Google Desperately Wants Your Data
The guys at Google have just made it easier for themselves to get more of the world’s data. After opening it’s MSOffice-like web services to the world, they now aim towards corporate class accounts with a free-for-all Google Apps for Your Domain
These services will allow people to work directly off their domains but with the convenience of Google’s services.
Personally, I find it hard to believe that companies will trust Google with all their personal information, from calendars to email contents, I see it as too risky (but very tempting…).
Update: Since Google’s announcement of the above services, Intermedia.NET, a leading webhost as well as hosted MSExchange provider, published a funny press release mocking Google’s move. In it they write:
24×0 support. This is important because companies for whom email and schedules are mission-critical will want to know they can pick up a phone and get support 24 hours a day, 0 days per week. Google also gives the option of filling out a support form and receiving an automated response.
No wireless access. Where Intermedia.NET hosted Exchange gives users access to information via BlackBerry, Treo, Q or any other device, Google has bucked this trend, perhaps suggesting that wireless email is in fact a productivity-sapping distraction for employees.
Ads inside applications. Clearly, employees are more productive when their business applications stream ads for online poker sites and pills to combat ED.
No uptime guarantee. Rather than a predictable 99.9% uptime guarantee, such as the one offered by Intermedia.NET, Google does not provide a set percentage of the time when email will be up and running. This keeps corporate collaboration more exciting, by allowing staff to guess whether the system will be working or not.
Intermedia.NET, which offers 24×7 telephone and email support, concedes that there is an upside to Google’s 24×0 solution, in that it allows a company’s staff to take a much-needed break from work while waiting for a response to their technical problem. However, the company believes that continuous telephone support is still preferred by most businesses.
24×0 support … so true…
