Google Apps For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) (Paperback)

~ Ryan Teeter (Author), Karl Barksdale (Author)
Key Phrases: press enter, calendar settings, fill handle, Google Apps, Start Page, Google Calendar (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Google Apps are Web-based, low-cost (or free!) office productivity tools that do everything those expensive applications do — and you can access them from any computer with an Internet connection. Google Apps For Dummies boosts your "app-titude" by giving you the low-down on choosing, setting up, and using these nifty and powerful gadgets for work or play.

Whether you're an individual who wants to take advantage of iGoogle or an organization looking for an enterprise-wide training solution for users at all levels, this comprehensive, practical guide brings you up to speed with all of the basic information and advanced tips and tricks you need to make good use of every Google Apps's tool and capability. Discover how to:

• Get productive fast with free or inexpensive Web-based apps
• Design your perfect Start Page layout
• Choose among the different editions
• Use Gmail and Google Talk
• Work with Google Docs and spreadsheet documents
• Create and collaborate on documents
• Import events into your calendar
• Build dazzling presentations
• Use Dashboard to create and manage user accounts
• Create a Web page with a unique domain setting

Google Apps are poised to shatter the primacy of the current way of working with PCs, saving businesses, schools, government agencies, and individuals big bucks on software, network infrastructure, and administration. Google Apps For Dummies is your key to making this revolutionary new approach work for you and your organization.

From the Back Cover

Get down to business with these online office tools

Create documents and spreadsheets, keep your calendar, use Gmail, and more

There's more than one way to do office stuff. Google Apps are Web-based, low-cost (or free!) office productivity tools that do everything those big guys do, and you can access them from any computer with an Internet connection. This book boosts your "app-titude" with the lowdown on choosing, setting up, and using them for work and play.

Discover how to:

• Choose among the different editions

• Register a new domain

• Use Gmail and Google Talk

• Create and collaborate on documents

• Import events into your calendar

• Build cool presentations

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies (April 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470189584
• ISBN-13: 978-0470189580
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #26,998 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book to Learn the Ropes, May 3, 2008

By	J. Kelly "GA Book Fan" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Full Disclosure first: I was the tech editor for the book.

The authors have done a great job of introducing some of the best tools that Google has made available to the public for FREE. I will admit that I thought there was no way you could pull me away from my Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) but I'm a convert now.

The books covers:

* Gmail - Google's email application and one that I'm 100% switched over to now.
* Documents - the word document application that I'm using right now to collaborate on a writing project with 2 other authors.
* Google Spreadsheets - the spreadsheet application which, no surprise, gives Microsoft Excel a run for its money
* Google Presentations - a slideshow application similar to PowerPoint
* Google Page Creator - a webpage design tool
* Calendar - a full-fledged online calendar that you can share with others or keep private
* More - coverage of Chat, Administering your Google Apps, manipulating files, etc.

For me, I use Google Gmail, Calendar, and Spreadsheets exclusively. I still need Word occasionally, but with the ability to import and export to and from Google Documents, I really haven't had any major issues yet with moving back and forth.

One caveat - Google Apps is CONSTANTLY being updated; the Google Apps team of developers seems to release updates and new features almost weekly or monthly, so use the book as an introduction but don't be surprised if there are undocumented features you come across that aren't covered in the book - probably not the author's fault as they can't predict every new feature.

Recommendation - Try out Gmail and Calendar first... then Documents, Spreadsheets, and Presentations. Once you're comfortable using Gmail and Calendar, you'll start to understand how nice it is to have all your data available on any Internet-connected PC. I'm actually able to leave my laptop home when I visit family because I can use their PC to access my email, calendar, and most of my work documents.

Favorite Feature: The ability to text-message my Google Calendar with an appointment and the Calendar auto-updates. PLUS I've configured it to text me two reminders: 1 text message a week before the event, and 1 text message the day before. All covered in the book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Book!!!!, June 12, 2008

By	Ari - See all my reviews

I knew nothing about google applications before I read this book and now I learned everything. The book is very well written, detailed and covers all the things you need to know about Google.

The book is a great way to quickly get started with the google applications as opposed to wasting time trying to learn everything by experience.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who is interested in using Google Applications.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another good book for Dummies, July 29, 2008

By	Al - See all my reviews

Tells you what you need to know to get started and to use Google Apps in a Google domain.