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By Nancy Conner
May 2008
Pages: 740
Series: The Missing Manuals
ISBN 10: 0-596-51579-0 |
ISBN 13: 9780596515799
Press Release
(Average of 1 Customer Reviews)
This comprehensive and easy-to-follow new book teaches you how to use the new web-based applications from Google that are providing a viable alternative to Microsoft Office for many businesses. While Google's office suite shows a lot of promise, navigating what you can and can't do and -- more importantly -- understanding how to do it isn't always easy. With this book, you can get the most out of Google web-based business suite.
Full Description
Among its many amazing applications, Google now has web-based alternatives to many of the applications in Microsoft Office. This comprehensive and easy-to-follow new book enables you to explore Google's new office applications in detail. Once you do, you'll be in good company -- more than 100,000 small businesses and some corporations are already looking to take advantage of these free Google offerings.
Google Apps: The Missing Manual teaches you how to use three relatively new applications from Google: "Docs and Spreadsheets", which provide many of the same core tools that you find in Word and Excel; and Google Calendar and Gmail, the applications that offer an alternative to Outlook. This book demonstrates how these applications together can ease your ability to collaborate with others, and allow you access to your documents, mail and appointments from any computer at any location.
Of course, as remarkable as these applications are, Google's office suite is definitely a work-in-progress. Navigating what you can and can't do and -- more importantly -- understanding how to do it isn't always easy. And good luck finding enough help online. Google Apps: The Missing Manual is the one book you need to get the most out of this increasingly useful part of the Google empire. This book:
Google Apps: The Missing Manual teaches you how to use three relatively new applications from Google: "Docs and Spreadsheets", which provide many of the same core tools that you find in Word and Excel; and Google Calendar and Gmail, the applications that offer an alternative to Outlook. This book demonstrates how these applications together can ease your ability to collaborate with others, and allow you access to your documents, mail and appointments from any computer at any location.
Of course, as remarkable as these applications are, Google's office suite is definitely a work-in-progress. Navigating what you can and can't do and -- more importantly -- understanding how to do it isn't always easy. And good luck finding enough help online. Google Apps: The Missing Manual is the one book you need to get the most out of this increasingly useful part of the Google empire. This book:
- Explains how to create, save and share each of Google's web-based office applications
- Offers separate sections for Docs and Spreadsheets, Google Calendar, and Gmail
- Demonstrates how to use these applications in conjunction with one another
- Gives you crystal-clear and jargon-free explanations that will satisfy users of all technical levels
Featured customer reviews
Many Useful Apps, September 10 2008
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At our June meeting, Bob Van Lier’s topic was a demo of Google Apps. Little did he know that O’Reilly would be publishing a book in a few months on this very topic! Nancy Conner describes many of these apps (applications to the unfamiliar) in Google Apps: The Missing Manual ($39.99, O’Reilly, May, 2008, 711 pp.).
For many of us, Google is our favorite browser. It’s easy to navigate and search for topics. But for many others, Google offers many free apps to make our lives easier. Most of these are unfamiliar to the uninitiated. But Conner offers an inside look into many of these and how they can enrich our lives (and our pocketbooks!).
One of the most popular programs, for example, is Gmail (for Google, of course!). This is a free mail program that is extremely user friendly. Want to quickly create word processing files, spreadsheets and slideshow presentations? No, you don’t need to run out and buy Microsoft® Office for several hundred dollars. Just use Google apps and break free of Office.
Typical Apps
Here is just a sampling of Google apps that can work for you:
Google Docs – Word processing
Google Docs Spreadsheets - Spreadsheets
Google Docs Presentations – Presentations
Gmail – Mail app
Google Talk – Chat program
Google Calendar – Calendar (Look out iCal!)
iGoogle – Organize your Google apps on your own web page
What do all these programs have in common (besides being from Google) ? They all are web-based apps. In Conner’s easy to understand description:
“Simply put, they’re programs you access over the Internet. You point your Web browser to the place where the application lives online, and then work with it in the same way you’d work with program that lives on your computer.” How hard is that to understand?
She goes on to explain that Google’s online offerings can be fired up by your Web browser. Just point it to http://docs.google.com and sign up for a free account. It’s really that easy. This book, of course, will help you through the rough spots.
Web Based Apps
Why be Web-based? Conner has several reasons:
• Portability – You can use the app on any computer, not just your own
Mobility – Easy to use with mobile devices
• Collaboration Simple to share with other users
• Integration – Communicate with other apps such as Office
• Updates and bug fixes – No more updates since the version you’re on is the latest
Gadgets
One of the most unique Google apps is Gadgets. According to Conner, gadgets are “a mini-program that displays information and interacts with you.” Since they are small in size, they are easily configurable.
Conner shows you how to add them to your Web page and tweak them to your liking.
Although the price of the book is $39.99, ApplePickers members can get up to a 35% discount by using discount code DSUG when ordering directly from O’Reilly.
Ordering one book will get you 30% off, buy 2 or more will get you 35% off and any order over $29.99 will qualify for free shipping.
Conclusion
Although this book is not for everyone, users who want to actively take advantage of Google’s many apps will find this book immensely helpful. Where else would you learn how to create a wiki?
Media reviews
"One of the beauties of the Missing Manuals is that there is always something new to discover and the research is quite thorough...I kept finding snippets of information, in the way of Tips or Notes, that would give just that bit extra."
-- Graham K. Rogers, Bangkok Post
"I have reviewed quite a number of Missing Manual books and I am always impressed with them. David Pogue is a Mac master and the depth of his knowledge shines through."
-- Roger Bernau, ACT Apple User Group Incorporated
"It was inevitable. Google's applications are so widely used that it was certain that there would be a "Missing Manuals" book about them sooner or later. Nancy Conner's contribution to the MM series shows just how powerful Google Apps can be, and how businesses as well as individuals can get the most out of everything that Google has developed."
-- Warren Kelly, Blogcritics Magazine
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"One of the beauties of the Missing Manuals is that there is always something new to discover and the research is quite thorough...I kept finding snippets of information, in the way of Tips or Notes, that would give just that bit extra."
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