etc.

So, that is my understanding of what Google Apps are - an expansion of that principle until all of the programs you run on your computer, are now just accessed online.

Does anyone here know much more about it? Do you think you would use them for your business rather than Microsfot products? Or Adobe Products? I supposed Google are pretty much competeing with everyone with this move...?

Apps look like the are going to be much cheaper than the old style outright 'purchase' of large software products - but many of them have ongoing subscription fees. I guess the fact that you find yourself buying new versions of Windows/office/adobe every few years anyway is no different to a subscription fee...

Anyone know any good resources on this subject? I think I am going to have to spend more time looking in to it...

 

More info can be found at Googles Apps pages
http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/group/index.html

The free version looks like the best option for my position, although the apps in the marketplace still cost money if you want to add them to take care of more than just the usual google stuff.

I also found this website: http://www.googleappsreview.com/ which provides lists and analysis of the various apps available in the market place. Could be useful as the number of apps grows over time...

Looks like a lot to take in, but it is getting late, I'll keep looking tomorrow.

 

Google needs to re-design their back end architecture so that all apps, widgets, waves, etc, are available in both arena's. I have my own domain and all my family in that domain and with all our associated web pages, calendars, contacts, etc in that domain. Why should all of us have to have two logins? AND have to remember which app is a available in which arena (igoogle or apps). Most of my family is not even going to understand that and they just wont use the google applications........I mean,l really, Google can become the new desktop if they would just integrate everything in google apps. I'm moving everything to google apps.........and getting rid of all my ms application software. Or I was set to do that, but they need to fix this dual arena problem first. Now Voice is not in google apps either. Is blogger, I dont know yet. Its like I have to have a spreadsheet (or another google application) just to keep track of which app is available to gmail/igoogle but not google apps.

 

I use google apps now. Trust me, MS has no reason to be concerned. Google Apps is flaky and there 99.9% uptime is a lie. When I get a chance I will be switching to something else.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. I expect this sort of thing will only improve with time. While the idea of the Cloud has been around for a long time, it seems like it is still really very very young, so it can only improve right? It does seem to me like it is inevitable that we are going to move away from the desktop onto a remote computer style setup. I guess the ultimate question is whether Google can do it, or whether some new clever start up is going to fill that role?

 

i'm using, it's verf helpful..
it's increasing every day..