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Google Docs Syncs With MS Office, Is OpenOffice Next?

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Despite Google Docs embrace by numerous charities, corporations and road warriors (thanks to Google’s ever-so-helpful web app) there are still many individuals who refuse to leave the domain of Microsoft Exchange.

In order to make it easier for users to embrace the cloud, Google is allowing business users to sync changes from their office suite to Google Docs online.

Users of Office 2003, 2007 and 2010 can sync their Office documents to the Google cloud, without ever leaving Office. Once synced, documents are backed-up, given a unique URL, and can be accessed from anywhere (including mobile devices) at any time through Google Docs. And because the files are stored in the cloud, people always have access to the current version.

Once in the Google cloud, documents can be easily shared and even simultaneously edited by multiple people, from right within Office. A full revision history is kept as the files are edited, and users can revert to earlier versions in one click. These are all features that Google Docs users already enjoy today, and now we’re bringing them to Microsoft Office. (Official Google Docs Blog) [Read more…]

Originally posted on November 22, 2010 @ 4:40 pm

Google Docs Killer? Microsoft Office Teams Up With Facebook

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With Facebook unveiling their new social inbox, it looks like Google’s ancient nemesis is partnering with the social king in order to help make its online office suite a little bit more relevant.

Facebook’s new messaging platform integrates the Office Web Apps to enable Facebook users to view Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents with just one click. As you know, Office helps you create stunning documents that bring your ideas to life. Now you can easily share those ideas with your friends and family on Facebook.  I’m really excited about being able to make it even easier for people to use Office to access and share information across different devices, networks and platforms. With the Office Web Apps on Facebook, you have even more ways to express yourself with Office and easily share your thoughts with people that are important to you.

So go ahead! Create a personalized invitation to your dinner party next Saturday with Word or share that killer PowerPoint presentation you delivered for your school project. Let your ideas run free and inspire you to create something unique and share it on Facebook using Office. (The Microsoft Office Blog)

Although Microsoft’s Office web app has a long ways to go before it will convince users to ditch Google Docs en mass, the partnership with Facebook could help users unfamiliar with office web apps choose Microsoft over Google.

Microsoft Office live is also currently offering users 25 GB’s of free storage in an attempt to woe current users away from Google docs (the latter who offers users 1 GB of storage, with 20 GB available for $5/year).

The Facebook integration thus far isn’t very intuitive (which doesn’t exactly surprise me).

However if Microsoft can find a way to make it easier to share as well as allow users to edit documents from within Facebook, Office live could easily challenge Google Docs, as well as help both companies take down a common foe.

Originally posted on November 15, 2010 @ 4:36 pm

Out: Google TV, In: Microsoft TV?

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It looks like Microsoft is no longer going to sit on the sidelines and watch Apple and Google eat up the TV market all too themselves.

Apparently the software giant is attempting to invade the TV space, but unlike their rivals (or rather Google), Microsoft may actually be able to conquer this market.

Microsoft has reportedly entered into talks with media companies like Disney and HBO to offer a pay television service through its device platform, including the XBox 360, but possibly extending to other devices like Windows 7 PCs and even Windows Phone 7 devices. Although no official comments or announcements have been made, Reuters reports that Microsoft has put several options on the table, including enabling customers to pick what premium television channels they want in an a la carte manner—something cable customers have been demanding for years, but have never received. But TV fans shouldn’t hold their breath: the service, if it materializes, could be as much a a year away. (Digitrends)

Instead of creating a whole new device to hook up to your TV, Microsoft is taking the shrewed path by utilizing both Xbox 360 as well as Windows Phone 7.

While the Xbox integration is a no brainer, allowing smartphone users to view television upon their phone could give Microsoft another edge over its Android and iOS rivals (note: the iPhone does have apps that provide a similar service, although truth be told the app is rather sub par).

Although the company has refused to confirm or deny the rumors surround the Microsoft TV reports, they may want to consider “speeding up” the process before Apple decides to redouble their efforts in the television arena.

Originally posted on November 29, 2010 @ 2:54 pm

FCC Joins Google, Caves In On Net Neutrality

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For those of you in America hoping that the FCC would defy pressure from Congress and implement net neutrality without Google’s help may need a shoulder to cry upon as it looks like the government is officially giving up.

Mr. Genachowski said Wednesday his proposal would forbid major Internet broadband providers from secretly blocking or interfering with “lawful Internet traffic.”

But in a concession to broadband providers, the chairman’s new proposal, which will go before the rest of the commission on Dec. 21, would allow the industry to continue to charge higher rates for higher levels of access and gives the companies the right to continue to limit access as needed to better manage the demands on their networks.

The proposed new regulations also backed away from earlier plans to extend control over the mobile phone industry. (Washington Times)

Although Genachowski is attempting to spin this as some sort of positive development, truth be told it’s unlikely that event he watered down version of the bill will survive as it pleases no one (and will face attack from conservatives and progressives ensuring its death).

With even the mighty Google giving up on net neutrality, it looks like folks in the US will continue to be at the mercy of their carriers (assuming they have more than two choices available), which may lead to a more costly internet in the future instead of a more affordable one.

Originally posted on December 2, 2010 @ 4:09 pm

Dell Makes Netbooks Cool Again (Inspiron Duo)

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Ever since Apple graced the masses with the iPad, the demand for netbooks has more or less evaporated, as companies were forced to either reduce prices further (and lose out on profits) or attempt to reinvent what was once seen as the “poor man’s” laptop.

It looks like one company has chosen to do the latter, which a few Microsoft employees were able to demo for the rest of the world (note: video is from Dell, not Microsoft).

The core of the duo’s uniqueness is the screen itself; rather than have a convertible screen that is hinged at a single point on the chassis and rotates laterally, the duo’s lid is fixed and the screen rotates inside the bezel[.] […]

I found the duo comfortable to work on – the tight 1366 x 768 resolution, even on the 10” viewable screen area, was easy to read, and 12” body offers up a keyboard that was big enough to type on without my fingers cramping. Sound was impressively good for something this diminutive and I enjoyed singing along to the new Zac Brown Band album on Zune.  My office mates, however, did not.

In touch mode, the duo is a capable entertainment companion.  When you flip it to reveal the touchscreen, a finger friendly interface called “Dell Stage” pops up, and gives you one-touch access to your photos, movies, the Blio reader, and games.   It’s an unobtrusive overlay to Windows 7’s standard interface that’s there when you want it to be there, and hidden when you don’t. (Windows Team Blog)

The Inspiron Duo starts at $549 and may actually prove to be a serious contender against the iPad, although that depends upon how well Microsoft Windows 7 works with the netbook tablet laptop (or whatever one wants to call it).

Dell’s visionary netbook also boasts plenty of space by offering a 250 GB hard drive as well as 2 GB of RAM.

Truth be told however I’m not so sure if that last fact matters as the netbook is sporting an Atom processor which honestly are not the best processors for computers (smartphones are a different matter however).

While this netbook could prove to be a holiday blockbuster for Dell, it may also be the company’s ticket to compete against not only Apple, but HP as well (the latter who is creating a tablet for Windows 7 as well as webOS).

Originally posted on November 18, 2010 @ 5:24 pm