Google Gears Changes The Game For Small Business

Perhaps an easy call, but back in February I tentatively predicted what has turned out to be Google Gears:

What does that application need to be in order to convert business users en masse? Well in my opinion, it’s a light desktop synchronisation tool that lets you read and write your gmail and google docs offline and have everything sync up when you connect. Google must be planning this, surely?

Admittedly there’s a little way to go before Google Gears makes a big difference, but take a look at this icon in the top right of Google Reader which allows you to read your blog feeds offline and synch them. [Another reason to check out the SmallBizPod screencast on Google Reader]

If GMail and Docs rapidly follow suit, then I think these applications quickly become compelling for very small businesses which make up the biggest percentage of the SME market.

Dennis Howlett and David Terrar would argue that much of Google Apps remains underpowered which is, of course, true, particularly when it comes to spreadsheets. Nevertheless enterprise software it simply doesn’t have to be for a very large proportion of small businesses.

In the not too distant future, I believe many will shift away from the rich towards the light. Productivity will benefit.

googlegears, google gears, SME, SMB, SaaS, small business

Alex is the founder and editor of SmallBizPod, the UK's first podcast dedicated to small business, start-ups and entrepreneurship. Alex writes about topical small business issues, entrepreneurs and anything else that catches his eye here on the small business blog. http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk