Footprints in the Cloud

2010-09-24T09:03:00.001-04:00

Reason #2 people register for Google Apps Live! NYC on 10/7: "Integrated Mobile Services". What is your reason? http://tinyurl.com/26yc9fh

2010-09-23T13:46:00.001-04:00

Reason #2 people register for Google Apps Live! NYC on 10/7: "Time to Upgrade". What is your reason? http://tinyurl.com/26yc9fh

2010-09-23T11:46:00.001-04:00

Reason #1 people are coming to Google Apps Live! NYC on 10/7: "Better Collaboration". What is your reason? http://tinyurl.com/26yc9fh

2010-09-21T14:29:00.001-04:00

Free Webinars: Find out if Google Apps is right for your business! http://tinyurl.com/37avz5k

2010-09-21T13:44:00.001-04:00

Still time to register. Google Apps ... Live! NYC on 10/7. http://tinyurl.com/23akftf

Our Last Post Here ... We Have Moved.

2009-11-27T00:02:00.003-05:00

Please join Footprints in the Cloud at our new location: http://www.horizoninfoservices.com/blog

Fortune/CNN: Is Microsoft the Next GM?

2009-11-06T10:44:00.003-05:00

In a recent contributed blog post on CNNMoney.com, Jay R. Galbraith, president and founder, Galbraith Management Consultants asks, "Will Microsoft become the General Motors of software?"

Whether you are a fan of Microsoft products or a detractor, this is an interesting read.

Google Docs Viewer for PDF, PPT, and TIFF Files

2009-10-30T09:15:00.001-04:00

You can now view and embed online documents in your browser without downloading and using an application.

Google Docs Viewer allows you to view certain files online. Enter the URL of a PDF, Powerpoint or TIFF document in the Viewer and we'll display it directly in the browser with no download required.

Get the details here.

Getting Docs Out of Google Docs ... and More

2009-10-29T14:00:00.001-04:00

When considering cloud computing, one of the questions we often here is "How can I get my data out if I decide to change services?".

Over the past few months, Google has confirmed its commitment to ensuring data portability. This week, they delivered on this promise with export capabilities that let you export multiple files into a zip file.

As part of the release, the documents screen will identify new documents and indicate those that have been updated by collaborators since your last view/edit session.

Learn more here.

Google Sites API Opens Up New Capabilities

2009-10-29T08:00:00.003-04:00

There's now a new Google Sites Data API in Labs that allows client applications to access, publish and modify content within a Google Site. With this new API, Google Apps administrators can:

Retrieve, create, modify, move, and delete pages, comments, attachments and other content.
Review the revision history across the Site.
Monitor all, add, modify and delete activity for a Site.
Upload/download attachments and files.
Create customized gadgets for your users.

The API also enables the development of new integration tools, like OffiSync.

More Consistency Across Google Docs

2009-10-28T14:00:00.001-04:00

One of the legitimate criticisms of Google Docs has been that the menu options and user interfaces differ between Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations.

Just released, Google has updated Google Docs to minimize the differences between the apps.

Learn more and see the updated menu bars here.

Setting up Push Mail for iPhone and Windows Mobile Devices

2009-10-28T11:00:00.001-04:00

Push mail is now supported on iPhone and Windows Mobile devices using Google Sync.

Learn how to access the new features here.

Improved Sharing and Publishing Controls for Google Docs

2009-10-27T07:45:00.003-04:00

Users of the Premier and Education Editions now have improved controls over access controls and publishing for Google Docs. Administrators can now determine if users are allowed to publish documents, spreadsheets, and presentations to the Internet.

Get the details on how to manage the settings here.

If You Love Your Site, Set it Free

2009-10-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

When managing permissions in Google Sites, you can make others owners, collaborators, or viewers. You now have the ability to remove yourself completely from site permissions. As such, you can fully hand over ownership to others.

Get the scoop here.

Directory Sync and Suspended Users

2009-10-23T09:45:00.001-04:00

Directory Sync allows mid-size and larger organizations to manage Google Apps user accounts through Active Directory or other LDAP servers on the internal network.

The latest Google Apps Directory Sync version (1.6.7) now supports suspend user functionality and other new use cases to make deployment easier such as:

The ability to sync users as suspended from LDAP
The ability to suspend a user in Apps, when the user is deleted from LDAP

More info is available here.

Flowchart Shapes and Text Formatting in Google Charts

2009-10-22T14:00:00.001-04:00

If you work with drawings in Google Docs, you will be pleased to learn that you now have more flowchart shapes and the ability to format multi-line text boxes. While not revolutionary, these incremental changes improve usability.

Learn more here.

Major Enhancements to Google Forms

2009-10-22T08:45:00.001-04:00

Google Forms have always been a convenient easy way to gather simple information, but have lacked some of the features found in commercial survey tools. We are happy to share that this is changing. With several recent rounds of updates, Google Forms have are maturing.

The first round of enhancements include:

A new Grid question type
Support for bi-directional languages
Improved formatting of statistics and better formatting of charts for each question type
The ability to pre-populate responses in form fields using URL parameters
The ability to create forms which require sign-in to access

To learn more about how to use these features, click here.

Blackberry Add-On Adds Value for Gmail Users

2009-10-21T09:15:00.000-04:00

Blackberry offers an enhanced Gmail plug-in that gives you the following capabilities:

Archive a message
Add a star to a message
Add a label to a message
Report spam email message
Perform local and remote searches
View related messages conversation view

These features work within the plug-in but do not effect email in Messages application. The plug-in works if you are connecting to your mail account over Blackberry Internet Services.

To learn more, click here.

Administrators Get More Control Over Chat

2009-10-20T13:00:00.001-04:00

Two new features let administrators secure and manage Google Talk chat sessions.

Enable/disable their user's ability to chat outside the domain.
Enable a setting to automatically accept chat invitations between users in their domain.

These features are only available in Education and Premier Edition (a few more reasons to upgrade).

Google Apps Improves Cloud Integration to Internal Services

2009-10-19T09:00:00.001-04:00

Google recently released an update to Directory Sync with the following features to support new use cases that make deployment easier, including:

The ability to sync users as suspended from LDAP
The ability to suspend a user in Apps, when the user is deleted from LDAP

Collaboration with Google Sites Just Got Easier

2009-10-16T10:00:00.003-04:00

Several recent updates to Google Sites greatly improve their use and value for collaboration.

The ability to copy an entire site
More control over the search box to do things like search across multiple sites
The "recent announcement" gadget now allows you to control how much text is shown in the post summary. You can also configure the gadget to show a thumbnail of the first photo in the post
The Start Page is now available in all editions of Google

Of these features, the site copy and search improvements offer significant new value.

With the ability to copy sites, it is now possible to create a template site, for customer portals as an example, and copy the site for easy replication. Search gives you the ability to have users search over several related sites, providing easier access to information.

Want the details? Click Here.

Translate Google Docs -- 42 languages

2009-10-15T15:30:00.002-04:00

Collaboration across languages and cultures is easier when you speak the language. Google Docs now supports translation across 42 languages.

Learn more here

More Task Features

2009-10-15T08:30:00.001-04:00

If you use Tasks in Google Apps, you can now email task lists. With the ability to have multiple lists, emailing task lists makes delegation easier.

Most Companies Underedstimate the Cost of Messaging

2009-10-14T16:00:00.002-04:00

Do you know how much you really spend on email and related services?

A September 2009 study by Osterman Research finds most businesses under estimate the full cost of messaging services, often by more than 50%.

Google Postini Service Update: 10/14 11:45 AM ET

2009-10-14T11:44:00.002-04:00

The following is the latest status report regarding the Google Postini Service problems, as of 4:45 AM ET this morning:

"We experienced an issue that caused significant delays to inbound mail delivery for users on System 7. Postini Engineering and Operations have resolved the issue, and mail delivery rates have returned to normal. Engineering and Operations continue to closely monitor the situation.

During this incident, incoming messages may have been deferred; no messages were bounced or deleted.

Some sending mail servers may have returned a "failed delivery" notification after four hours, but continued to try to resend deferred messages (up to five days for a typical configuration). Outbound mail delivery and filtering performed as normal during this time.

We sincerely apologize for the impact to your organization and users. We will post an incident report, which includes the root cause analysis and corrective and preventative actions, within the next 48 business hours. Also, if you filed a support case, we will include the incident report in the case response."

Horizon expects that some users may continue to receive delivery of emails that were deferred, or that were resent by protocol from the sender, throughout the day.

As your reseller, we have access to the portal and will post the incident report when it is available. Please contact support if you have questions or concerns.

Look Past the Price Tag

2009-10-14T10:00:00.001-04:00

The online backup market is a mess! Companies are coming out of the woodwork offering great deals on backup services. With cloud-based disk space providing cheaper storage, the downward pressure on price seems unstoppable.

For businesses, where do you begin? As recovering consultants, we always advise businesses to start with requirements.

Why are you creating backups?
To protect users from document errors? To recover user-deleted files? To recover from system failures? To recover from a larger disaster?
How many versions of each file do you need?
For recovery from disaster or system failure, you really only need one. To recovery from user error, you may want more.
For how long do you need backups available?
Days, weeks, months, years?
How quickly do you need to be able to recover?
Hours, days, or longer?

These questions are important, as the answers often eliminate the low cost providers. Backups at 50 cents per GB is attractive, unless you need retention for more then 30 days. If one version on backups is not enough, then the unlimited space for $50 per year per machine is not the solution. If you may need to restore whole servers or large data sets, services without off-line recovery options will leave you waiting, literally, for your data.

When evaluating online backup solutions. Look past the price tag at how well the solution meets your needs. Whether from a reputable service provider or an in-house attempt to build a solution that saves money, if the backup solution doesn't meet your needs, you are wasting money.

Google Postini Services Update 10/13/09 11:00 PM

2009-10-13T23:46:00.003-04:00

At 7:15 PM ET, an update was posted for Google Postini Services:

'We experienced an issue which has caused a backlog of inbound email affecting
users on System 7. We are currently taking steps to address the existing backlog
and minimize the impact on new incoming email. For the affected users inbound
mail has been flowing but at a reduced rate. Outbound mail remains fully
functional. We are working to fully restore mail flow as soon as possible, and
we will provide ongoing updates.'

As of 11:00 PM ET, our observations are as follows:

Services are running normally via the Secondary Data Centers
New messages are flowing with little apparent delay
Deferred messages are being released into the stream
The message center and administration console are both available for use.
This remains a 'no data loss event'
Spooling is functioning properly"

We updated our home page to refresh recent blog posts at 5 minute intervals. We will continue to post information as appropriate.

Google Postini Service Update: 6:20 PM ET

2009-10-13T18:18:00.002-04:00

For our customers, mail flow for Google Postini Services has been "normal" since about 3:25 this afternoon. A short while ago, the Message Center and System Administration consoles came back online.

The Postini service will continue to add deferred messages to the stream of messages being process and delivered in real-time. While we have no official word about how long it will take to forward all of the deferred messages, we expect the process will take several hours.

We will continue to monitor the process and post updates as appropriate.

We certainly understand the frustration and pain that accompanies email service disruptions. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Share with Groups!

2009-10-13T15:00:00.001-04:00

In a recent enhancement to sharing in Google Apps, you can now share documents for viewing or editing by Group. This feature makes sharing with project teams, customer teams, or large numbers of individuals faster and easier.

Group sharing is works with:

Docs (documents, spreadsheets, and presentations)
Sites
Video

To learn how, Click Here.

To learn more about how to improvide sharing and collaboration, Click Here.

Google Postini Service Update: 3:00PM ET

2009-10-13T14:54:00.003-04:00

Google Postini Services continue to experience mail flow problems. Mail flow rates continue to swing between Normal and Critical this afternoon.

Horizon's customers site on Postini's "System 7", which is now operating out of secondary data centers. This shift should improve mail flow as the systems forward deferred messages.

A status update posted at 2:40 PM ET indicates significant progress in improving mail processing.

Note: During this time, messages may be deferred or queued, but no messages will be lost, deleted or bounced. Mail processing may also be directed to the secondary data center at times.

Given the nature of the incident, we expect mail flow performance will continue to fluctuate until the issue is fully resolved and the backlog of email is delivered.

We will continue to post updates as they become available.

Google Postini Service Update

2009-10-13T12:35:00.005-04:00

12:45 PM ET

Some users are still experiencing intermittent delays in email delivery through Google Postini Services. Currently, mail flow is at near normal levels. Emails will still be delayed as the service forwards queued and deferred messages.

Given the "fast/slow" nature of this event, we expect that mail flow rates may continue to fluctuate this afternoon. We will post another update as information comes in.

Manage Email Retention With or Without an Archive

2009-10-13T08:45:00.001-04:00

With 25GB of inbox space for each user, managing space is rarely an issue. Company policies related to records retention, however, often create a need to enforce retention policies on email messages.

In Google Apps Premier Edition, you can not set a retention period for email. Once set, Gmail will automatically permanently delete all email messages older than the retention period.

If you want or need to limit user retention of emails, but need to retain corporate access to messages for legal or compliance reasons, we can add Google Message Discovery to your Google Apps service.

Google Message Discovery is an email archive/recovery/e-discovery service that offers secure, audited archives of all messages sent or delivered for up to 10 years. Message Discovery also works with most any in-house email system.

Click Here to learn more about Google Message Discovery or to view a product data sheet (PDF format).

Google Calendars: Group Invites

2009-10-12T15:14:00.001-04:00

Google Calendars now let you invite groups.

To invite a group to your event:

Simply enter the group name under 'Guests' in your Google Calendar invitation.

Google Calendars: Help Your Social Networking Efforts

2009-10-12T11:05:00.001-04:00

One of the basic tenants of social networking is to be mindful of your contacts' birthdays and special events. Google Calendar can help. You can now add a special calendar that shows your contacts' birthdays and events.

To add the birthday and event calendar in Google Calendar:

From the Settings page, select 'Browse interesting calendars' (at the bottom)
Click on "More"
You can then preview or subscribe to the 'Contacts' birthdays and events' calendar.

Industry Update: Microsoft's Sidekick/Danger Failure was NOT a Cloud Failure

2009-10-12T10:30:00.001-04:00

Over the weekend, Microsoft and T-Mobile acknowledged that the server failure earlier in the week would likely result in the total loss of user data.

While some in the "tech media and blog-o-sphere" tout this as a failure of the cloud computing model, the reality is somewhat different.

Read my post at Internet Evolution and learn more why not all hosted services are cloud-based and why it is important to know the difference.

-- Allen

Set your Sites on better Gadget and LInk Integration

2009-09-11T13:30:00.001-04:00

To expand the potential of Google Sites for internal and secure customer portal, Google has improved how gadgets and links are managed.

You can now

Paste embeddings that use object, embed, or iframe tags; they will be auto-wrapped in a gadget
Add custom links in your sidebar navigation, using manual mode
More easily paste HTML from external sources

Click here to learn more ...

Sending Email from Multiple Addresses

2009-09-11T10:15:00.001-04:00

It is no longer uncommon for some users to manage multiple email accounts. Whether covering email addresses for support or customer service, or providing administrative assistance to an executive the "on behalf of" label can be distracting to the email recipient.

Google Apps Premier Edition (and Education Edition) now allow users to send emails from multiple addresses without the "on behalf of" label in the sender address.

Click here to learn more ...

Google Apps and OpenID

2009-09-10T13:45:00.000-04:00

With in-house systems, multiple user names and passwords are often an issue as applications and systems have unique security systems and requirements. So too is the case as you move into cloud computing solutions.

By providing an API for OpenID, organizations can allow users to log into OpenID-enabled applications using their Google Apps username and password.

This feature, available for Education and Premier Editions only, improves the end user experience.

Learn more ...

Can I find the document you shared with me?

2009-09-10T09:00:00.001-04:00

As organizations improve collaboration, document sharing replaces endless chains of email attachments. One adaptation for users, however, is the ability to find documents that others have shared.

By adding "Shared With ..." to search options in Google Docs, users have an easier way of finding documents that have been shared.

Document Sharing Just Got Easier

2009-09-09T15:30:00.001-04:00

One of our concerns about Google Docs was the user interface for sharing. The options were not in one place and were not clear to newer users.

Google has addressed our concerns. All of the sharing options are no located in one dialog box with multiple tabs. The Sharing menu item lets you pick which tab appears when you open the dialog box.

Improved Directory Sync with Google Apps

2009-09-09T12:50:00.004-04:00

One of the advantages of the paid versions of Google Apps is the additional integration features provided. Even smaller companies gain when administration time is minimized.

Recently, Google updated the capabilities of Google Apps Directory Sync:

Google Apps Directory Sync can now help synchronize contact information for non-employees (as well as employees) that are listed in the central LDAP directory, so that employees can look up and contact important customers, partners and vendors.
More contact fields can be synchronized between an LDAP system and Google Apps. Rich user profile information like multiple phone numbers, addresses and job titles are now supported.

With these enhancements, it is now easier to manage your Google Apps user accounts as part of your overall directory (including Active Directory) administration.

Google Releases the Google Apps Connector for Blackberry Enterprise Server

2009-08-24T22:20:00.003-04:00

After an extended period in Beta testing, Google has released its connector for Blackberry Enterprise Server.

Messages sent to your Gmail inbox are pushed to your BlackBerry within 60 seconds.
Emails read/deleted on your BlackBerry are marked as read/deleted in Gmail, and vice-versa.
Emails archived/starred on your BlackBerry are archived/starred in Gmail, and vice-versa.
BlackBerry folders are synchronized with labels in Gmail.
You can search for contact information of coworkers from the global address list on your BlackBerry.
Contacts in Gmail are automatically synchronized with your BlackBerry address book.
You can view your Google Calendar schedule with the native BlackBerry application, with one-way synchronization from Google Calendar to your BlackBerry device.
Administrators can use the management and security tools that are part of BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

There is One Caveat:

Two-way calendar sync with the ability to accept, decline and schedule meetings from your BlackBerry device is not available with this release but we are working on it.

Themes for Google Forms adds Color and Style

2009-08-24T13:30:00.001-04:00

Quick and simple, Google has added about 70 themes for Forms that add some color and character to your information gathering efforts.

Click here to learn more ...

Better User Admin for Google Apps

2009-08-24T09:45:00.001-04:00

Back in April, Google released Google Apps Directory Sync, a tool that lets Google Apps administrators add, remove, and change Google Apps accounts automatically as changes are made to the directory service on the local network. The tool works with Microsoft Active Directory and Lotus Domino.

A few weeks ago, Google release a significant upgrade that includes:

The ability to synchronize non-employees (i.e. contacts) kept in the central directory.
Inclusion of more fields from contact records, including email addresses, phone numbers, etc.

The addition of these features enhances and further simplifies administration of Google Apps in a managed network environment.

Click here to learn more ...

Google Spreadsheet gets several new usability features

2009-08-21T09:15:00.003-04:00

Over the past few weeks, Google Spreadsheets have seen a number of important new features, all of which improve its usability and, with some features, compatibility with Microsoft Excel.

Send Google Spreadsheets as an Attachment

From within spreadsheets, you can now attach the spreadsheet to an email via the Share menu.

Improvements to the Solve Tool

You can now use SUM() and SUMPRODUCT() functions in addition to linear equations with the Solve Tool

Exports to XLS now include images

When you export spreadsheets to .XLS format, images are now included in the data.

An Interesting Discussion about Exchange vs Google Apps

2009-08-20T18:41:00.003-04:00

Back in May, I posted Google Apps vs Exchange Part I that included a link to a comparison presentation. There have been some recent comments and an interesting discussion about the post and the presentation.

To save you searching back in time, you can click here to see the original post and the comments.

As always, your thoughts are welcome.

Snap to Grid is Snappy Feature

2009-08-20T14:00:00.001-04:00

One of my biggest frustrations with Google Presentations has been the inability to easily align text and images.

With the addition of "snap to grid", this problem is solved. You can now use the Alt, Ctrl, and Shift keys to fine tune object and text placement.

[ALT] while dragging turns off the grid and gives you smooth drag (use [OPTION] on a mac)
[SHIFT] while dragging enables vertical and horizontal dragging guides
[SHIFT] while moving an object with arrow keys enables 1 pixel nudge
[SHIFT] while resizing preserves the aspect ratio of the object
[CTRL] while moving leaves the original object and drops a duplicate in the new location

Click here to learn more ...

Google Adds Scripts to Spreadsheets

2009-08-20T09:30:00.001-04:00

Google Spreadsheets now include the ability to use Google Script, a means for running server-side Java script. Already available for Google Sites, the addition of Google Script in Spreadsheets gives you the ability to automate complex or repetitive actions.

Click here to learn more or to read the overview.

Cost Savings versus Sustainability?

2009-08-12T11:49:00.015-04:00

A recent article in Mass High Tech lamented that "Company cost savings still trump cleantech, alternative energy".

The assumption that cleantech and cost savings are mutually exclusive, however, is flawed.

Cloud computing lowers carbon footprint and, in most cases, offers significant cost savings. Furthermore, cloud-based solutions shift IT spending from capital expenditures to operating expense.

To see how cloud based solutions, such as Google Apps, compare with in-house solutions, such as Exchange, click here and here.

As Microsoft Competes with Google, Old Habits Die Hard

2009-08-08T07:30:00.001-04:00

A recent blog entry at CIO.com points out a disturbing practice: Microsoft is tainting Bing's search results with pro-Microsoft results. If Microsoft is rigging search results, what traps will they place in other online products?

Microsoft Readies Office in the Cloud

2009-08-07T08:30:00.001-04:00

In a move that indicates Microsoft is looking to battle Google Apps in the cloud, Microsoft is now the owner of the Office.com domain (click here).

But, if Microsoft is going to going to compete, they will need to move away from the perpetual license business model. Some cannibalization of software sales will be inevitable as customers move to the cloud. Currently, however, Microsoft acknowledges that even the paid web version of Office 2010 will require a locally installed copy of all features to be operational.

In comparison, Google Apps stands-alone but has the ability to integrate with locally installed MS Office and Open Office software. So long as the local-copy is optional, Google Apps will have the advantage.

Google Calendars has its own Lab (Finally!)

2009-08-05T10:00:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, Google added a Labs link to Google Calendar. As with Gmail's Labs, the Calendar Labs includes new features for users to try that may or may not become a permanent part of the system. User feedback helps the developers improve, pick, and choose.

Of the initial Calendar Labs entry, I love the Next Event widget, which counts down the hours and minutes until my next meeting, and the Jump to Date feature that lets me quickly go to any date in the past or future.

Click here to learn more ...

Recent Google Site Upgrades, Part 3

2009-08-04T21:00:00.003-04:00

Since our last round of postings about Google Site upgrades, Google has added several features. Here is a summarized list:

You can add customized maps into your Google sites, including place marks, defined zoom level, and advanced map features
Layouts and Themes (more info)
26 new themes are available
7 new layouts
Automatic Navigation (more info)
Auto-generate your navigation links based on the site's structure
Sub page listing gadget will create index pages
Easier management of all uploaded attachments

These features are available in all editions, helping improve your ability to use Google Sites for collaboration.

Google Tasks Provide Integrated "To Do" Management

2009-08-04T15:59:00.004-04:00

Back in mid-July, Google promoted "Tasks" from a Google Labs experiment to a full feature within Google Apps (all editions, learn more here ...)

For me, the best part is the level of integration not usually found between email, tasks, and calendars. For example, you can:

Turn an email into a task using one click on the More Actions menu
Manage tasks with due dates as calendar entries (listed as events by due date)

Reminders for tasks are the same as reminders for calendar events: 1 screen; 1 notice; 1 user experience.

Google has included a mobile view for tasks as well as many supported languages.

Give Tasks a try and let me know what YOU think!

Google Features Horizon in Case Study

2009-08-03T13:24:00.009-04:00

Today's Google's Enterprise Blog features Horizon Info Services, one of our customers, and the web developer that brought us together.

Access Fitness Management Systems provides consulting and management services to health clubs, as well as being the owner and operator of the Worcester Fitness and Plymouth Fitness clubs here in the Boston area.

Horizon was introduced to the team at Access Fitness Management Systems by Cold Spring Design.

Read the full story Here.

Recent Google Sites Upgrades, Part 2

2009-07-10T13:00:00.006-04:00

As part of the recent upgrades to Google Sites, Google added the following capabilities:

The editing toolbar has been updated to more closely resemble Google Docs.
The rendering infrastructure has been modified to improve performance.
Related Colors and Fonts settings have been grouped. A "From theme" option to each variable to make it easier to revert to a previous theme.
Sidebar gadgets and page canvas gadgets can now be independently styled via colors and fonts.
Users can now configure a "site language" which allows for a uniform language experience for site viewers.

Click Here to learn more ...

Recent Google Sites Upgrades, Part 1

2009-07-10T08:00:00.008-04:00

Google Sites provide a convenient means of collaboration within your company or securely with others. Recent upgrades improve the look and feel of sites and the user experience.

Navigation Widget Updates

Organize the navigation widget into a hierarchical tree structure
Highlight the current page
Subgroup pages into categories

Site Settings

Site settings area uses vertical navigation for a cleaner look and feel
You can no configure a "site language"

Click Here to learn more ...

Google Announces ChromeOS: Is it a game changer?

2009-07-09T08:55:00.001-04:00

Google's announcement of ChromeOS has sparked widely varying opinions on the Internet.

On its own, ChromeOS is an open source operating system targeting netbooks and desktop PCs. Google's intent is to support cloud computing -- internal or external. At this level, ChromeOS is certainly a threat to the Linux versions in that space. While an open source project, ChromeOS has the financial backing of a major player that can push development of device drivers and core functionality.

Given Microsoft's absence from the netbook market and ownership of business desktops, the threat to Microsoft is indirect. Will businesses migrate to OpenOffice? Will they run "office in the cloud"?

If you combine ChromeOS with Wave, however, the story changes. While most of the world focused on Wave's user interface, I find Google's stated intention of letting customers run federated servers in-house most fascinating. Wave is a private-cloud platform. Combine federated Wave servers with ChromeOS and you have the potential for an ecosystem.

ChromeOS on the desktop connecting to in-house, shared, and public Wave servers as well as other cloud computing services. Google has the potential to fundamentally change the way businesses compute.

Updates to Google Forms Improves Information Gathering Tools

2009-07-09T07:30:00.003-04:00

With the ability to embed Google Forms on web pages and within emails, they are a powerful tool for gathering information. Recent upgrades are addressing some of the limitations of the tool.

Section headers can be added to give longer forms more structure.
The editor supports fixed-width
The ability to edit multiple forms at once
A new HTML structure is more suited for skinning and Javascript applications
Forms will display in the user's localized language

Solve Feature Enhances Google Spreadsheets

2009-07-08T08:00:00.003-04:00

If you work with linear equations, check out the new Solve feature in Google Spreadsheets. While it does not yet support equations containing formulas, the feature enhances the complexity of information analysis available in Spreadsheets.

Click here to learn how to use Solve.

Domain-Level Templates in Google Apps

2009-07-07T14:00:00.006-04:00

Last fall, Google released a public template gallery for Google Apps. Last week, Google released template galleries for domains using Google Apps Premier and Education Editions.

Now, any user in the domain can submit a template to be shared with all other domain users. Templates exist for Docs, Spreadsheets, Forms, and Presentations.

This feature should improve your ability to standardize the look and feel of corporate documents.

Click Here to learn more ...

Backup Axiom #1 - Recovery is Hard

2009-07-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

In his IT Project Failures blog, Michael Krigsman bemoans his "Failing with Online Backup" in his effort to backup 350 GB using two popular consumer online backup services (. While many of the comments teased him with "you get what you pay for" taunts, the real issue is ...

Backup Axiom #1: Backups are Easy; Recovery is Hard;

In his search for a cheap answer, he neglected to consider is upload speed, the size and nature of his data, the retention points and period, the restore methods of the services, and the likely nature of his restores.

While in the comments he states he is fine with an long initial seed, selecting a service with an offline method of seeding would have avoided the bandwidth and connectivity failures he experienced. And while his intent was to be able to recovery individual files, should he need to restore 20GB, 50GB, or more of his data, he would have been more than frustrated in the process and speed.

Anybody can provide cheap, secure, off-site backup storage. The key is selecting a service that meets your reliability and recovery needs.

Click Here for more ...

New Label Features in Gmail Add Flexibility

2009-07-06T13:30:00.004-04:00

Last week, the Gmail Team announced three new features related to labels within Gmail. As you may know, Labels are a way to organize and search messages. While they can be used like folders in most email systems, Gmail allows you to apply multiple emails to messages for more intuitive management.

The new features are:

New Location: Labels are not located above the Chat box
Hide & Show: You can now decide which of your labels you want to see by default, letting you keep often-used labels visible with all labels one-click away
Drag & Drop Messages: Drag messages into a label will label and archive the message in one step
Drag & Drop Messages: You can drag a label onto selected messages

Click here for details ...

Google Contact Updates

2009-07-06T10:00:00.002-04:00

Last week, Google added a series of improvements to Google Contacts, primarily targeting business customers.

In addition to additional fields and improvements to the Contacts interface in Gmail and the Contacts screen, Google added new APIs that let administrators add fields and share contacts within the domain.

Click Here to learn more ...

Tiny URLs: Convenient, Cool, and Risky

2009-07-06T09:01:00.004-04:00

URL shortening, through services such as tinyurl.com and bit.ly, are a convenient way to get shorten URLs so they fit within emails, tweets, and other postings. The convenience, however, does come with risks.

In the CNET Article, URL shortening is hot--but look before you leap, Stephen Shankland identifies some of the risks and offers great advice about picking a service.

SPAM Continues to Trend Upward;

2009-07-03T13:00:00.003-04:00

So how do spam trends related to cloud computing? It all depends on how you block and fight SPAM.

According to the Q2 2009 Spam Trends report published by the team at Google Postini Services, spammers have developed means of releasing days worth of spam in just hours. If you are manage spam from within your network, this means your Internet connectivity and servers are more susceptible to performance degradation and failure.

Across our customer base, ~92% of email is spam. Most spam is sent to invalid email addresses. This traffic chews up bandwidth inbound. If it hits your servers, it increases the disk space used for log files as well as outbound bandwidth for non-delivery report messages.

If you stop spam in the cloud, you protect your network and server performance regardless of the volume of spam targeting your domain.

Click Here and Here to learn more ...

Google Updates Sync for Microsoft Outlook

2009-07-03T08:00:00.004-04:00

Following the release of Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook, a number of issues were identified by the user community related to the installation and some of the settings. Last week, Google pushed out an update with the following fixes and improvements.

You can choose between native Outlook Search and Windows Desktop Search; Windows Desktop Search is no longer prevented from searching Outlook data.
You can now access Windows Live Hotmail via the Microsoft Office Outlook Connector plug-in when the Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook is installed
Added an option to enable or disable auto-archiving during installation
Improved installation to make it easier to know here data in other Outlook accounts is located

With these modifications, Google continues to improve the tools that help organizations migrate to Google Apps.

Click here to learn more ...

MV=P2 The Law of Meeting Coordination

2009-07-02T13:00:00.000-04:00

How may attendees does it take to schedule a meeting?

While it sounds like the lead-in to a good punchline, the reality is that most organizations thrash when it comes to arranging meetings.

James Gaskin, in his Smart Tech for Small Biz blog on ITworld.com, may be the first to quantify the problem with The Law of Meeting Coordination.

"MV=P2. This formula stands for Mail Volume = Participants Squared"

James makes a compelling case for sharing sufficient calendaring information that attendees can negotiate times and availability without the flurry of "I am/I am not available" emails.

I could not agree more. As we finish our migration from Exchange to Google Apps across all of our businesses, we are experimenting with public access to free/busy information in Google Calendars.

Better Offline Email Access

2009-06-29T13:40:00.001-04:00

While Google Apps Premier Edition users can integrate and access email for free on iPhone and Android devices, users may also use the Google Mobile App. Should you be without Internet connections (cell or WiFi), you now have better tools for offline email access.

As part of an update to Google's mobile client app, Gmail gets:

An updated the user interface,
Faster message opens
Batch actions (like archiving multiple messages at once)
Basic offline support

With these updates, you can still get some work done while on the subway, in a plane, or any disconnected locale.

Google Apps vs Exchange Part 3: Outlook Sync Compatibility

2009-06-26T14:10:00.001-04:00

By now, you have heard about Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook. You may also hear rumblings about less than 100% compatibility.

Yes, there are limitations. That said, the ability to use Outlook with Google Apps Premier Edition is an easy, powerful way to help companies transition from Exchange services (in-house or hosted) to Google Apps.

So you know .... the tool does not sync:

Tasks (a shame since Google Tasks integrate with the inbox and calendar so well)
Notes
Journal
Public Folders

Additionally, installing Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook may change the way searching works within Outlook. According to Microsoft, it disables Outlook's use of Windows Desktop Search, which Outlook uses to "any and all Outlook data".

While the registry bit was not changed by the Google sync tool installation on any of our systems, here is the fix.

Run REGEDIT
Browse to: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search"
Reset the value of “PreventIndexingOutlook” to “0” (without the quotes). To do this, right click on the “PreventIndexingOutlook” key, select “Modify…”, then change the value data to “0”.
Exit REGEDIT

Finally, Google is publishing a list of other Outlook Add-ins that may not be compatible with the sync tool. We are reviewing the information and will post an update later this week.

While some companies may find one or more of these limitations a "show stopper", our experience tells us that most companies will still benefit from being able to use Outlook and Google Apps via the MAPI connection.

New Fields for Gmail and Contacts

2009-06-23T09:00:00.002-04:00

Last week, Google added new fields for the stand-along Contacts application and included the fields in Gmail as well. As part of the update, synchronization with Outlook and other email clients and data imports/exports work more smoothly.

Learn more here ...

Google Increases Max Gmail Message Size

2009-06-22T13:00:00.002-04:00

Over the weekend, Google increased the maximum size of Gmail messages with attachments to 25MB. (click here to learn more)

This means that you can attach files of 22-25MB to your message, provided the total size of the message does not exceed 25MB.

The challenge, of course, is will the recipient's email system let the message in. Many corporate email systems put limits on message sizes in the 2GB to 5GB range.

Google Presentation: New Shapes and Text Box Features

2009-06-22T10:40:00.003-04:00

Google has added a few handy features to Google Presentations that will make us PowerPoint users happy:

Multi-shape formatting allows you select multiple shapes and/or text boxes, and format them all at once
Manipulation of text boxes now includes auto-growth and vertical alignment

Click Here to Learn More ...

Cloud Computing for SMBs is not Just About Google and CRM

2009-06-19T22:00:00.000-04:00

The range of cloud-based solutions for small- and mid-size businesses continues to grow. One example is WorkingPoint, a cloud-based business management system that includes invoicing, expenses, bookkeeping, contact management, and other features backed by a double-entry accounting system.

Designed for small businesses, WorkingPoint runs over Amazon's cloud. The first user is free, with additional users costing $10/month. For a company with simple bookkeeping and accounting needs and a few (or only one) person needing access, the cost/benefit of WorkingPoint is compelling.

As I said, though, this is only one example of cloud- based solutions moving into areas of business computing beyond email, collaboration, and CRM.

Which services have you found? Do you use?

Can Unite Create Collaboration?

2009-06-19T10:12:00.007-04:00

The team at Opera Software, makers of the Opera browser, released Opera Unite. Unite is a browser-based web-server that allows individuals to share files, host web sites, post notes, share photos, and remotely access music and videos.

The concept and potential for collaborative communications is great. The reality, however, may not live up to the vision.

Home Users:

Definitely the target customer for Unite, home users will be able to create personal and public web presences with little effort at no cost. The downside, however, is bandwidth. Your 5 Mbps DSL speed is download. Upload speed -- how fast data moves from your computer out to the Internet -- is likely no more than 768 Kbps. Accessing Unite sites can be slow and choppy, failing to provide a viable user experience.

Of greater concern, is the networking ports that need to be opened. Your cable Internet or DSL provider probably delivered a router with all inbound access blocked. You can surf the web because the web site is responding to a request that you made. With Unite, you will need to open ports to allow access to initiate from the outside world. Automatic port scanners used by Internet villains will find your computer and you will be attacked. It is only a matter of time.

Small Businesses:

The thought of free web site development and hosting is very tempting to many small businesses. But small businesses face the same issues as home users with respect to security and performance.

In addition, the file sharing capabilities may put your data at risk.

Larger Businesses:

Larger companies with security policies are not going to allow outside traffic into the company's network for Unite sites. It is risky from a security standpoint and with respect to the risk to confidential information via the file sharing feature. Internally, cheap and easy sites for project teams and other collaboration are tempting.

Using Unite within a business, however, creates a host of issues. A collection of disjoint collaboration sites makes it nearly impossible to ensure sensitive data remains private, information on the sites is backed up, and that hosting a local web site does not impede business applications.

In short, the vision and concept behind Opera Unite is pretty cool. The reality of how it can and will be used remains a risky proposition. One of the benefits of using a cloud- or SaaS-based solution is that the vendor provides security and operates on neutral turf. With a service provider, you can work, share, and collaborate without opening your network and computer to outsiders. A little money can save a lot of headache.

Answers You Need about Online Backup Services

2009-06-15T16:59:00.001-04:00

The recent agreement for HP to provide a free trial of Norton's Symantec Backup on new consumer PCs demonstrates the growing acceptance of online backup solutions. When looking at online backup, please remember the following.

Backup is Easy; Recovery is the Challenge

If you keep this in mind, the focus of your comparison shifts from price to how well the service will help you recover from a lost file, failed disk, or system catastrophe. Having answers to the following questions will help you make a better choice.

1. How many generations does the backup provide?

Many of the low cost services only provide a single generation of each file. Even if the retention period is 30 days before deleted files are removed from the backup set, only the most recent version of the file is available. This type of service fails when you need a version of a file from Tuesday that you also edited on Wednesday.

Look for services that keep multiple generations, at least daily, of your data.

2. How long is the retention period?

Some of the most popular online backup services limit retention to 30, or as few as 7, days. In doing so, recovering a files may not be possible if you are unaware they were deleted more than 30, or even 7, days prior to the attempted restore.

Look for services that let you select the retention period you need for each type of data you need to protect.

3. What restore methods are available?

Every online backup service offers online restores. Even with broadband, FiOS, or other high speed connections, restoring large amounts of data over the Internet takes time. Some services limit the size of each restore, requiring multiple iterations to restore a full system. While some services will ship DVDs for an added fee, restoring from multiple DVDs is time consuming and requires constant monitoring.

Look for services that offer services like MobileVault, which will deliver a full copy of your data vault by courier or FedEx. Restores run computer-to-computer over the local network in a fraction of the time required for restores over the Internet.

4. How secure is your data?

Nearly all services provide advanced encryption to standards such as AES128 and AES256. If the service, however, offers a back-door for restores should you forget your encryption keys, your data may not be truly secure.

Look for services using one-way encryption methods that do not allow the service's employees to access your data.

Taking these considerations into effect, the number of online backup services from which to choose narrows greatly. And when you look at price, you will see the "enterprise" class services are not much more expensive than "consumer" and "cheap" solutions. When looking at online backup services, you get what you pay for.

Google Fusion Tables: Databases in The Cloud

2009-06-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

On June 9th, Google quietly announced the Beta availability of Google Fusion Tables. This "Labs" application provides the ability to query multiple databases and data sources, including social media, rss, and other live feeds.

While an early labs release, Google Fusion Tables is a clear indication that Google hears its customers' desire for better data management with Google Apps Premier Edition and the "cloud", in general.

Zipcar Becomes a SaaS Provider?

2009-06-12T15:00:00.000-04:00

You may know Zipcar as the trendy car sharing (er, hourly rental) service. They have made headlines renting hybrids and other vehicles parked in reserved spaces in local neighborhoods. For $7 an hour an up, customers reserve vehicles via the website and open the doors using a credit card reader.

The brains behind Zipcar, their fleet management system, is now available as a Software as a Services (SaaS) offering. By monetizing (for real) their intellectual property, Zipcar is opening a new avenue of B2B revenue to enhance their B2C roots.

Read more here.

Expanding APIs create simple database capabilities in Google Apps

2009-06-12T13:10:00.000-04:00

For the developers among us, Google has added two new APIs to Google Docs. Table Feeds and Record Feeds allow placement and management of tables and data in spreadsheets.

With these feeds, Google demonstrates how spreadsheets can be used to manage structured data for other applications.

Click here for more.

File under "Would you use this?" -- Ads on Google Sites

2009-06-12T09:45:00.001-04:00

Google Sites is a powerful component within Google Apps. As a platform for document and information sharing and collaboration, most organizations see Google Sites as a means to provide Intranets, project sites, and secure customer portals.

Google Sites, however, can be made public. Some businesses (including Google) use this capability for open information portals.

Taking public and open the next steps, Google has integrated AdSense and Google Sites. If you have an AdSense accounts, you can now place ads and monetize their Google Sites.

Click here for more info.

Google Apps vs Exchange In-House

2009-06-11T13:00:00.002-04:00

Functionality, cost, and user experience all play into the decision to run Google Apps versus Exchange in-house.

Our latest take ... we've added "the user experience" as our 8th consideration. With the addition of Outlook Sync for Google Apps, users can maintain their current client and services and have access to the additional features offered by Google Apps Premier Edition.

See the presentation here.

Mixing Google Docs and MS Office 2007

2009-06-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Our position regarding Google Docs -- including docs, spreadsheets, presentation, and forms -- is as follows:

Google Docs offer great collaboration capabilities but are not mature enough to replace MS Office or Open Open office for most users
The formatting and controls in Google Docs are not yet mature enough compared to MS Office features used by intermediate and advanced users

That said, the integration between MS Office and Google Docs is elegant and effective. When uploading MS Office documents, Google docs generally read and maintain formatting and document features, even if you could not create those features directly within Google Docs. Once uploaded, the real-time collaboration -- particularly in docs and spreadsheets -- is effective and efficient.

Recently, Google added support for docx and xlsx formats. MS Office 2007 documents now import easily into docs and spreadsheets.

Click here to learn more.

Google Apps vs. Exchange - Part 2

2009-06-10T07:15:00.001-04:00

Until yesterday, Part 2 of the comparison was going to look at some of the more esoteric feature comparison between Google Apps and Exchange. Specifically, I was going to cover how Google Apps new Tasks features integrate with email and calendar functions in comparison to isolated manner in which Tasks function in Exchange/Outlook (separate reminders, separate date tracking).

Today's announcement by Google of a MAPI-based Outlook Synchronization solution, however, changes the focus completely.

With this capability, Outlook users can continue to use Outlook without the limitations of running as an IMAP client.

Click Here for Google's Announcement and to Learn More.

We'll be testing the add-on over the next week or so and I will post our findings as well.

5 Things to Know about Google Wave (from PC Mag)

2009-05-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

With the industry buzzing about Google Wave (and Facebook and Twitter likely rethinking strategy), PC Magazine provides a good overview of things you should know about Google Wave as it approaches release.

Read the Article Here.

Will You Catch the Google Wave?

2009-05-29T09:01:00.004-04:00

What if some of the most create web developers decided to rethink email, IM, and Internet communications from scratch? What if they worked for a company with the resources to let them think and create for years? What is you could mix the real-time communication of Twitter and Facebook with the organization of email and contacts?

The answer: Google Wave. Take a sneak peek here.

Google Apps vs. Exchange -- Part 1

2009-05-26T12:00:00.005-04:00

Over the past several weeks, the Horizon team has received more questions about the comparison between MS Exchange and Google Apps as a communication and collaboration platform.

Here is a presentation that compares MS Exchange and Google Apps in terms of investment, management, and administration.

There are also many user features in Google Apps that our former Exchange/Outlook users really love. I will share some of these in upcoming posts.

Learning to Live wite "Live Chat"

2009-05-22T11:00:00.002-04:00

If you have visited our website since Tuesday morning, you may have noticed the new look and feel, the expanded information about our products and services, and the ability to buy online. You may also have noticed the "Live Chat" feature we have added to the site. Through this feature, we offer pre-sales assistance, customer service, and technical support.

On the back end, the team at Horizon is getting used to be connected in real-time to our current and future customers. So far, the process is engaging and fun, except for the "telephone ring" that blasts when somebody starts a chat.

Valeo Demonstrates That Businesses Trust Google

2009-05-15T12:01:00.000-04:00

Google recently announced that Valeo, an "independent industrial group fully focused on the design, production, and sale of components, integrated systems, and modules for cars and trucks," is deploying Google Apps to all 30,000 employees.

Why does this matter?

Industry watchers like Dave Rosenberg see this deal as further validation that companies of all sizes trust Google and Cloud Computing. More important than the cost savings of 50% to 75% over in-house solutions, businesses and non-profits must trust the security, availability, and reliability of the solution.

Google Slowdown Yesterday Morning

2009-05-15T10:40:00.003-04:00

Google has officially acknowledged and identified a cause for yesterday mornings "slow down" across all Google services.

Did you experience slow access??

Did you experience a full outage??

SPAM Volume Jumps 1.2% PER DAY in First Quarter

2009-05-15T06:30:00.001-04:00

Google Postini Services issued its quarterly Threat Advisory. Even with the dismantling of the McColo Botnet in 2008, the volume of spam is increasing at a daily rate of 1.2%. This compares with a daily increase rate of 1% during the same quarter last year.

If you have spam protection, why does this matter?

If you run in-house spam filtering using Barracuda, GFI, or other appliance or software solutions, the continued increase in spam is hurting your network and system performance. In-house solutions may keep spam out of your inbox, but they do not keep spam from consuming your Internet bandwidth. Many solutions also do not prevent your Email server from wasting resources processing spam messages.

Hosted, or cloud-based, solutions stop spam and viruses before they hurt Internet and email server performance.

Click here if you want to learn more ...

New Leaders in PC Market Indicate Changing Role of Cloud Computing

2009-05-14T14:30:00.000-04:00

ChannelWeb, a news source for technology resellers, is reporting that Acer has passed Dell as the #2 maker of notebooks.

Why does this matter? The shift is due to Acer's sale of netbooks.

This shift is a further indication that individuals and SMBs are comfortable with web-based, SaaS, and other cloud-based solutions. Netbooks are designed to optimize performance for web-based applications rather than locally-installed software.

Google Expands Task List Integration to Calendars

2009-05-14T09:01:00.001-04:00

One of the unique features of Google Apps has been the ability to turn an email into a Task, allowing you to track follow up and deadlines.

Google has taken Task integration much further with the integration of Tasks into Calendar.

From within Calendar, you can now create tasks with due dates, which will be visible on your daily calendar.

Click Here to learn how to get started and to see some cool screen shots.

Coffee Break: Intro to Google Apps as an Email and Calendar Service

2009-05-13T12:01:00.001-04:00

Join Horizon Info Services on May 22nd at 10:15 am ET for an extended mid-morning coffee break and learn why Google Apps Premier Edition may be a better email and calendaring solution for your business than your current hosted email provider or your internal email server. The brief presentation will compare features and cost, with plenty of time for questions.

Attendance is free, but space is limited.

Click Here for More Info

Objective View of Google vs. Microsoft

2009-05-12T10:30:00.001-04:00

Twinstrata, the company that sells Clarity AP (assessment and planning) software, conducted a comprehensive study of the costs and risks of Google Apps versus Microsoft Exchange. In his Storage Bits blog, Robin Harris provides a good summary of the results.

Robin's summary explains the stark cost difference -- 20x on capital equipment and 5x to 6x on a 3 year total cost of ownership (TCO). Some of the details warrant clarification.

First, the study narrowed the gap based on the risk of unplanned downtime. MS Exchange, however, requires downtime on a monthly basis (or expensive redundancy configurations), for system and operating system patches and updates. Planned downtime adds to the cost and should be counted when comparing availability given that Google is engineered for zero-downtime.

Second, Google is developing a robust and diverse channel to provide the implementation, migration, integration, and support services identified is lacking in the study. While purchasing through a reseller increases the cost over the direct Google pricing, the value of the services improves the quality, and therefore lowers the cost, of using Google.

While these considerations may change the equation slightly, the business case for Google Apps is valid for many small and mid-size businesses.

Things To Like About Firefox

2009-05-11T09:30:00.002-04:00

Those of you that know me, know that I have been using Firefox as my default browser. I still need to use IE for some sites that do not work properly in Firefox. As I use Firefox, there are a few features that seem to make life easier.

Tab Use Order: I use tabs ... lots of tabs. If I open a new tab, read the content, and close the tab, Firefox returns me to my previous tab. IE defaults to the next tab to the left. Firefox makes it easier to bounce between my inbox and calendar, particularly when other tabs are open.
Location Field Lookup: When typing information in the location bar, Firefox searches not only the content of URLs in the cache, but page header and tag information as well. The result, I can reach my inbox entering "mail", "inbox" or a number of other phrases.
Ent.Save and Quit: When closing Firefox, I am prompted to save the open tabs before exiting. When I do, the same tabs are present and connected when I next start Firefox. This feature lets get back to work more quickly.

Do you have favorite features in IE or Firefox? Post a comment and let us know.

Bored by Forms -- Themes Can Help

2009-05-08T10:25:00.001-04:00

Google Forms now include the ability to add themes with background images and color selections.

Learn more here ...

Manage Permissions by Sheet in Google Spreadsheets

2009-05-07T11:00:00.001-04:00

Google has enhanced Google Spreadsheets, allowing you to manage who may edit sheets within a workbook.

Learn More ...

Google Acquisition Improves the Image of Google Docs

2009-05-06T13:00:00.001-04:00

In 2007, Google purchased a startup called Tonic Systems. The technology from this startup provides the basis image features in Google Docs.

The Insert Drawing feature lets you add drawings, using lines, curves, freehand squiggles, and shapes, directly into your Google Docs.

Click here to learn more about this cool feature.

From the Continuous Improvement Files ...

2009-05-06T10:13:00.002-04:00

Over the past several weeks, Google has made a set of minor (but very helpful) changes to Google Apps:

Arial and Times New Roman fonts are now available in the text editor in Google Docs for users who have these fonts locally installed on their computers
In Gmail, you can now view .ppt and .tiff files online, directly in your browser, without a Flash plugin. The viewer can also zoom in and out, select text to copy and paste, and 'print' the presentation to a PDF document
Speaker notes are included when uploading a PowerPoint presentation into Google Docs

Google Apps CAN Integrate with Internal Apps

2009-05-05T14:00:00.002-04:00

In April, Google announced a secure data connector for Google Apps. With Google Secure Data Connector, employees you specify can interact with authorized data from your on-premise applications within Google Sites, Google Docs and custom App Engine applications, even when employees aren't on your corporate network.

This represents a significant enhancement, available only for Premier and Education Editions.

Learn more ...