Google promotes 'easy upgrade' to Apps suite

Google has stepped up its attacks on Microsoft this week

Google has continued to snap at Microsoft's heels in the office applications space this week with a blog post claiming to show how easy it is to upgrade to Google Apps.

Matthew Glotzbach, enterprise product management director at Google, followed up last week's announcement that more applications will be accessible through Google Apps accounts with a thinly veiled attack on the newly launched Office 2010 suite.

"What will customers need to do to access all this new functionality? Simply refresh the browser," he said.

"No 64-bit servers to purchase, no complex software prerequisites (28 of them for SharePoint 2010 alone!), no backup systems to install, no virtual private network connectivity issues to worry about. It's an upgrade that will truly change the workplace."

Glotzbach continued by promoting the ease with which an organisation can personalise its set-up based on Google services and complementary third-party functionality.

"Businesses need specialised accounting tools, customer relationship management systems, marketing automation capabilities, project management tools and much more," he said.

"Through the Apps Marketplace and our developer tools, customers can integrate third-party cloud services with Google Apps and enhancements they develop themselves. The possibilities are limitless."

Google has stepped up its attacks on Microsoft this week to coincide with the launch of Office 2010, which offers a far greater challenge to Google in the on-demand space with the addition of Office Web Apps.