Google on Tuesday, June 9, announced a new Google App feature that will allow Microsoft Outlook calendar and contact data to be synced with its online service.
© AFP/File Nichlas KammJune 09, 2009, (Sawf News) - Google on Tuesday, June 9, announced a new Google App feature that will allow Microsoft Outlook calendar and contact data to be synced with its online service.
Google Senior Product Manager Chris Vander Mey demonstrated the feature in a webcast - He scheduled a lunch meeting in Outlook that synched simultaneously with Google App.
The new feature bridges the gap between Outlook, the dominant desktop office productivity application suit, and Google Apps, which offers similar productivity features online as a low cost service accessible from any computer anywhere in the world.
Google’s move does not yet represent a challenge to Microsoft’s biggest source of revenue but it’s an indicator that the balloon is up.
Google Apps Sync for Outlook comes with the Premier version of Google Apps available for $50 / year for business users.
"Over the last year, we've had a razor-sharp focus on making it as easy as possible for businesses to deploy Google Apps," Google engineer Eric Orth says.
"Today we're excited to remove another key barrier to enterprise adoption of Google Apps with Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook."
“Many business users prefer Gmail's interface and features to products they've used in the past," Orth wrote, indicating the company is not giving up on convincing businesses to switch to its web-based email service.
"But, sometimes there are people who just love Outlook. For them, we've developed Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook."
Google is already offering similar interoperability with Blackberry smart phones popular with business users.
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