Google Apps Premier Edition is the promised offering for small businesses. It includes 10 gigabytes of mail storage, 99.9% uptime guarantee for email, APIs to integrate with the existing infrastructure of a business (single sign-on, user management, email gateway), 24/7 phone support. Everything for $50 a year per user (there's a free trial until April 30th).
Google continues to offer two free editions of Google Apps:
* a edition for schools, that includes the APIs and 24/7 phone support
* a edition for families and groups that has all the features that were available until now.
All editions of Google Apps* include Google Docs & Spreadsheets and are compatible with the BlackBerry version of Gmail's mobile application.
Google's intention is to convince it can deliver "simple, powerful communication and collaboration tools for your organization without the usual hassle and cost" and the package can integrate into an existing environment. Google has learned a lot since last August, when it first introduced Google Apps, and has adapted to fit the needs of a corporate environment. Will businesses adapt to use Google's web applications and trade some features for an always-available online interface?
* You'll notice that Google Apps for Your Domain has been rebranded as Google Apps.
I wrote last year about a company that made fun of Google Apps. Their complaints were:
ReplyDelete* 24x0 support.
- this was fixed
* No wireless access.
- also fixed (there's a mobile app for Gmail)
* Private data read by others. Businesses can rest easy knowing that Google is looking at all emails and documents.
- this is a false statement
* Ads inside applications.
- ads are now optional in Google Apps Premier Edition
* No uptime guarantee.
- now there's a 99.9% uptime guarantee for email.
i think 50$/per year/per account is realllly to much
ReplyDeletei use Google Apps for my fan club, and i found it really cool... but.... 50$/year/user? never
gabriele, its still free for families and small groups.
ReplyDeleteAn early sign of things to come. A bigger marketing push by Google is needed to communicate the value of Google Apps is their target audience is required....
ReplyDeleteWell, no FTP? hum... no, thanks.
ReplyDeleteno database online ..too bad
ReplyDeleteI'm using Google Apps for my one-person business, and I've been happy with it.
ReplyDeleteSimple setup, I can access my email anywhere, and everything is accessible from a simple URL.
I would love to have 10 gigs storage, but there are no other features I would need in the Premier offer. As ao mentioned above, it's surprising to see no storage solution like FTP.
<< All editions of Google Apps* include Google Docs & Spreadsheets and are compatible with Gmail mobile application. >>
ReplyDeleteNot true. It's only the Blackberry application that's compatible according to this page:
http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/users/mobile.html
Other mobile users have to just use the mobile version of the web application.
You are right, Tony. I updated the post.
ReplyDeleteSeems like a bit of a rip off, four of the five progs are still beta ffs...
ReplyDeleteI don't get WHY there is still no integration between Mail and Docs. They have it in the free gmail edition, it seems like it would be REQUIRED for the apps version (it certainly is for us!)
ReplyDeleteIt has potential.
ReplyDeleteIn the current state, it still needs some improvement, I use it in replacing the MS-Office suite for simple uses in my life. For more complicated documents and tasks I still use Office.
Over time it will get better.
What I am waiting for is for them to roll in the Jot Spot Wiki functionality into the package.
Also some better role base management features for collaboration purposes.
Once they do that then yes it will become a subscriber
Peace and acceptance in your computing path!
For $50 per year... They better remove ALL advertising from all of the products.
ReplyDeleteAdvertising is optional and disabled by default. Anyway, the only Google product with ads (from Google Apps) is Gmail, and some people even find those ads useful.
ReplyDeleteFor those who balk at $50/user/year - go look for a Hosted Exchange product that is cheaper and gives you equal services.
ReplyDeleteGet informed before you complain.
I will never pay for this service until they provide IMAP access...in which case I'd purchase immediately. POP3 sucks.
ReplyDelete$50 a year is not bad. That's like $4 a month for 10gb of storage plus apps. This is the future of the internet, and I believe $50 a user will be considered dirt cheap some day.
ReplyDeleteSounds great, I'm just wishing Google Reader was included in the apps provided. That's the only other Google App that I use that's missing from the lineup.
ReplyDeleteAlso; are there tools for helping me transition my data from my current Google account to my Google Apps account?
David Saunders
ReplyDeleteCharlotte NC
I can't believe some people saying $50 a year for this is too much - it's great value!
I have messed around with the free versions twice and am about to get a client to use this service.
No (insert application or protocol here) support? Well then, (insert statement of negativity here).
ReplyDeleteAlso, (price) seems a WAY too high for me to use this for my (what will inevitably be something akin to a club for cat owners) "business".
If I used the italics tag any harder, I'd be Asian.
Thanks for moving us forward - look forward to playing with the feature.
They forgot the most important thing for me and a lot of other small businesses is a decent contact manager you can manage, share and access remotely.
ReplyDeleteMSoft's new Business Contact Manager is a big pain to share. They have a white paper 14 pages long just to get a server side database running. YUK!!!!!
the spreadsheet response on my laptop is horrendous. i really want to use it to break the MS dominance, but i *cant* use it on my thinkpad T43 (1GB ram, 1.86ghz intel).
ReplyDeleteif by shelling out $50 a year gets me snappy performance all the way round, i would buy.
The next step is definitely INTEGRATION... and the GApps Api makes that possible. Avaya is already doing commercial products. We are developing an FREE open source "business application platform" (think salesforce.com). Our first application is working tightly integrated with GOOGLE APPS. http://www.applicationexchange.com.
ReplyDeleteIt still does not allow integration with Custom Domain publishing for Blogger. There are folks who would want to use Blogger for content and GApps for email.Anyone has a take on this?
ReplyDeleteI'm a small business owner (myself) and am growing. With my employees in different parts of the country, using a system that allows them to one system to access documents, spreadsheet, and email.
ReplyDeleteAlthough $50 doesn't sound bad, as a business owner, any expense is something to complain about. I'm still looking but this looks like an extremely viable, cost effective option. If nothing, it gives the other big "dawgs" a run for their money.
all i would like for google to complete is the calendar sync with mobile devices... this would be ideal.
ReplyDeleteAlso, why so biased towards blackberry's? I have a palm, and am switching to Windows Mobile (audiovox xv6700), never once did i think i should get a blackberry.
Please make google mobile browser/device independant
(and add gCal sync)
thanks
I really want a premier account for myself, but the rest of the family don't need them, so can I either mix and match or do I need to get an extra domain for myself?
ReplyDeleteI used Google Apps for the first time last week when I was out of town on business. I was surprised how flexible it was. I'm not ready to replace my usual software yet, but it's definitely a viable option for those looking for a set of tools that can accomplish nearly all basic tasks. Getting the word out is the next step.
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely frustrated witj Google apps premier edition service line.
ReplyDeleteBeing such a big company, there is no responses to the emails and there is no way one can reach to the human being in google.
Firstly, inspite if informing Google about we donot need their premier edition, they charged to my credit card for $200. I am not using their service at all.
On top of that, sending so many emails to Google, the response is zero.
I am totally surprised by the customer service from google.
Needed: integration. Google Apps is way cool as a toy right now, but has way too much of a Beta feel to justify $50/user/yr. No contact sync with Outlook, Thunderbird, mobile device, etc? Wow that is just clueless. Plaxo can do it; why not the mighty Google? That just seems so amateurish.
ReplyDeleteAny legitimate business owner who complains of a hosted solution for all document, email, calendaring, contacts, and a basic page builder to boot for 13 cents per day has no place in today's marketplace. On a more personal note, I'm really looking forward to seeing my taxes devoted towards your soon to be unemployed ass.
ReplyDeleteGoogle apps premier is great, but here are the real caviots that took me a few months to find:
ReplyDelete500 outgoing messages per account per day MAX. If you reach this limit you all you're done sending anything for 24 hours.
SPAM filters that you cannot modify. Some false positives will inevitably end up in your spam folder and even if you mark it as "not spam" there is a significant chance that the next time a message from the same sender will be marked as spam again.
That's why I moved away from google apps.
All these users that are whining about 50/month per user do not need to be in business.
ReplyDeleteIf your business cannot justify a legitimate cost that is associated with running a business than do not do it.
Stop downloading pirated files also.
Contact sync between Blackberry, Gmail, Salesforce, and Outlook is a must. They will be dead in the water without this. It's the only thing holding me up from making the "big switch"...
ReplyDeleteYou should use plaxo for your contact sync.
ReplyDeletewww.plaxo.com
It is very useful.
Google Premier account is worth more than US$50/user/year if you use all the features that comes with it.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sanverhosting.co.uk
The pace of development is glacial. Still no integration with Blogger! Yeah, I know you can hack something to work, but that's no good for the average user.
ReplyDeleteHow do I change everything from googlepages over to google apps? Do I really have to start all over again? Thanks Pauletta
ReplyDeleteI would like Google to add "Google Storage" with ftp AND rsync as part of the Google Apps. If I am going to use GMail, Google Docs, etc. than I really want a place to put or backup the rest of my important files: "Google Storage".
ReplyDeleteAnd can you please "fix" the month view of the calendar so it does not truncate entries that extend beyond a single line.
We have recently migrated Exchange Server to Google Apps Premier Edition for 2 large corporates in India. I must say that the task looked daunting in the beginning but it came our quite nice in the end.
ReplyDeleteGoogle Apps Premier Edition is a great Technology boost for corporates and enterprises. It is much more cost effective than any legacy server based email system.
Read more at http://www.sanver.com/blog/
Sanjay Verma
Just Say No to Google Apps Premium
ReplyDeleteI started using Google before it became the hit sensation it has become. I also use their free email service. Google Apps premium, however, is the worst customer experience that I have ever had.
A relative has a small business and I suggested to switch to Google Apps, naively thinking that their premium service would be even better than their free service. They outsource the Google Apps to "IYogi" an Indian company and we talk to people in India who don't know the service and can't answer basic questions, lie about the set-up costs, costs of the service, and do a hard sell on warranties. Further, when they said that they are going to call within minutes, they did not, and 1.5 hours later, we were still waiting. And when we did finally get to us, they wanted to charge us more for an undisclosed fee. Run, don't walk, away from Google Apps. Totally disgusted.
If they'd just let you mix and match Premier and Free across a single domain, this might be perfect. It's still great, but sadly, still less than perfect.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Don't waste resources you don't have. said on January 14, 2008 8:51 PM PDT:
ReplyDeleteAny legitimate business owner who complains of a hosted solution for all document, email, calendaring, contacts, and a basic page builder to boot for 13 cents per day has no place in today's marketplace. On a more personal note, I'm really looking forward to seeing my taxes devoted towards your soon to be unemployed ass.
I certainly hope you are not being serious in your comment. $50/user per year is still a nice chunk of change for any "small business" when the premier features are comparable to the standard edition's feature set. if you have 40 employees (who only really utilize the email feature) that is still $2k off your bottom line, which can be a high cost for any small business to justify after overhead and expenses just for email to integrate with a calendar, some minimal doc space and a contact manager.)
This is a very good blog.
ReplyDeleteStarting with more recent history here going back as far as
Google Apps India/UK said on November 13, 2008 7:40 AM PDT:
I would like to expand this blog further. Anyone have any more stories/experiences with running this for a domain name.
Also where are we at with the OTA syncing to a blackberry etc?
In the meantime, what can you expect when using this with a BB?
Thanks
Max
Can google Add be used with Exchange Server?. I mean simultaneously! Which edition?
ReplyDeleteIs no one concerned about all the talk of Google (while not being evil) still having access to all your companies private data?
ReplyDeleteDoes Google have any response to questions around privacy of content hosted/housed by them?
As much as I love Google's policy's - putting a whole company's private data in their hands is something that does make me worry a bit.
guys try out Windows Live Admin Center - It has d same features but gives u 500 email a/c & more can be had for free (on completing certain criteria). I've deployed both for customers & myself. Windows Live Admin Center (prev'ly Custom Domains) din't had custom branding so i switched 2 google apps, but now Live Admin too had custom branding included. It also has many features which GApps still dont have.
ReplyDeleteI currently have the Standard edition but am willing to pay for Premier just so I'll be able to use the new Gmail BlackBerry Plug-in when it comes out of RIM beta in a few weeks. BUT...if, I ever want to switch back from Premier to Standard, is this possible (without a hassle)?
ReplyDeleteDisregard my previous comment...Alex just answered this in a different blog.
ReplyDeleteIs there anyone in the New York City area who uses google apps premier who would like to participate in a paid focus group study in manhattan? The pay is pretty lucrative for just a few hours. I am recruiting the study, My name is Denise. Would love to get some women on the group too.
ReplyDeleteI use google apps and I find it really great.
ReplyDelete