WoW ! Just spent half an hour at Google marketplace, added 5 neat free application to my Google Apps account – Cant tell you how thrilled I am with the ease of use and the kind of functionality enhancements it brings to Google Mail, Docs, Calendar etc.
We have been reading & hearing about Google Marketplace for few weeks now, but I never expected it to be such a neat offering.
I can confidently say Google Marketplace is a phenomenon in making as is/was the Iphone Apps Market. I see many small companies making millions through this platform, at the same time many companies may soon close down (if they don’t decide to join hands). But before we talk about that, lets look closely at what Market place has to offer to a Google Apps user.
I use Google Apps for everything related to trak.in – Mail, Docs Calendar etc. – I have a free account which lets me add around 100 users. In last 3 years there has been very little downtime or any other issues for that matter. So, I am already a very satisfied customer Apps customer.
Now, with Google Marketplace coming into picture, I can extend the functionality of my Apps accounts in leaps and bound. I can currently add 100s of free (as well as paid application to my account).
The real scenario for Google Apps user
I added 5 free applications which will now extend my trak.in Google apps account to a full featured web based Project Management tool, a social Network, a collaboration & workflow application and even a Design Factory ! (BTW, I also added a 2 user Full Fledged ERP App :)
And all this for free !
Like I have mentioned before, adding these extensions to Google apps account is as easy a 1-2-3. Even a school boy could do it.
Repercussions on the Industry
In very simple terms, what Google has done is – Crowd sourced the work of building Apps functionality to hundreds and thousands of Internet companies & Individuals. Even at the time of launch, the marketplace seems to have hundreds of products & Services in different categories.
Now, with this model, it is just not possible for companies like Microsoft & Yahoo to compete with it. The only thing they can do is join the bandwagon, otherwise they will be at more than anyone else.
Initially, many looked at Marketplace as a serious challenge for Microsoft Exchange – but with the kind of functionality “Google Apps + Marketplace” is giving to its users, it just matter of time before most Enterprise users also start switching to it – There is just no competition….period !
Trust me, Google Marketplace is going to be a phenomenon… nothing short of it !
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