Google

I have used Google’s Chrome browser either on a PC or MAC since its release in September 2008. It always feels like Chrome is on the cutting-edge of browser enhancements. This is another example, in story from ReadWriteWeb:

Google Chrome Will Sync Multiple Browser Profiles

Hopefully, eventually, Google Chrome enhancements will completely eliminate the need to have two browsers open simultaneously.

Do you use Chrome? If not, what browser do you use?

My business is my law practice. I’m a small practice so being efficient is critical. I cannot have technology be an obstacle, it must be a benefit. That is where cloud services come in. The benefits of a local application, anywhere you can access the Internet, without the maintenance requirements. Below are four applications that are vital in running my business on a day to day basis:

1. Google Apps for Business. ($50 per user, but there is a free version). The suite of products that includes mail, calendar and contacts is the backbone of my communicaiton and contact management. The Gmail-like mail is super-flexible and it is nice to be able to login in almost anywhere and see the same interface.

2. Bill4Time. (plans starting at free trial, plans starting at $19.95 a month). Without billing, I would be operating a charity. To meet my billing needs, I use Bill4Time a web-based service that allows fairly detailed time tracking, invoicing and invoice management. It appears to be written for attorneys and CPAs.

3. Google Reader. (Free) I need to current on news and cases to communicate with my clients. I accomplish this through Google Reader which easily integrates without almost every other product I use.

4. Google Voice. (Free) My go-to service for managing communications, both spoken and textual. Google Voice allows me to have one telephone number that can forward to multiple numbers and the ability to text from the same number. The ability to manage my Google Voice account to a granular level from the web is also a plus.

What web-apps are critical in operating your business?

Text messaging is to phones as pillows are to bed. With Google Voice though you can text from just about any web-enabled device. I have talked about Google Voice before and it is one of my favorite web tools. The convenience of having one phone number to rule them all is wonderful. That one phone number is for voice calls and text messages. You can carry on text while sitting in front of your computer or typing on your tablet. You can ditch the cell phone but continue the conversation using a full keyboard. All of this and you can manage your text messages on the computer, through your Google Voice account.

If you have have not tried Google Voice, you can check out the website here or just watch the video Google put together to explain the service below.

Feedburner is a Google service that “provides custom RSS feeds and management tools to bloggers, podcasters, and other web-based content publishers.” Wikipedia It is highly recommended by many of the bloggers and podcasters that I follow and interact with. For example, in setting my podcast “Estate Planning Demystified” I “burned” the feed generated by my podcast host Libsyn creating a new feed, managed by Feedburner. It that new feed that I submitted to iTunes, the BlackBerry Podcast Store and other places.

A great idea — until I tried to log into to manage my Feedburner feeds and they were gone. That is right: completely vanished. I have been searching for days through Google help, customer support, Twitter friends with no luck in finding the feeds. Google Apps customer support told me that it was not apps issue even though the account which held the feeds was tied to my Google Apps account. The galling thing is that the feeds are active: when I added a new podcast to Libsyn it went out through the Feedburner and updated in iTunes!

Its like a carnival barker in the dunking game at the state fair, he continues to yell at you while you throw the 5 balls for ten dollars at a 3 inch by 3 inch spot. Frustrating.

This week’s TechTipTuesday looks at an app store for Google.  Google long ago push beyond being a killer search engine and advertising platform and started offering many applications for business. Google offers “Google Apps for Business” a productivity suite of web-based software that includes Gmail, calendar, contacts and many more utilities.

Last March, Google launched its Apps Marketplace, which provides a platform for third parties to create software to complement the native Google Apps applications.  You can browse, app store-style, hundreds of apps that work alongside your Google Apps.  If you have not had a chance, check out the Marketplace.

PCWorld recently identified its Top 5 Apps in the Marketplace.  This a good starting place for finding some applications to increase your productivity, effeciciency and, generally, make your life easier.

Read the PCWorld story.

Google has placed itself squarely in most people’s lives with search, advertising, Maps, Gmail, Docs and other applications.  It is only natural that Google would be a source of location services that allows people to easily locate your business.  Enter Google places.

Google places allows a business owner to place its’ business directly onto Google Maps.  Since Google is the world’s most popular search engine by a lot, it makes sense to easily found there.  Jay Fleischman discusses the benefits of Google places and how to set it up in his recent blog post, 6 Easy Steps To Setting Up Google Places For Your Law Firm.

Check it out here.

Google, in its continuing drive to make web applications feel desktop-like keeps refining its applications.   One recent advance:  drag and drop attachments in Gmail and Google Apps.  It’s now possible to select one or more file and drag it over your email and have it attach.

http://lifehacker.com/5518074/gmail-adds-drag+and+drop-attachment-uploads-deeper-calendar-integration