Increase your sales team’s CRM adoption
Our sales team spends most of their time in the inbox. Moreover, using a CRM requires additional work for them to be able to manage data outside of their email. With Collabspot, adopting to a CRM such as Highrise becomes easier and this has led us to a more efficient sales workflow.

• We can instantly view contact info, upcoming and recent activities.
• Managing Deals and Cases is a breeze
• When composing an email, we can BCC to Highrise with the click of a button.
• Search for Highrise contacts from the sidebar

The recent update to the UI made all the information displayed by the extension easier to recognize and to navigate. It uses different colors to designate different types of data in Highrise. The new UI also now behaves like a drawer, so it is unintrusive when we’re doing usual work in our inbox. These are examples of how the team behind Collabspot is constantly making CRM adoption easier for their users.

Simplify data entry into Highrise
Having easily accessible data have encouraged our sales team for better engagement and towards more efficient use of the CRM.

• Without opening Highrise, we can add contacts, tasks, notes, deals, and cases.
• We can even log emails to Highrise with a single-click!

There is an update just a few days ago that introduces capturing more data from an email. This means that upon creating a contact, two more fields are automatically extracted from the email: phone number and postal address. We think this i further simplifies data entry into Highrise.

Improved data quality
As a marketing/sales representatives and business developers, we can easily keep customer information up-to-date. Collabspot prevents new leads from falling through the cracks by displaying correspondence history of any Highrise contact.

Interested users can install the extension through the Collabspot website: http://www.collabspot.com. It also contains a success stories page with people who beared witness on how helpful the extension really is.

Collabspot is for Google Chrome. It starts with a 15-day free trial, then plans start at $5/month afterwards.

•  Search The Web Using Google Docs
• Schedule Release Tracks Updates

Search The Web Using Google Docs

A new update to Google Docs will let users search information from the web from within Docs itself. Using the new research pane, users will now be able to search for images, quotes and maps and add them to your document.

Schedule Release Tracks Updates (May 22^nd)

- Sites: Site editor keyboard shortcut

- Docs: Document migration to the new document editor

- Drive: “opt-in” rollout phase for Google Drive

Features to be released today, May 22nd

- Docs: Government domains will now have discussions and comments options.
- Gmail: Title Tweaks, Smart Mute and Message translation will graduate from Gmail Labs..

-Rollout For Version 3.1 Of Google Apps Sync For Microsoft Outlook

-Scheduled Release Tracks Updates (May14th)

Rollout For Version 3.1 Of Google Apps Sync For Microsoft Outlook

In 2 to 3 weeks time the Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook 3.1 will be rolling out.

The new features include:

• New users will have a new registry key for the purpose of hiding the Synchronization Status
• Synchronization Status now shows disabled services
• Fix for “Error reported”

Scheduled Release Tracks Updates (May14th)

Features to be released on May 15th

Sites

Sites editor keyboard shortcut

Docs

Rolling out of new Google Documents version of May 16th

Drive

Roll out of the “opt-in: phase of Google Drive to scheduled track domains

Opt-in phase includes:

•    Users can opt-in to Drive by visiting drive.google.com
•    Users opting in will be shown an interstitial along with a video
•    Users visiting docs.google.com shall be directed to drive.google.com
•    Documents navigation will be changes to “Drive”

BetterCloud launched a beta version of their Google Apps management tool FlashPanel which will be publicly available by the middle of 2012.

Pricing for the tool is yet to be announced, but it promises these features:

• Domain management from one dashboard: Ability for domain admins as well as managed services providers access to domain vitals such as users, organizational and group units, active profile tracking and quota usage for Google Docs, and unused and suspended seats.

• Granular management and shared contacts: Everyday domain management stuff like syncing shared contacts to with mobile devices and adding users to new groups.

• End-user tools: Including standardized email signature standardization creates a unified company brand. Also, Apps Butler, integrated with Google Chat, retrieves company directory contact information on-demand and can be used to broadcast company-wide announcements.

• Reporting, surveillance and user on-boarding: On demand scans which provides data on email inboxes and domain stats. User on-boarding gives administrators the ability to provision as well as de-provision employees right from the FlashPanel.

BetterCloud also has a security tool for Google Apps administrators in the form of DomainWatch. The tool allows managed services providers as well as customers a more detailed view and control how end users use Google Apps on a daily basis.

Auto Massage Translation

This feature automatically translates any email if you are not certain of the language used.

Any time you receive an email written in a language not familiar to you, all you have to do is click on the header right above the message and it will be instantly translated to your default language.

Title Tweaks

The text in the browser tab now reads ‘Inbox (20) user@example.com – Gmail’ instead of ‘Gmail – Inbox (20) – user@example.com’.

Smart Mute

Smart Mute comes in handy for conversations on CC’d emails that just won’t stop. Now, users have the ability to “mute” the thread if you are tired of getting updates about the conversation.
All muted messaged will bypass your inbox but will remain in archive.

How to use it:

• Select conversation you wish to mute
• Select “More” then click on “Mute”

Gmail now gives its users the ability to delegate contacts to another person within your domain. Just like delegating your mail, you now have the ability to delegate up to 25 of your contacts.

How to do it:

• Go to your Google Mail account
• Click on “Mail” and then select “Contacts”
• Go to the “More” tab and click on “Manage delegation settings”
• Type in the email addresses you want your contacts t be delegated to and click “Share and save”
• Click “Done”

You now have delegated your contacts to specified users. Your name will now appear under that person’s ‘Delegated Contacts’. By clicking on your name, others will now be able to access your contact list.

• Redesigning of Google Groups
• Version 4.05 for Google Apps Device Policy Available
• Migrating of Google documents on the 16th of May
• New Features For Gmail
• New User Interface for Google Apps Control Panel Dashboard
• Scheduled Release Tracks Updates

Redesigning of Google Groups

Google has completely redesigned Google Groups. Here are some of the new features:

• Improved user interface
• Collaborative inbox
• Ability to assign and take topic functionality
• Multi-domain support
• Advanced search options
• New way to view group content

Version 4.05 of Google Apps Device Policy Available

Google Apps Device Policy version 4.05 is now available for Andriod users with these improvements:

- Multiple Account support: Google Apps Device Policy app allows users to register with multiple Google Apps domains.
- New supported settings for Android in the Google Apps control panel Settings > Mobile > Org Settings:

•  Number of days before password expires for Android 3.0+
•  Number of expired passwords that are blocked for Android 3.0+
•  Allow/block camera for Android 4.0+

Migrating of Google documents on the 16th of May

On Wednesday, the 16th of May, Google will start the migration of Google legacy documents which were created before July 2010 to its new document editor.

The new editor will have these features:

- Real time collaboration
- Higher-quality imports
- Built in ruler
- Chat with other collaborators

New Features For Gmail

These new features have recently been added to Gmail.

- Automatic language translation
- The text in the browser tab now reads “Inbox (20) – user@example.com – Gmail” instead of “Gmail – Inbox (20) – user@example.com.”
- A change to the way “Mute” works

New User Interface for Google Apps Control Panel Dashboard

Last April 30th ushered the start of the roll out for the new Control Panel Dashboard user interface for Google Apps.

Google Apps for Government and Education users will get start getting the update from late May to early June of this year.

Scheduled Release Tracks Updates

Implemented features for domains

- Gmail: More compact version its “compact conversation”
- Gmail: Google Plus people widget

There have been numerous updates to Google Docs for the past few months. But personally, one my favorites would have to be the new fonts added to it.

For those who use Google Docs for presentation, 450 new fonts have been added to the platform. This gives users much more freedom in terms of customizing the look and feel of their text presentation.

In order for you to use the new fonts, all you have to do is click on the font menu and choose the option “Add fonts” found at the bottom. You will then be taken to a menu where all the Google Web Fonts are available.

One you selected the new fonts you wish to add, they will then become available on the font menu.

-Contacts Delegation

-New Version Of Google Apps BlackBerry Enterprise Connector

-Admin Managed Storage For Google Drive

-Google Drive

-New Features For Gmail

-Scheduled Release Tracks Updates

Contacts Delegation

The new feature called “Contact Delegation” gives user to delegate total access to contacts on their “My Contacts” group without them having to grant them access to anything else on their accounts.

New Version Of Google Apps BlackBerry Enterprise Connector

The new 4.5 version of Google Apps BlackBerry Enterprise Connector is out with these improvements:

-BlackBerry Administration Service (BAS) automatic user password generation support.
-New Configuration Settings page added to easily enable basic features like read receipt and send as support.
-PST file corruption has been resolved.
-Auto fix of any corruptions by Google Apps Connector.

Admin Managed Storage For Google Drive

Admins are now able to purchase added storage space on Google Drive and manage/distribute it through their Google Apps control panel. This new feature is covered by Google’s 99.9% uptime guarantee as well as 27/7 customer support.

This feature only applies to Google Drive.

Google Drive Is Now Active

Google Drive in a nutshell is a file synchronization application the grants users access to 5GB of cloud storage. Files can be accessed via the Google Drive client, Google Drive mobile app or through any web browser.

New Features For Gmail

These new features were added

-Ability to share inline images and YouTube videos in Gmail messages

-Ability to directly add users to your Google+ Circles from Gmail messages

There is also a new feature found on the upper right of the screen called People Widget. The said widget allows you to click the last three images a contact has sent. Doing so will take you to the email where that message originated.

Scheduled Release Tracks Updates

Gmail:

-Updated compact conversation

-Google+ people widget

In internet marketing circles Dropbox is a household name and is one of the most important tools used in the trade. So it was no surprise to find out that someone would try to rival the platform.

Enter Google Drive!

Now it was expected that Google would come up with something like Dropbox. I mean they already have the foundation and means in the form of Google Docs. And with Google Drive, it is just a matter of time until Google fully controls the files sharing market.

Anyway, here is what you can do with Google Drive.

With Google Drive, you can:

• Create and collaborate. If the idea of Google doing a Dropbox doesn’t tickle your fancy, imagine a merging it with the collaborative aspect of Google Docs. Being fully integrated with Docs, you can instantly add and reply comments on any file you share with your contacts.
• Access files anywhere. Google Drive gives you instant access to your files. Whether you’re in your home, office, or on some deserted island you are assured of total access to your files as long as you have access to the internet. Drive can be used regardless if you are a PC or MAC users and can also be downloaded to your Andriod tablet and phone. News is that Google is also working on a Drive app for iOS devices.
• Search everything. Drive allows you to search keywords and filter it by owner, file type, etc. And one thing that might make you smile a bit is Drive’s ability to recognized scanned documents. Using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology, Drive can recognize text of actual scanned documents.

Lastly, storage space for Google Drive starts at 5GB for its free version, 25GB for $2.49 per month, 100GB for $4.99 per month, and for space whores a whopping 1TB for $49.99 per month. And if that not enough, your Gmail account storage space also expands to 25GB when you upgrade your Drive to a paid account.

So if you’re now asking for a link as to where you can start using Google Drive, that I can give you. What I can’t though is a working version as Google Drive is still not available to the public. Yep! Google is teasing us and waiting to see how much saliva can ooze out of our watering mouths. But this is something I can’t complain with. If I was able to wait for Starcraft and Diablo for more than ten years, I’m pretty sure a few months waiting for Google Drive won’t be an issue.