Google Apps (http://www.google.com/apps) is a free email and collaboration service
provided by Google for small organizations. The email system is based on Gmail, a
lightweight and dynamic web application. The collaboration platform includes shared
documents, chat, calendar and other useful software. Google Apps has been around for
a few years and was a free service for all domains until early 2009. Now, it is free only
for domains with 50 or less accounts. If the domain owner needs more users, he has to
subscribe to the Premium service. Educational institutions, however, can still get Google
Apps for free for an unlimited number of students.
Google is able to give this service for free because it is able to earn revenues from the
ads that it displays along with the email application. The good thing is that the ads shown
are not obtrusive and will not distract the user. Also, the free edition is subsidized by the
premium edition which includes more power features as well as a 25GB storage space for
emails.
SMEs in Bohol should take advantage of Google Apps because it allows them to have their
very own email name on their own domain name. For marketing and communicating with
vendors and customers, an email address like info@mycompany.com looks more prestigious
and professional than info_mycompany@yahoo.com or info_mycompany@msn.com. And
why not? It is free and configuration is included in Auza.Net’s website development and
hosting service.
Email Auza.Net at info@auza.net or call our sales office at 038-501-8459.