We are constantly looking for ways to make Google Apps and other cloud services work with you and your business. There are many people who prefer to use Outlook as their client of choice. Other tools like Offisync have integrated Microsoft Office and Google Docs, and you can sync outlook with Google Mail using the tools Google themselves provide.

Harmony have recently produced a new free add on for Microsoft Outlook that neatly integrates Google Docs. We have tried it and so far it seems to work really nicely!

If you give it a try, let us know how you find it in the comments!

NZ Postal Services Group recently chose to adopt Google Apps to provide more innovative and invaluable collaboration tools for its more than 2500 staff. Hear why they decided to go Google, and how they expect Google Apps to transform the way their business operates. Learn more about bringing Google Apps to your organization at http://www.google.co.nz/appsatwork

From Android to Wave, Google Apps for your company to SEO for your website AND everything in between …

The world’s first free and independent Google-centric barcamp* is being held in Wellington on Thursday 25th March (8:30am-4pm) and we at WaveAdept are chuffed to be amongst the plethora of local, national and international sponsors of this community run event.

Of course a Google-centric conference could probably run for a week trying to cover all aspects of the Google services so we’ll be concentrating WaveAdept’s efforts on how Google Enterprise services save costs and provide value to Kiwi companies.

We won’t, however, be using the event to push our services or Google products (that’s for the more traditional events) but trying to get into the guts of what we in New Zealand think of the Google Enterterprise services (particularly Google Apps). For instance I have popped a proposed topic of, “Support from Google, what it is, what it isn’t and what the gap is (and how to overcome it)” and Dave has just this minute added, “Biggest gaps – what is preventing wider adoption of Google Apps in your opinion, what is missing?”

We hope to not only see you all there (maximum of 150 spaces, over 80 have already been taken) but to have a good old yarn about Google which, let’s be honest, is a fascinating subject on so many levels.

* A barcamp is a normal conference with one major difference, it is run by the attendees. This truly comes into play when the conference schedule is generated by all the attendees during the registration time, so get in early and mold this conference to what you want to talk/hear about.

The issues Brendon raised are nothing new for those of us that have been working long in the “cloud” and particularly the questions that Microsoft are now starting to hear are those that Google and other early players in this way of computing.

One point I believe he made extremely well was that the “cloud” is internationally delivered whilst “privacy” is local regulated.
This isn’t an easy situation to resolve but one that requires clever brains to sit down and sort out.

He also had a delightful way of explaining what the “cloud” is to those that are new to the term. The cloud is all fluffy and a way of drawing up the “internet”. But really, when you ask about how it’s made in the real world it turns out to be rectangle made up of racks, containers and buildings.

Finally, I loved the new word “markitecture” which describes the use of “technical architecture diagrams” within marketing presentations and are so abstract as to be useless to everyone

Microsoft has such a strong product in Microsoft Office. Microsoft Corp. President Stephen Elop seems to be someone who understands the interdependency of the Web ecosystem. But he has a tough road ahead if this kind of marketing continues from Microsoft.

We at WaveAdept are less concerned with the technology (as long as it works!) than what it delivers to the companies putting their hard earned dollars on the table to buy them. Once you have the tool set, be it Google Apps, Zoho, Microsoft BPOS or any other cloud offering, the real value comes not in the ’shiny ICT bullet IT’ but in how it both supports and extends the ability of the company to do what it is they are in business to do.

And so, check out the vids and then sit back and ask yourself, “What is it that any technology SHOULD be doing for us!” the features required will then fall out of that thinking and NOT the features themselves being the reason for chosing a toolset.

BTW: For another excellent post on the ongoing differences check out Wekadesign’s, “MS Exchange Local Vs Hosted Vs Google For 10,000 Users”

On with the next vid …

As we noted previously we are:

1. gutted WaveAdept staff can’t get to Webstock this year (especially after the last minute changes);
2. chuffed to be able to sponsor 2 Summer of Code students in our place.

So, #Webstock type people, your goal is to say hi to Kai and Bex who will be sporting WaveAdept T-shirts, giving out cards but most importantly of all looking to make career changing connections with you all.

And what better way than by playing Webstock Bingo!

Here’s simple steps to change that for all of the popular web browsers out there:

• Google Chrome on Windows: Making email links open with Google Apps Mail / Gmail
• Firefox on Windows / Mac / Linux: Set Gmail as Default Email Client in Firefox
• Internet Explorer on Windows: Making Gmail your default mail application (needs Gmail Notifier or Google Talk installed)
• Safari on Mac / Windows: Making Gmail your default mail application (needs Gmail Notifier or Google Talk installed)
• Ubuntu users: Set Gmail as Default Mail Client in Ubuntu

And finally here’s two searches on “mailto gmail” – use your favourite

• Google results …
• Microsoft Bing results …

So, how do you do it?
With Google Apps Script and following the Tutorial: Simple Mail Merge

We hope you find it useful.

If you’re lucky enough to be going to the Learning@Schools 2010 Conference (Wed 24th / Thu 25 Feb in Rotorua) we’d like to take a moment and pass on the following Google Apps breakout sessions as posted by Maria from Watchdog (a Google Apps re-seller focused on Google Apps Education Edition here in New Zealand)

Google kids learn better? – Interactive Presentation
Dave Winter (Project director, ConnectED Regional Cluster & ICT Manager, Southwell School) and Barbara Reid (Teacher & ICT Facilitator)
We’ve heard of google docs and apps. What can they do for students? Together we will discuss literacy in a google world. A few tips and tricks will appear from the crowd as we learn what a google connected class might mean.
When & Where: Breakout 1, Novotel Batten 2

Google Apps in Education – Interactive Presentation
Maria Casale – Watchdog Corporation
This session will cover in reasonable detail how to use the various aspects of Google Apps (Docs, Sites, Mail, Calendar & Video), and demonstrate how they can be used in the classroom, using lesson plans and examples by Google Certified Teachers. Group discussions and questions will be encouraged throughout the presentation.
When & Where: Breakout 2, Rydges Aintree 2, and repeated in Breakout Six, Millennium Room 2

Google Fest – Interactive Presentation
Dorothy Burt – Google Certified Teacher, Pt England School
Everyone has used at least one of the Google Tools and yet none of us is an expert in all of them. There is always lots more new and cool ideas out there. In this session you should come along prepared to participate as much or little as you feel comfortable. We will start out with a short ‘presentation from the front’ but the majority of the session will be a form of crowd sourcing. You will have the opportunity to come and demonstrate one of the Google Apps that you have used in your classroom or in your role as educator if you would like to. If that doesn’t sound like you, then sit back and enjoy learning from a wide variety of people. We tested this session format at ULearn09 and feedback from all bar one (didn’t read this blurb and thought he was coming to a lecture) said was a great session and left with lots of Google ideas to use. If you are coming to the GoogleFest and have something you would like to share, email me beforehand dorothy@ptengland.school.nz or ping me on GoogleWave dorothyjburt@googlewave.com
When & Where: Breakout 2, Novotel Batten 1