| Web Office Element | Does Google have it? | Status |
| Yes - Gmail | The best and most innovative web email system around. Gmail recently turned 2 years old, so it's a mature and dependable product (despite still having the 'beta' label!). | |
| Calendar | Yes - Google Calendar | Brand new, but looking good and playing nicely with Gmail already. |
| Web processing | Yes - Writely and whatever else Google has been cooking up behind closed doors | Early stages - Writely was the best of breed among web-based word processors in my recent review, but it's still very early in the innings for word processing on the Web. |
| Spreadsheet | Not that we know of | There are some great solutions on the open market currently: JotSpot Tracker, NumSum, iRows. Perhaps a Writely-like acquisition is on the cards from Google in this space, unless Google is working on their own app. |
| Presentations (i.e. Powerpoint competitor) | Not that we know of | I didn't uncover many web-based presentation apps in my Best of Breed post, but I was informed afterwards that a few folks are working on it. |
| Database (i.e. Access equivalent) | Maybe - Google Base? | Google Base is Google's growing database of structured data, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility that they'll use it for this purpose in a Web Office suite. |
| Web design | Google Page Creator | Well, it's a start… |
| Project Management | Not that we know of | Your guess is as good as mine. |
| RSS | Google Reader | A solid product that will likely be integrated into Gmail at some point - as Yahoo has done with RSS and Microsoft will in Vista. |
| Desktop management | Google Desktop | OK not technically an 'office' application, but Google Desktop - which integrates search on the Web with desktop - will be a key part of any Google Web Office system. |
But a question on the following:
"Brand new, but looking good and playing nicely with Gmail already."
Do you see specific integration of Calendar in your Gmail inbox? I saw a link from Calendar into Gmail but nothing vice versa. Also, I'd like to see more than just a link (perhaps a monthly calendar showing in the sidebar). I'm sure that is coming, just wondering if you saw that already.
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Also for what it's worth, I think that instant messaging is also a key part of the web "office" (because at least in our office we use IM everyday) and I think meebo might also be a target for google.
I posted some thoughts about this on my blog a few weeks back, might be interesting read for you: http://www.browserlessweb.com/?p=3
I'd also add the interfaces are very similar, so the addition of links will only be the final touches to that.
Jay -- yes good points. I did say "maybe" :-)
Paul - why is office such a boring topic? MS Office is one of Microsoft's biggest revenue earners!
Thanks everyone else for the product suggestions, I'll check into all those.
]]>Spend your time arguing about something meaningful.
]]>And since when does anyone listen to what tech CEOs say? Everyone knows that a denial from a CEO means a) nothing, or b) the exact opposite will occur.
]]>beautiful Oestern still Manuel
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