Outlook Goes Google: LIVE From the Google Apps Event
by John Paczkowski
Posted on June 9, 2009 at 11:02 AM PT
What’s Google got that is new today?
Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook, for one thing. The App allows users to sync Outlook with Apps, just like Outlook natively syncs with Exchange. Offers fast email sync with Google-native protocol, full calendar and contact sync, as well as global address autocomplete and search and free/busy information support.
Pretty slick. Google (GOOG) has essentially recreated the Outlook GUI within Apps. Seamless integration. Works offline. Same familiar Outlook experience. Use Gmail and outlook simultaneously. Everything is supported natively and, as the demoer notes, “your data is safe, it’s with Google.” Well, that’s one way to look at it.
Google Apps Sync for Microsoft (MSFT) Outlook is available today as part of the company’s Premiere Apps. It’s available for Windows only.
A few quick case studies: Avago rep says this represents the “last hurdle” for users to get over migrating away form Exchange. The feedback we’ve gotten is that this looks “exactly the same” as Exchange. Genentech (DNA) rep relates a similar experience. “It looks like a native Outlook experience. The average has no idea we switched out the back-end…We anticipate widepsread adoption.”
Dave Girouard, president of Google’s Enterprise division: “I bet you never imagined you’d see Google demonstrating Outlook for you all, so this is a first.”
