Yahoo Buys Zimbra: Beats Google for Web Office Leadership
Yahoo’s “launch” at TechCrunch40 today was the big yawner it was predicted to be: Yahoo Teachers, a known quantity.
Miichael Arrington did not “break” a Yahoo announcement of a $350 million acquisition of Zimbra at his Palace Hotel shindig, although he is citing “sources” at his blog that it is a done deal.
AND IT IS!
Will Google’s TechCrunch40 “launch” be a yawner as well? OR, will Google finally make good on its Google Apps promises: Gears enabled for offline happiness, a PowerPoint “killer,” JotSpot wiki goodness…?
With Zimbra in the hands of Yahoo, Google can no longer take its sweet Google Apps time. After all, the blogosphere’s favored Web-based productivity apps underdog, Zoho, is already Google Gears enabled!
READ my exculsive interview: Why Google Apps Competitor Zoho is Powered by Google Gears Offline
Zimbra is well on its way to online-offline nirvana, as its value proposition proudly underscores:
Zimbra’s rich AJAX interface is available on or offline to dramatically improve the collaboration experience. Zimbra is available on-premise or on-demand through our extensive hosted partner program.
Zimbra Web Client, Collaboration Suite 4.5:
Web client integrates email, contacts, shared calendar, VoIP, and online document authoring into a rich browser-based interface. Open source Zimlet technology for custom ‘mash-ups’ in the ZCS web client.
Zimbra Desktop:
Next generation leap forward for Web 2.0 applications, use Zimbra’s Ajax-based collaboration experience online and offline. Out of the office without a connection? (say, in a plane, train, or automobile); Keep working without missing a beat. Write email, add new appointments, edit documents and upon re-connection, changes will be automatically synced to the Zimbra Server.
WHEN WILL GOOGLE APPS START GEARING UP?
ALSO: Powerset Reveals Strategy: Sell Out to Google by 2009 and Zoho at Risk as Yahoo Zimbra Attacks Google Apps
ARE THE TECHCRUNCH40 REALLY THE NEXT BIG THINGS? FOR A REALITY CHECK SEE: Web 3.0: Madison Avenue Money Trumps TechCrunch40 Cool Apps
PLUS: Ning Hardcore Porn Platform: What is Andreessen Doing Wrong? and YAY! Matt Cutts Gets Google Slide Show: Ditch PowerPoint for Presentations?
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