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Google Gears - The Offline Suite |
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Written by Hambaba
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Sunday, 03 June 2007 |
 Google Gears
is the latest creation from Google, but this product didn't go through the Google Labs as other famous Google products have before it (ie Google Docs, Google Maps, Google Desktop, and more. It seems Google has been working on this concept for some time and there has been a lot of rumors about Google entering Microsoft's arena: Software Applications. Google's approach is rather unique because they first built great online applications and now they are making them available offline.
This approach might make Google a competitive player in software applications by defining a new way of accessing applications. Over the last few years there has been much talk about making the "user's desktop" more mobile therefore enabling users to access their data with specified preferences and applications from anywhere in the world. If Google can expand their capabilities and give the required support to developers, then, we may witness a conversion of great online applications to offline applications.
Of course, there is a limit to the possibility because most popular online applications require interaction with other users such as social networks, but I believe the possibility of Google Gears will allow Web 2.0 developers to be more creative in creating applications. Imagine Facebook offline as a contact manager or Google Finance as an offline portfolio manager.
Google Gears will bring much relief to individuals who are fed up with basic computer programs being so expensive (MicroSoft Office and their ilk). It would be good to watch how the Open Source community will view this move and use it to their advantage.
Unfortunately, Gmail and Google Docs, aren't available offline through Google Gears yet, whereas, Google Reader is available in Google Gears. Time will show whether this move by Google will change the software industry.
Source:
Google Gears, Firefox Fears - IslamCrunch
Moving Web-Based Software Offline - NYT
Google Gears Lets Developers Take Apps Offline - TechCrunch
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