This week in Google Apps (April 18th)

Google Apps in the news:

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New Version Of Google Apps Directory Sync
The Google Apps team released a new version of their tool to continuously sync your LDAP groups, mailing lists, shared contacts, user profiles, and users to Google Apps.

This week Google introduced 14 new features:

- Improved Spreadsheets printing options and mobile printing
- Site owners are now able to recover accidentally deleted sites
- New Google Apps Migration version for Lotus Notes
- Pagination for Google Docs
- GAMME 2.2
- Deprecation of IMAP mail migration tool
- Users can now rename their email address
- New look for Settings in the Administrator Control Panel
- Organizational level chat settings can now be configured
- Admins now has more control for Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office
-“Don’t Forget Bob” Gmail update from Gmail Labs
- Gmail Themes now has background images
- New additional filters for Email Settings API
- Scheduled Release Tracks Updates

New additional filters for Email Settings API

Below are the new filters added to the Email Settings API:

-Email forwarding
-Option to never send it to spam
-Star it
-Send to trash

Gmail Themes now has background images

If your themes are enabled, it is now you to upload an image and customize their inboxes.

Note: To enable or disable themes, check the checkbox for themes in the admin control panel in “email settings”.

“Don’t Forget Bob” from Gmail Labs

“Don’t forget Bob” and “Got the wrong Bob”, two humorous sounding projects from Gmail Labs has now been fully integrated into Gmail. The purpose of said features is to prevent users from forgetting to CC a contact when sending an email, as well as sending a message to a different contact which has a similar name to the one you meant to send the email to.

Admins now has more control for Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office

Domains that already have the new interface for its “settings” section in the admin control panel now allow admins to control the ability of a user to install the Google Cloud Connect for Microsoft Office plug-in.

Note: This option is only available for a domain which has the new “settings” interface.

Organizational level chat settings can now be configured

A domain which has the new interface for its “settings” section in the Google Apps admin control panel will now be able to configure its organizational level chat settings.

New look for Settings in the Administrator Control Panel

Settings in the administrator control panel now have an improved interface. This brand new interface is now rolling out and will be available to all domains using the next generation control panel.

Users can now rename their email address

The option to change your email address can be found in the administrator control panel.

Note: If you are planning to use this option, it is highly advised that you first read the help center documentation.

Deprecation of IMAP mail migration tool

IMAP mail migration tool found in the admin control panel will be no longer accessible by April 30th. It is recommended to use Google Apps Migration for Microsoft Exchange utility which migrates email from IMAP mail servers, and which also supports migration from Google Apps, PST files, and Exchange Server 2003/2007/2010.

Google Apps Migration for Microsoft Exchange (GAMME) 2.2

- A number of IMAP bug fixes
- Better handling of both Primary and Secondary calendars from PSTs.
- Exchange 2010 support

Pagination for Google Docs

The new update to Google Docs allows users to see visual pages on their screens. Plus, Chrome users now have the ability to directly print from their browser.

New Google Apps Migration version for Lotus Notes

Google Apps Migration for Lotus Notes Version 3.1 is now downloadable and comes with several new features:

- Domino rooms resource provisioning.
- Resource calendar migration.
- New registration methods for users: ‘Choose users from Domino Directory’ and ‘Import from file’.
- Real time migration view and activity for every site.
- Ability to determine bandwidth requirements and time for selected user by means of integrated migration calculator.
- A connection test feature. This checks Google domain configuration and GAMLN plus proxy and firewall restrictions between the web and the Domino server.
- After migration, personal contacts can now be found under “My Contacts”.
- Note calendars when migrating are now not dependent on operating system settings.
- Google Calendar no longer needs initialization when it comes to Notes calendar migration.
- Group and user provisioning now employs three legged Oauth. Client Login is now deprecated.

Site owners are now able to recover accidentally deleted sites

Google Site owners now have the ability of recovering sites that were accidentally deleted. Once a site owner deletes a site by accident it is removed but can be recovered by visiting the site’s URL within 30 days of deletion. Owners must use these 30 days to fix the problem as there will be no way for him or her to recover the site after this grace period.

Note: This new option only applies to sites which were deleted after said update was released. Sites that were deleted prior to this update are covered by the recovery option.

Improved Spreadsheets printing options and mobile printing

Spreadsheet users now have the ability of choosing to include page numbers, sheet names, and titles when printing. Also, Cloud Print allows for printing of Spreadsheets using mobile devices.

Scheduled Release Tracks Updates

Implemented features for domains:

Gmail:

Linked phone numbers: Gmail users that converted their domains to the new account infrastructure and are able to see the “call phone” option on their Gmail (US English Only) now has the ability to call said number by clicking them.

Intended features for domains to be released on the 19th of April:

Gmail:

Users of Gmail now has the ability to auto add contacts after sending them a message.

Google Calendar:

Installation of Calendar Labs will become available.

Google Sites:

Recovery for accidentally deletes sites will now be available by visiting the deleted site’s URL within 30 days after it was deleted.