Grundig Consulting

For the last year, I have been using Google Docs as a replacement for Microsoft Office applications whenever possible.

What is it? Google Docs is a free set of online productivity applications from Google, including a Word Processor, Spreadsheet and Presentation Program.

What are some advantages of Google Docs? Google Docs can be accessed from any computer with a web browser and Internet access.  Simply login to your free account and begin creating documents, spreadsheets or presentations.  Documents can be saved at any time and accessedd from any computer with Internet Access.

Can Google Docs be used exclusively as a complete replacement for Microsoft Office? If you use Microsoft Outlook for email access, a switch to Google Docs is possible, but not always easy.  GMAIL, Google’s email program, can be used with the Google account.  However, most Outlook users are really attached to their Outlook inboxes.

What are your experiences with Google Docs?  Try it now if you have not used it yet.

You will probably pay more attention this year to your selection of a smartphone than to buying a computer.

The personal computer has been around since the early 1980s.  The original Macintosh followed shortly thereafter, in 1984.  Computers as we know them are over 25 years old.

Smartphones, on the other hand, such as the Blackberry from Research in Motion and the iPhone from Apple, are relative newcomers on the scene.  Today’s smartphones are packed with more computing power than the original computer models mentioned above.   They do many of the same things as any of today’s computers, such as accessing the internet, enabling easy communication by email and SMS (text message) and standard mobile phone capability.

What really sets then new smartphone devices apart from the PC and Mac worlds, though, is the pace of innovation in the smartphone area.  While the Blackberry defined the smarphone for several years, iPhone, a relative newcomer, has captured that imagination of many.  More importantly, Apple has released a programming toolset which enables and individuals or compans to create iPhone applications and sell them at the iPhone App Store.  Blackberry, and others, have followed suit.  Thousands of applications have been created and millions downloaded.

Why does this matter to you? IPhone and Blackberry development will continue at a feverish pace, allowing you to access more of the world from the device in your hand.  You may even find yourself using your computer a bit less as a result.

What’s the best way to decide which device to purchase?  Ask someone who has one! Do they like it?  What are the positives?  Any drawbacks? I currently have a Blackberry 8830, but am considering switching to an iPhone at some point in the near future, mainly because of the interface and applications available.

Please comment on your experience with Blackberry devices, iPhones or other smarphones.