Google Docs Gets New Drawing Feature

All editions of Google Docs include a new feature that lets you create and insert drawings into documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. The Insert Drawing menu option provides the ability to add, color, rotate, and adjust lines, shapes, text labels, and free-hand scribbles.

Learn more ....

Google Docs gets better "Find and Replace"

Google has released an improved "Find and Replace" toolbar in Google Docs. Available in all editions, you can more easily search and replace text. The toolbar adds more options for controlling your search, such as case-sensitive matching and regular expressions.

Learn more ...

Usage Reporting added to Google Apps Premier and Education Editions

Administrators can view charts on active users and disk space utilization from the Google Apps Control Panel. Learn More.

First Microsoft SMB Insight Report Highlights Virtualization and SaaS

In the first edition of an anticipated annual survey and report, the 2009 Microsoft SMB Insight Report confirms key trends in virtualization and Software as a Service. Key findings from the survey of more than 600 companies and Small Business Specialists from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Brazil identified the following technologies more likely to drive SMB growth and profitability in 2009.

• 50% of the surveyed Small Business Specialists identified virtualization or IT consolidation through a small or mid-size server as the technology most likely to reduce operating costs
  
• The Small Business Specialists expect a 20% increase this year in the use of Software as a Service
  
• More than 35% percent of the Small Business Specialists considered
  customer relationship management (CRM) the best investment
  for maximizing business growth in a down economy
  
• Nearly 40% expect an increased interest in business intelligence and identified it as a critical tool for helping improve a customer's experience and increase loyalty
  
• Over 50% expect an increase in the number of SMB remote workers, and nearly 60% expect that the shift to more remote workers also will lead to bigger roles and more responsibilities for those individuals working remotely.

While "Small Business Specialists" are resources from within the Microsoft community, the report confirms broader trends towards more efficient computing solutions.

The Open Cloud Manifesto is Finally Here ... What do YOU think?

Following a very noisy public spat between Microsoft and the Cloud Computing Interoperability Forum (CCIF), and within the CCIF itself, the Open Cloud Manifesto is available to the public.

Here is my opinion on the conflict and the process to date.

Please read the "Manifesto" and let me know what you think.

Cloud Computing Brought Down to Earth

If you are interested in a macro view of cloud computing and the emerging industry, this blog post from Gregg Ness is a great place to start. Gregg looks at three key factors from a network perspective (network automation and management, capacity, and security) and provides a context for understanding reality versus vendor hype.

Where do Google Enhancements Come From?

Ever wonder where new ideas for Google Apps come from? Here is a peek into Google Labs as published on CNN.COM

Import/Export Gmail Filters

As part of a continuing "series" of posts, here are some of the recent feature enhancements for Gmail from the teams at Google Labs.

• Filter Import/Export -- Export your mail filters as a file: back them up, share them, or save them before deleting so you can restore them later. Import one of these files to quickly add or restore filters. These options become available under Settings/Filters when you enable this Lab.

To use Lab features, your administrator must allow access to Labs. Go into Labs and click on "Enable".

Cloud Computing to Grow by 21% This Year

As reported on PCMAG.COM, Gartner is projecting a 21% world-wide growth in Cloud Computing. The report identifies the success of Google in creating a new business and delivery model which Microsoft, Yahoo, and others are now starting to emulate.

Google Adds Voice Search to Blackberry App

Blackberry users can not take advantage of Google's voice search. Simply go to m.google.com in your Blackberry browser and download the app.

SMS (Texting) and Google Talk

As part of a continuing "series" of posts, here are some of the recent feature enhancements for Gmail from the teams at Google Labs.

• Text Messaging (SMS) for Chat -- Send and receive text messages (SMS) in Chat. US phones only for now.
  

To use Lab features, your administrator must allow access to Labs. Go into Labs and click on "Enable".

New Features from Google Labs

As part of a continuing "series" of posts, here are some of the recent feature enhancements for Gmail from the teams at Google Labs.

• Title Tweaks -- Changes the order of the browser title and tab title so that "Inbox (xx)" is first. This lets you see the number of unread items in your inbox when using another tab and when the window is minimized.
  
• Multiple Inboxes --- Add lists of emails in your inbox to see even more important email at once. The new lists of threads can be labels, your starred messages, drafts or any search you want, configurable under Settings.

To use these features, your administrator must allow access to Labs. Go into Labs and click on "Enable".

My First Feature Role in an Industry Webinar!

On April 15th, I will be one of three featured guests on a Webinar hosted by The VAR Guy and MSP Mentor.

The VAR Guy Live:Google Apps and the Amazon Cloud - Real SaaS Opportunities for VARs?

Click Here to Register.

See you online!

Steve Ballmer Diagram's Microsoft's View of Cloud Computing

In an interview for a recent article in the New York Times, Steve Ballmer (Microsoft's CEO), drew a diagram of Cloud Computing.

Look at the diagram for yourself and let me now if you think that Microsoft "gets it".

You can "Unsend" a message in Gmail

As part of Google Labs, Google released a new feature that lets users "unsend" emails. The feature holds emails for 5 seconds and provides a link to "unsend" the message.

This feature is available to all Google Apps Enterprise Edition users with Google Labs active.

If you do not have the Labs beaker icon, or have questions about turning on this feature, contact us.

Recent Updates to Google Apps

The following features have been added to Google Apps (multiple editions) over the past week or so.

In Gmail:

• Mark as Unread Update:
  If you're reading a conversation that had unread messages when you opened it, when you mark it as unread, Gmail will only mark as unread the messages in that conversation that were unread when you first opened the message.
  
• Analytics for Gmail:
  Premier and Education administrators can now view statistics about how their organizations are using Gmail (like users' locations, languages, length of visit, etc.) in Google Analytics. This extends the Analytics statistics currently available for the control panel, Google Docs and Google Sites
  
• Name Format Options:
  Google Apps Administrators can now choose how users' names will be displayed in Gmail. Administrators can select whether to display names either as: First Last (example: John Smith) or Last, First (example: Smith, John).
  Administrators can also choose whether to allow users to customize this setting.

In Google Docs (Forms):

• Form Summary Page: Provides current information about completed responses to a Google Form (attached to a Google Spreadsheet)
  
• Collect username in Google Docs: You can now automatically collect a respondent's username when they submit a form in Google Docs.

New Google Site Features - Premier Edition Only!

Google has announced three new features in Google Sites that will make gadgets more useful for Google Apps Premier Edition customers:

Start Page Template

• As a site owner, you can let users personalize areas of a site, such as an internal sales portal. This lets users select gadgets and other information for their start page that is most useful to them.

Private Gadgets

• IT admins can upload Gadgets that only members of your domain can see and add to their Google Sites.

Encryption

• If a Google Site is encrypted, then your gadget data will be encrypted from the source code to the browser.

All MS Systems Vulnerable to Year-Old Security Hole

Once again, Windows systems (every supported version) is vulnerable to a significant security attack. As reported in ZDNet, Microsoft was alerted to the issue a year ago and has failed to provide a patch.

Time again for IT staff to spend time and energy working around a security problem instead of on projects that help businesses thrive and grow.

Now that I think of it, maybe the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) will petition the FTC to stop Microsoft from selling systems with security holes. Given Microsoft's track record, it sounds like a better case than EPIC's complaint against Google.

Public Service or Extortion?

Earlier this week, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) petitioned the FTC to force Google to shut down operations of Gmail, Google Docs, and other services (PCMag coverage here). Their justification was the resent security issue with Google Docs that impacted fewer than 0.05% of Google Doc users.

Sounds like EPIC is very concerned about the public's information privacy. UNTIL you read the full petition. In addition to asking the FTC to halt Google's business until government employees determine it is 100% safe, EPIC is asking that Google pay millions of dollars of fines into a fund that may be tapped by EPIC and other privacy groups' operations.

Seems to me that EPIC is attempting a good ole' fashion shakedown.

Cloud Computing = Innovation Without a Budget

So you think your budget is tight? Just image being an innovative educator in the San Diego Unified School District.

In his blog, Doug's Dirt, Doug McIntosh explains the problem and his solution (hint: it includes Google Apps).

Next, look at the Google Apps in the Classroom, a Google Site he created that tells other teachers how to use the tools themselves.

Imagine if the move to Google Apps was a district-wide initiative, creating a communication and collaboration environment among faculty, administrators, resources, and staff .... not just in the classroom.

New Federal CIO prefers Software-as-a-Service

The US has a CIO for the first time. In appointing Vivek Kundra the federal government's first CIO, President Obama acknowledges the role information services can play in effective management and service delivery.

Vivek Kundra, the former CTO of Washington D.C., is best known for moving the District onto Google Apps. In addition to big savings on email, Google Apps provided a platform for inter-department collaboration and more transparency for the public. Every District employee is reachable by email and agencies and program use Google Sites to publish and share information.

That the first US CIO has a preference for Software as a Service solutions is a hopeful sign. While he has no direct control over agency CIO's, if the White House is pushing for SaaS, we can and will see adoption and cost savings.

Google Voice is Coming as an upgrade to GrandCentral

As reported in the Official Google Blog, Google is preparing to replace its GrandCentral voice service with Google Voice. Google Voice is designed to provide you with a universal number that will ring your office, home, and mobile numbers while providing a single voice mailbox and a rich set of features.

For now, only existing GrandCentral users in the US can upgrade, but Google is promising to extend availability in the near future.

Smaller Collaboration Firms add Validity to the SaaS Market

Smaller companies, like drop.io, are coming out with innovative, feature rich offerings to strong reviews.

While these solutions compete with specific collaboration functions, they do not yet offer an integrated communications and collaboration solution.

A Rational View of Google's Recent Minor Security Glitch

David Schrag, author of Stop Buying Servers, offers a rational assessment of Google's recent security glitch ... read it here

Microsoft to VARs: Never Mind

In a major shift, Microsoft has changed its mind and backtracked from its decision to allow VARs to bill directly for SaaS solutions. Here is the story.

Google Docs now has Footnotes

Google Docs now supports footnotes! Here's how ...

Publish Results with Forms and Spreadsheets

When you create a form, associated with a spreadsheet, you can now elect to share results -- a summary of responses -- with your collaborators, or with everybody that fills in the form.

Learn more here.

"Spreadsheet Lite" Improves Access from Mobile Phones

Google has added "List View" to Google Spreadsheets. List view is a basic, fast-loading view of a spreadsheet, with simplified editing features. It makes it easy to access Google Spreadsheets:

• On a slow Internet connection
• From some mobile phones
• When there are more than 50 users trying to access a spreadsheet at the same time

Learn more here.

Google Spreadsheets Get Data Validation

Google has added data validation (lenient or strict) to Google Spreadsheets. You can now:

• Validate numbers, dates, and text.
• Prevent users from entering text that doesn't match your criteria, or show them a comment on the cell when the data doesn't match the validation rule.
• Add text to the cells you add validation to, to help your collaborators enter the right type of data.

Learn more here.

Microsoft Changes Controversial SaaS Billing Policies

After a generation of confusing and frustrating licensing policies, Microsoft may actually be listening to its channel partners. Reported by ChannelWeb, Microsoft will let channel partners bill customers for SaaS services.

Google Starts Down Certification Path

Google announced that they are offering on-line courses and a certification test for Google Analytics. This is a good start in helping business owners understand if they are engaging qualified resources.

We look forward to Google expanding the program to their other product lines. We also encourage Google to consider a practicum or customer references to further validate skill sets.

Microsoft Gives Hosting Firms Toolkit and Ability to Build More Infrastructure

As reported in Web Host Industry Review, Microsoft has released a Data Center Toolkit designed to help web hosting firms host and manage other services on the MS Platform.

In doing so, Microsoft is asking web hosting firms to further expand their capital infrastructure. Why not provide web hosting firm with access to a cloud on which they can provision and offer services?

Google Provides Blog Converters

As part of it's open source initiatives, Google has released Google Blog Converters 1.0.

Kudos to Google for helping users move from as well as to Google's Blogger service.

Google Leaks Sneak Peak at Offline Tasks

An avid Google-watcher, Google Blogoscoped caught a glimpse of offline Tasks when Google temporarily allowed access beyond their Trusted Tester network.

Cloud Computing May Be Better Than Teenage Sex

In a blog from the Cloud Computing Expo, Walter Pinson asks, "Is Cloud Computing Like Teenage Sex?". His premise is that while everybody is talking about Cloud Computing, few corporations are actually doing it. Here is what he is not seeing.

Cloud Computing covers a variety of types of services, which I generally divide into three categories: Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

Systems like Salesforce.com, eBid, and FirePond demonstrate that corporations are more than willing to put critical business processes in the cloud and that these applications can and will integrate with other corporate systems.

37Signals, the developer of award-winning Web 2.0 solutions such as Basecamp replaced their internal data center with the Amazon cloud. Similarly, our friends at ten24web have built a platform for integrated email/web marketing in the cloud.

When innovative companies are forsaking infrastructure for cloud-resident platforms and infrastructure, and companies of all sizes rely on cloud-resident applications and systems for revenue-critical services, Cloud Computing is real and in use.

Granted, cloud computing vendors may not be publicizing their users. Then again, corporate customers may not want their competitors knowing their technology strategy

Cisco Steps into Cloud -- sort of -- With Email Security Product

Cisco, leveraging its Ironport appliances, has announce email security capabilities that can sit in-house, in a Cisco-managed environment, or both.

As reported by NetworkWorld, Cisco will provision dedicated or virtualized systems for each customer.

In other words, this is not a cloud-based service. Cisco offering a traditional, managed hosted service.

Maybe Microsoft Does See Google as a Threat in the Cloud

While Steve Ballmer failed to mention Google Apps as a threat to Microsoft's email and collaboration products and services during a recent strategy meeting, the corporate VP of Microsoft Online Services sounds like he is fighting a street brawl.

Phil Wainewright provides the blow-by-blow in is blog, Microsoft pumps cloud, trumps Google with GSK.

What are your thoughts?

ITworld: SaaS: The Better Way to Buy

David Coursey at ITworld is on the mark!

Chicken & Egg: Netbooks and Cloud Computing

In his blog, Stop Buying Servers, David Schrag agrees with TechRepublic's Jason Hiner's view that NetBooks are driving users to cloud computing.

I have a slightly different take

Netbooks are not driving users to Cloud Computing. Rather, the growth in Cloud Computing options makes netbooks more feasible.

Low and mid-range netbooks, those under the $600, are not for the power users. Screens and keyboards are too small and the processors lack "umph". They do, however, meet the needs of many users, and not just road warriors. High-end netbooks, with larger (up to 15") screen sizes and more local storage, overcome some of these limitations and still provide savings of 30% to 60% over traditional notebooks.

Netbooks would fail in the market unless users can lighten their application load. Cloud Computing, and the growth of Software-as-a-Services solutions, lets users move some of the heavy processing and storage load off the local system.

The range of applications and services available in the cloud gives users access to capabilities without the hundreds or even tens of gigabytes often used by locally installed applications. Similarly, cloud computing puts the processing burden on the service, leveraging local resources for the user interface and communications.

Yes, cost is a factor. We see the true driver towards netbooks being their ability to let organizations match the true needs of the users to the most cost-effective solution.

You Can Export Data from Google Apps

The unofficial Google Operating System blog tells us how here: Export Data From Google Services

NetGEAR Rolls out ReadyNAS with Online Storage: We Have Questions

As reported on bMighty.com, NetGear has introduced a new ReadyNAS storage device aimed at the SMB Market. The device includes the capability to use an integrated online backup service with packages as low as $1/GB per month.

As always, we have our questions:

• Is the fee based on native or compressed space?
• Is the online storage a vault or just a copy of the onsite backup?
• What are the retention options and limitations?
• Is the online storage a full backup service? Or, just a 'most recent copy'?
• What is the method for offline restoration?

Backup is easy; Recovery is hard.

NetGEAR is positioning the box as a bridge between online and in-house backups -- trying to satisfy customers at all points on the comfort scale. Time will tell which parts of the market they can satisfy.

10 Things Steve Ballmer (and Microsoft) is Thinking About

As reported by ChannelWeb, Steve Ballmer touched on many issues at Microsoft's Strategic Update Meeting in New York last week. Here is my take after reading the quotes:

1. SEARCH: Microsoft is not making money from Search and may be slowing its rate of investment
2. Microsoft is threatened by netbooks and is considering how to adjust its Windows 7 strategy to avoid loosing market share to Linux and other OS's
3. Google, with Android, and Linux threaten Microsoft's client operating system dominance
4. Microsoft denies they are creating a smartphone, but have they really accepted the "market mojo" of the iPhone and Blackberry?
5. Microsoft knows they need a lower cost server operating system -- watch for Foundation Server
6. Microsoft still sees pirated versions of Windows as the biggest threat to their OS business
7. Microsoft IE is losing market share: Ballmer admitted that "Browsers are key features of operating systems", in contrast to their answer to anti-trust concerns that IE is not part of the OS
8. Microsoft wants to R&D itself through the current economic times
9. Microsoft has not figured out how to make money with Office Live, yet; Windows Azure (server in the cloud) may be ready by November 2009
10. OpenOffice is a growing threat, starting with the educational market

In all of his comments, Ballmer seems to be missing the gap between the features Microsoft deliver and the subset of those features most customers actually use. If the threats he acknowledges offer simpler feature sets, but meet most customers' needs, Microsoft could be in big trouble.