Eight Google Apps in Your Future
April 21st, 2007 (12:50pm) Anne Zelenka 58 Comments
Last week brought us news regarding Google’s future plans for their online application suite. At the Web 2.0 Expo CEO Eric Schmidt said Google will release a PowerPoint-type presentation application, slated for this summer. Then, VP Douglas Merrill announced on the official Google blog that the company has acquired videoconferencing software from a Swedish startup.
What else is in the works? Phil Sim of Squash makes some guesses after his participation in a survey of Google Apps Premier users. In that survey, Google explored his interest in a variety of applications. Beyond the basics already included in the suite, Google asked about project and contact management, file storage, and online discussion groups, suggesting they are thinking of incorporating these into their suite.
Combining this information, we can make some guesses at what you might find in Google Apps in the future.
1. Presentation. Through their acquisition of Tonic Systems, Google will offer an alternative to Microsoft’s PowerPoint, as well as to the many web-based presentation systems under development. That category includes SlideShare, Zoho Show, Thumbstacks, and Spresent.
2. Project management. Watch out, 37Signals: the survey Phil completed suggests that project management is on Google’s to do list, something that would likely compete directly with 37Signals’ popular Basecamp service.
3. Contact management. Gmail’s automatic creation of contacts from emails works really nicely. If you use Google Apps for your Domain, you can already share contacts across users. It’d be great to also see some Highrise-like capabilities — taking notes, tracking interactions, and managing tasks related to people you’re working with.
4. File storage and sharing. We regularly cover online file storage and sharing apps here at Web Worker Daily because it’s a core step in managing your online work. Google Blogoscoped ponders how it might look and work.
5. Online discussion groups. Google Groups already exists but it’s not tied into Google Apps. I’d like to see a unification under the Google Reader interface where you could browse your mail, RSS feeds, and relevant discussion groups all in one quick keyboard-accessible screen.
6. Wiki. Google acquired JotSpot on Halloween of 2006 and immediately closed it to new sign-ups. News has been sparse, but in January the JotSpot developers announced an upgrade for existing customers and said it will be the last version produced before migration to Google’s infrastructure. Perhaps Google will combine project management with the JotSpot wiki capabilities — wikis provide a reasonable alternative to dedicated project management apps for some teams.
7. Video chat. Google announced its acquisition of Swedish start-up Marratech’s video conferencing software, suggesting that they intend to use it internally only. No one would be surprised if Google incorporated it into the Google Talk client to support video chat, though.
8. Web meetings. Marratech offers capabilities beyond videoconferencing to include e-meetings and collaborative whiteboards along the lines of what WebEx is known for. Here’s hoping if they do offer web-based real-time meetings that it works better than WebEx.
What else would you like to see in Google’s online office suite? Check out this Google wish list discussion to get some ideas. I’m voting for online image editing — which seems like a fairly likely addition, given Google’s Picasa offerings.
58 Comments Post your own comment
GigaOM » What apps are in Google’s future? says: April 21st, 2007 1:27pm
[...] including a video chat product that could be integrated with Google Talk. Web Worker Daily, taking a cue from Phil Squash and other publicly available data has put together a list of eight [...]
rick gregory says: April 21st, 2007 2:57pm
Or they could actually innovate. All of this is boring. Yeah, I get why they might want all of it… but it’s BORING. There are solutions for most of these needs and, while Google might be the go-to player for some (esp file storage)… Google Video Chat? Who cares? Same way with web meetings and contact management.. God, Google has gone from bright star to suit SO fast.
Om says: April 21st, 2007 3:20pm
Rick…. I am with you 100%. I don’t care much for all this stuff. I think Google is despite all the posing not all the innovative. Nothing ground breaking … nothing new. Just old retreads, and some of it is from other companies. Its an ad-company with the least cost inventory.
Gerard says: April 21st, 2007 4:26pm
The importance of their inventory of applications has more to do with the coming demise of Microsoft than anything. Take a look at the stock market - Google’s going nowhere and many expect it to have its best days ahead. The applications Google is bundling under their umbrella spells one word for Microsoft: disaster.
Anne Zelenka says: April 21st, 2007 6:04pm
While the google apps may be pedestrian, what’s interesting to me is how they take a web-native approach. They’re not just reproducing MS Office apps online but exploring and extending the web paradigm.
I’m not all that thrilled with Google Docs & Spreadsheets — Word and Excel work a lot better for the kinds of tasks I do on a regular basis. But Gmail, Google Reader, and Google Notebook do work better for me than any desktop versions of those.
I’m interested to see what Google comes up with even in app categories like slide shows that seem kind of boring.
Shaine Mata . net › Eight Google Apps in Our Future says: April 21st, 2007 9:11pm
[...] read more | digg story This was written by Shaine Mata. Posted on Saturday, April 21, 2007, at 9:11 pm. Filed under Life. Bookmark the permalink. Follow comments here with the RSS feed. Post a comment or leave a trackback. [...]
D.D.Grant says: April 21st, 2007 9:32pm
The one thing Google has going that gives them a real edge is AJAX. Compare the stupefying Yahoo interface, er.. if you really have time.
I agree with Rick tho’. But what’s behind all that? Well, it’s really a Gutenberg thing, medium lag. Kinda like early movies just turning the camera on stage productions, or look at the retro-fit TV shooting techniques have given Hollywood.
Web 2.0 is in the same state right now - like it’s about ramping up Web 1. It isn’t at all, but it’s actual life that drives the message home eventually. I mean, ‘Office’, the context not the app, is sooo 20thC passe.
As usual it’s all about The Next Big Thing/Killer App.
Andrew says: April 22nd, 2007 5:04am
The point for me is that to anyone outside of the IT sphere, all this web 2.0 crap means absolutely nothing. All they want are good apps to help them do their work. Web 2.0 only means anything to people at web 2.0 companies.
Microsoft is in trouble? Please. Last time I looked, having tens of billions in the bank, constantly improving sales (heading for $50bill/year), having your software on 90+% of the world’s computers and making incredible profits were not hallmarks of a company in trouble.
Right now, online apps are simply not business-grade, or fast enough for the majority of users. In five years time, maybe, but Microsoft is all over that problem with WPF and the .net 3.5 stack. Trust me, in five years time, the majority of people will still be running Microsoft apps - whether online or not.
Microsoft employs some of the smartest people in the tech industry. The fact is that these people are not about to run the company into the ground, Google or no Google. One good app (Gmail) does not a Microsoft-killer make.
Google, wo gehts Du hin? auf kaimueller.org says: April 22nd, 2007 6:07am
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Judi Sohn says: April 22nd, 2007 6:55am
I’m always perplexed as to why something has to be a “killer” in the first place. I think the best web applications don’t ask you to give up anything you’re already working with. Instead, they make those tools better. Microsoft and Google both offer applications that are in my “toolbox” and it’s not an either-or thing. Why not both? If I decide to use a hammer for one job, should my wrench be nervous?
I see this all the time in the nonprofit space, where companies are looking to sell us on these huge all-or-nothing suites of services, when in fact what users like me really want are mix & match and flexible APIs so we can design a package that best meets our individual needs.
A Google video conferencing application is boring in itself. Just like Gmail and Google Reader are rather bland on first look. What’s exciting about Gmail and Google Reader is how extensible and flexible they are. You can think about what you want to do, and then figure out a way to make Gmail do it. If Google applies the same approach to all their apps, that’s when it will get interesting. The application is the platform, not the operating system.
Sergio says: April 22nd, 2007 7:31am
Rick and OM,
I heard the same comments when gmail and the calendar were announced. I think I’ll wait until the applications are available to make my call regarding innovation.
We ate still in the speculation phase. We shall see the implementation and delivery yet.
Web Development » Blog Archive » Eight Google Apps in Your Future says: April 22nd, 2007 8:30am
[...] Saved from webworkerdaily.com [...]
nomadicalloy says: April 22nd, 2007 8:43am
we need a project management tool from google (free is good).
Eight Google Apps in Your Future « My personal blog says: April 22nd, 2007 8:55am
[...] read more | digg story [...]
Joie Bleau says: April 22nd, 2007 10:05am
Yahoo rocks!
www.alohasoftware.com says: April 22nd, 2007 10:16am
Eight Google Apps in Your Future
Google office is finally taking shape. Here’s a list of what you might find in Google Applications in the future, including eight new free online applications available soon.
Dirk Gently says: April 22nd, 2007 10:26am
Call me paranoid if you want, but using one company to do all your business gives that company a serious load of private info on you. They want you to use them for everything from file storage, to PMs..email, to group management. Google already gave in to the Chinese governments ID requests about dissenters to their regime……to make sure they have access to the Chinese Yen.
Yes it’s convenient to have a one-stop-shop…..but I will be keeping separation (from any one company) TYVM….which means that I’ll be using my desktop software to do a lot, and keeping the documents created there…….only there.
Microsoft are paying the unpopular monopoly penalty now, if companies like Google continue to clamp down on choice by buying all the options, they will follow Microsoft’s path. I use GMail because it’s convenient, clean and free…..but I assume it’s not 100% private too. I am not going to expose my entire life to them, no matter what applications they provide…with Linux, you can get free open source solutions to the Microsoft extortion….like OpenOffice.
Redação says: April 22nd, 2007 11:58am
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Zero
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Mike O says: April 22nd, 2007 12:32pm
Google already offers rss feeds for all groups so you can already just include them in google reader….you may already be able to get #5.
Ernie Oporto says: April 22nd, 2007 1:57pm
How many of these will actually remain free, and how many will go the path of “Google Apps for Paying Customers?”
Yuzle! says: April 22nd, 2007 3:33pm
Google is sooo great! I’m a happy google apps for your domain customer using it to organize the family.
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check this out:
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thenewg says: April 22nd, 2007 6:41pm
Yeah Andrew, if there is anyone who needs “saving” its Microsoft!
Bala says: April 22nd, 2007 8:57pm
Good Job!
There is also something coming up in photo Sharing, which may not include Piccasa, this will be a complete WEB app, which mite also include editing
Shahab says: April 22nd, 2007 10:43pm
I recommend checking “Martin Hughes” site out! With its lovely design.
You can find the link in my last post: “Swallow the Pills”.
bhupen says: April 22nd, 2007 11:20pm
Hope they give away “Movie Making Software”
and oh yes, with an option -> Save As -> “YouTube” or “Google” Video!
That would be better than a power-point type of presentation.
That would save tons of times for all the users who have to do this and that encode and crap to get their nice video looking good on their sites!!
Maldiveshealth recieves Death threats « MaldivesHealth says: April 23rd, 2007 3:57am
[...] Eight Google Apps in Your Future [...]
IndianPad says: April 23rd, 2007 4:33am
The Possible Eight Google Apps in Future
The Possible Eight Google Apps in Future posted at IndianPad.com
Raheel says: April 23rd, 2007 4:44am
Thanks for the info
Mack says: April 23rd, 2007 9:32am
Can’t wait powerpoint thingy.
Dave Good says: April 23rd, 2007 12:06pm
Google’s new apps are great…for power users and those of us who know what they are doing. Everyone else is just not there, many are still looking at computers as the television-with-a-typewriter thingy. If you can’t get people to understand about the basics of information security (i.e. don’t leave your laptop in an unlocked car, and other wtf’s) how can they really feel comfortable with web 2.0 apps.
My dad is a perfect example, he just logs on to get his email, check his bank balance, look at the weather, and the he is off. He isn’t using this stuff like we do, but he represents what the rest of the world does with their computer, all except the p0rn.
Web 2.0 is not about the great unwashed masses, teaming to transmit great thoughts. It is about manufacturing ever smaller niches in the “long tail”, and grabbing the bits and pieces that drift in the economic firmament.
New apps are nice, but we will really have something when someone comes up with the zero app. The app that is so intelligent we don’t even know it is there. It just moves relevent data, compiles reports, and gives us the overview. Like strategic intelligence briefings, we could manage our information at an executive level. Allowing us to make the big decsions, but not being tied to OS’s and platforms. Like “Star Trek”, the computer becomes an integral part of the business team, providing objective information analysis and support. We talk to it and it understands our wants and needs. That’s the “killer app” that I want.
Clement says: April 23rd, 2007 3:29pm
I like Gmail, but I don’t see how great it is. Other than Gmail, others app from Google really need more hard works, not impress enough….
links for 2007-04-23 « toonz says: April 23rd, 2007 4:33pm
[...] Web Worker Daily » Blog Archive Eight Google Apps in Your Future « (tags: google apps) [...]
Voucha says: April 23rd, 2007 4:55pm
I like Google App for domain. I use it for 3 domains and works perfectly.
links van 23 april 2007 at Andhi.be says: April 23rd, 2007 11:53pm
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bdmentor says: April 24th, 2007 3:06am
Google Apps is gr8
Marketing Team says: April 24th, 2007 6:42am
Google has two other servers that can be used for searching. The search results on them also change during the monthly update and they are part of the Google dance.
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accountingsoftware says: April 24th, 2007 9:59am
probably an accounting package to overtake quickbooks or sage?
For more info visit on Google Accounting software at http://accountingsoftware.wordpress.com
Google future apps? « Systems Engineering and RDBMS says: April 24th, 2007 5:05pm
[...] summer launch of a Power-point type presentation application. Web Worker daily had an interesting post on eight google applications for the future - there is also a link included for the google wish [...]
tbot says: April 25th, 2007 6:44am
Regarding Wiki’s, I totally agreee that google intends to couple it with project managements.
On the same lines, I think google might be creating a project management solution.
tBits - a generic issue tracking system
Javier Sanchez says: April 25th, 2007 8:27am
Look out for a combination of Projity & Google. I keep hearing Google could include project management. The Projity folks have an AJAX replacement of Microsoft Project. A nice addition to the Google play in applications.
Ernesto Schutz says: April 25th, 2007 5:43pm
I love Google :)
Ernesto Schutz
Linkfest - April 25, 2007 says: April 25th, 2007 6:00pm
[...] tipped off some of their future plans in a survey they gave to their Google Apps Premier users. Web Worker Daily discusses this and predicts eight Google Apps in our future. I know folks already use Gmail for storage, but a [...]
Les applications de Google ont de beaux jours devant elles says: April 26th, 2007 12:11am
[...] Vous pouvez voir également les idées d’application que projette Google sur cet article 8 futures applications de google. Nous aurons surement, en plus du wiki et de Presently, une flopée d’outils collaboratifs [...]
Motorcycle Guy says: April 28th, 2007 1:37pm
Google Documents works very well, but its still not a Word replacement. I would think powerpoint would be even more difficult to do in a webbrowser through ajax. I guess time will tell.
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Journyx Project Management Blog » Eight Google Apps in Your Future says: May 3rd, 2007 10:02pm
[...] Read more at Web Worker Daily. [...]
Could Collaboration Be Google’s Killer App? - The Visible Enterprise says: May 7th, 2007 12:40pm
[...] Google seems to realize that collaborative applications are what will drive many folks to adopt Google Apps — or at least give it a try. Web Worker Daily, taking its hints from a recent survey of Google Apps Premier users, hazards a guess at the eight collaborative features it thinks Google will soon add to Google Apps. [...]
Jesus Hernan » Blog Archive » Thinking in new Google Apps says: May 10th, 2007 1:14am
[...] read in Journyx Project Management Blog and in Web Worker Daily that Google is preparing new Apps for their users. Great! Seems that Google is working on a [...]
Eight Google Apps in Your Future says: May 19th, 2007 10:44am
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Eight Google Apps in Your Future « Veronica’s Lore says: May 23rd, 2007 5:30pm
[...] Read more… [...]
Funky Penguin News » Blog Archive » Eight Google Apps in Your Future says: May 24th, 2007 11:27pm
[...] Link to Eight Google Apps in Your Future [...]
Office 2.0 | Innovation Wings says: May 31st, 2007 12:28am
[...] dem Bericht wird auf einen Beitrag im Web Worker Daily verwiesen, der auf die Entwicklungs-Roadmap von Google Office eingeht. Darin werden acht [...]
Web Worker Daily » Blog Archive Will you use Google Apps? « says: July 9th, 2007 9:21am
[...] service. Google believes this deal is further testimony about its serious commitment to providing hosted apps to businesses, especially small and medium sized [...]
Will Sullivan's Journerdism » Newspapers rush to video & newspaper video’s coming failure; 2 contests and 2 online journalism events says: August 2nd, 2007 10:30pm
[...] Eight Google Apps in Your Future “1. Presentation. 2. Project management. 3. Contact management. 4. File storage and sharing. 5. Online discussion groups. 6. Wiki. 7. Video chat. 8. Web meetings.” [...]
Dimdim Challenges WebEx, Microsoft « GigaOM says: September 24th, 2007 8:06am
[...] Sooner or later, Google (GOOG) is going to enter with its own twist on web conferencing, as WWD’s Anne Zelenka has pointed out. If Dimdim hopes to truly establish itself, it will have to focus relentlessly on “user [...]
Tech, Web, How to, Computer, Internet, Reviews, Tips, Dog, Pet, and Make Money Online with AhTim says: October 6th, 2007 9:03pm
Google Apps Anywhere , Anytime !
Google just for search?
The fact is google search is just the beginning because with Google, now you can create, manage, edit files, and even receive reminders via SMS for free.
Google Docs and Spreadsheets
To buy a new Ms Office 2007 license costs abo…
Web Worker Daily » Archive Google Sites Finally Launches « says: February 27th, 2008 9:29pm
[...] wanted to be a player in this space with their acquisition of Jotspot in 2006. We’ve been patiently waiting to see how Google would finally make wikis relevant and approachable to the every day [...]