Article by Eric Kidd

“There’s no query – Microsoft is responding to Google’s danger,” said Whit Andrews, analyst at study firm Gartner.’Microsoft world’Google and Microsoft have more and more started to stray into every single other’s regular markets.Microsoft has thrown its total weight behind its lookup engine Bing, whilst Google is about to kick off its individual running system, acknowledged as Chrome OS.The battle for the Workplace software package market started out in 2006 when the research large launched the initially components of its Google Docs.”Till Google emerged with a credible suite of networked apps, Microsoft was not compelled to do something.”Google Docs now gives word-processing, spreadsheet computer software and a presentation tool, among other individuals. Corporations can pay for top quality versions.By contrast, Microsoft dominates the office computer software room, with a sector share of far more than 94%, in accordance to Gartner. The huge majority of sales are to enterprises.Enterprise “is even now overwhelmingly a Microsoft world”, mentioned Sheri McLeish, analyst at Forrester Study.Microsoft retains its dominant placement irrespective of the totally free offerings from Google and other alternate options such as Zoho or the totally free office suite OpenOffice.org.Forward of Microsoft’s launch Google posted a web site urging corporations to switch to its software program, claiming that it represents a genuine alternative”.”If you’re contemplating upgrading Office with Workplace, we’d motivate you to think about an alternate: upgrading Office with Google Docs,” it read through.Regardless of, Google’s focus on organizations, Mr Andrews said its communication and computer software had been probable to appeal to more youthful individuals, who have not always grown up utilizing Microsoft items.”If all your content is created in the Google apps program and it lives there, you would want to have a really great explanation to transfer,” he informed BBC News.Social software programOffice Web Apps offers a free model of programs such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint.The service will allow individuals to access and edit documents from within a net browser, as well as reveal and collaborate on files.It lacks the complete gamut of functions found in the desktop versions, but is created, in part, to entice customers to try out Microsoft’s products, said Mr Teper.”An individual of the motives why we are so fired up about the Workplace Website programs for no cost…is the appeal to customers to get new people today to attempt the newest versions.”Microsoft has said that the suite will be offered totally free to its 400 million Windows Reside end users.”It is vital that Microsoft captures end users who are not tethered to the very same desktop Personal computer just about every day,” stated Mr Andrews.”They require to be ready to serve the increasing netbook local community and individuals working with their phones.”The firm has also integrated the social net into its software package in a bid to entice new buyers and hold the desktop software applicable in an more and more on the internet planet.Its Social Connector provider enables individuals to suck information from social networks this kind of as LinkedIn and MySpace into the Workplace Outlook e-mail program.The firm has also released a trial edition of its on the internet apps that integrates with Facebook.

Article by P.A. Jacobo

With the continually expanding, ever engulfing appetite of the internet, cloud computing seemingly has few limits. With the recent growth of cloud computing and the demand for instant access those few limitations are becoming smaller and smaller.

Where traditional desktop computing leaves computer users at the mercy of Microsoft, the desktop publishing and word processing giant, Google offers its users basic versions for free with access from any computer that can access the internet – anywhere in the world.

Google Docs as a cloud computing alternative to traditional desktop programs. A wonderful aspect of Google docs is that they are much akin to the Microsoft suite of programs, perhaps THE most used set of word processing and general desktop publishing programs on the market today so the learning is greatly increased.

The dog ate my homework. You know that commercial where a businessman gets out of a cab only to realize he left his presentation in the back of the cab, which is now long gone? Do you ever fear something like that would one day happen to you? Well, with Google Presentations you can set that fear at ease. You have the functionality of creating a slideshow presentation without the excuse and embarrassment of “I forgot the presentation.” With Google Presentations you can still make that important business meeting, even if your laptop was lost or stolen, all you have to do is connect online and viola, your presentation is ready and waiting for you.

At the mercy of Google. Google Documents is your most basic word processor, similar to Microsoft Word. You have full control over the margins, spacing, tabbing and general formatting with the exception of fonts. You are at the mercy of Google and how seriously limited their font selection is. I counted and there are 17. Catchphrase here is ‘basic.’ That being said, most other basic functionalities are present and usable, including the ability of inserting tables, images, hyperlinks and more.

Basic functionality for the low, low price of FREE. There is an intentional recurring theme throughout this article: basic functionality. You get what you pay for and for free, you get only basic functionality. Of course this is all many users need, but for Microsoft users like me, we don’t mind paying the extra cost for the extra functionalities of earth-based programs. That does not mean one is limited to one or the other by any means.

For whatever your word processing and information sharing need is, there’s a program to fit that need for just the right price, be it free and limited or costly and functional. Over all, Google Docs is a useful tool, especially when collaborating and sharing files with others.

Article by Phil Smulian

Google Docs has made some great new changes to its functions and features, making it even more user-friendly. Online editing with Google Docs is now available on your phone, provided you have an Android or iOS device. The app now has real-time syncronisation so that people can see what you add as and when you do so.

Users have been asking about the editing function (or lack thereof) on Google Docs documents for their phones since the first Android devices were launched. Up until now, mobile users were limited to viewing Google Docs only. Now you can edit, provided you are using the latest version of Android or have already defected to Apple.

Being able to use the edit function from your phone will prove very useful – you can change your shopping list in the aisles, catch up on work while you wait for the bus or in queues, and keep a mobile to-do list. Your edits will appear in real-time, and edits that someone else makes on their browser will appear too, which means working collaboratively on a project doesn’t necessarily mean you both have to find time on your busy schedule to meet.

The application is becoming more and more useful – you can even enter text using your voice (limited to Android users). Mobile Excel spreadsheets open in list view for easy managing. Working from your phone is becoming a lot easier and even enjoyable. Better time management and efficiency are just two of the great effects of Google Docs’ new system.

The online editor is being rolled out now, so should be available to everyone within the next few days. While this function for phones will enhance the mobile experience greatly, editing is very much an online experience so you won’t be able to use it during flights. However, in the case of someone who travels often and wants to utilise their time in the air as sufficiently as possible the Documents To Go application will work well. The package offers syncronisation with Google Docs as a download-edit-upload process which is a better option for those places with no connectivity.