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When we discover something amazing – whether it’s a new local coffee shop or a tool that improves the way we work – we want to share it with people we know so they can also benefit.

For those of us who use Google Apps, the ability to access all of our documents from anywhere on any device and being able to seamlessly collaborate with colleagues or customers across the world, are impressive moments. These are moments we want to share with friends and colleagues because the more the people in our networks use Google Apps, the more seamlessly we can collaborate with them -- whether it’s video conferencing via Hangouts, working together on Docs or sharing calendars. Best of all, it means we can all begin to experience a new way of working.

Many of the millions of Google Apps customers learned about tools like Hangouts, Drive and Gmail for business from their customers, friends and networks. To help continue the momentum, we’re launching the Google Apps Referral Program. The referral program makes it easy to share Google Apps with your network and show them how they too can use these tools at work. To show our appreciation, we’re offering a $15 referral bonus for each new Google Apps user you refer.

Joining is simple. The Google Apps Referral Program is currently available for anyone based in the US and Canada. Find more program details here and start benefiting when the businesses you know sign up.

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Editor's note: This week we’re featuring news, stories and updates about our vibrant partner community as we host more than 700 partners for our second annual Global Partner Summit. Today’s guest blogger is Lorna Syson, founder of Lorna Syson, a British countryside-inspired home accessories company that sells directly online and in interior design shops around the world. Keep an eye on this blog and our Google+ page and visit our program site for more information on the Google Apps Reseller Program.


I have an assistant and interns who come and go, but for the most part, Lorna Syson -- an award-winning purveyor of British countryside-inspired interior accessories -- is a one-woman operation of five years. I wear many hats: founder, designer, salesperson, accountant, customer support specialist, IT admin and marketer.

People always ask me what my secret to success is -- it’s technology. Since the beginning, I’ve used Google Apps for Business to help me accomplish all these jobs. By accessing Google Apps on my smartphone and tablet, I’m able to manage my emails, calendars, inventory, invoices, and budget, all while running back and forth between meetings. The beauty of keeping records in Google Drive is that my assistant and I are able to update them simultaneously thanks to real-time collaboration.

Recently, I added Sage One, the online invoicing and accounting from Sage to my workflow and it works perfectly with Google Apps. Anytime I spend money or send a bill to a customer, Sage One captures the record and stores it in Google Drive. This way, I know exactly how much money I’m sitting on at the end of the day, and it helps me make smarter business decisions. Previously, I spent anywhere from two days to a week going through boxes of bills and entering them into Excel, trying to figure out how much money I had in my accounts and what payables were outstanding. Now with a couple of taps, I can see which customers are overdue on payments, find them in Google Contacts, and follow up immediately to settle the account.

Because I juggle so many roles, I find myself working from the road far more than from my office. I could easily be on a train, in a park getting design inspiration, or in a coffee shop. This wouldn’t be possible without the mobile capabilities of Google Apps and Sage One. These cloud-based services allow me to stay on top of all aspects of my business from literally anywhere. That, in turn, gives me the freedom to do the stuff that has to be done in person, like meet up with customers and suppliers face to face.

Now that I’m somewhat established in the UK, my next step is to expand internationally. It’ll take a lot more marketing and face time with prospective customers, but armed with the right mobile tools, anything is possible.

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Editor's note: This week we’re featuring news, stories and updates about our vibrant partner community as we host more than 700 partners for our second annual Global Partner Summit. Keep an eye on this blog, our Google+ page and visit our program site for more information on the Google Apps Reseller Program.

As our second annual Global Partner Summit comes to a close, we bid adieu to the 700 guests that joined us from all over the world for three days of thought leadership, networking and best practice sharing (and, of course, a bit of fun). Our partners heard from Googlers including Amit Singh, President of Google Enterprise, and Sundar Pichai, SVP of Android, Chrome and Apps, about the state and future of business technology, all while taking in the vision of our Enterprise business.
Amit Singh and Sundar Pichai discussing 2014 plans with our partners
We also announced a handful of exciting updates and launches to better support our growing partner community, including:

  • The news that we now have more than 10,000 Google Apps Resellers.
  • A formal technology partner track as part of the Google Apps Partner Program, to enhance our relationships with software vendors that build complementary business apps and tools.
  • A tiered Google Cloud Platform Partner Program. Our Premier tier recognizes top service and technology partners, while we've also opened up the program for new partners to join.
  • The launch of the Chrome partner program, which includes resellers of Chrome OS management console, as well as technology and content partners that develop business and education applications for the Chrome OS and browser.

    Finally, we’d like to congratulate our 2013 Global Partners of the Year:


    Our partners aren't just partners — they're a critical part of everything we do. From on-boarding and training new Cloud customers to creating specialized software to integrate with Apps, from reselling Chrome OS to managing change management, they ensure our customers get the most out of the technology they use.

    Until next year!

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    Editor's note: This week we’re featuring news, stories and updates about our vibrant partner community as we host more than 700 partners for our second annual Global Partner Summit. Keep an eye on this blog, our Google+ page and visit our program site for more information on the Google Apps Reseller Program.

    As many companies have realized for some time now, moving to the cloud is no longer a questionable proposition — it’s inevitable. Google offers core productivity, collaboration and communication tools within the Google Apps suite, but many companies have realized that to truly run their business in the cloud they need many more tools that address specialized needs like accounting, customer relationship management and project management.

    Four years ago — nearly to the day — we launched an online storefront to help our customers find cloud applications that integrated with Google Apps. Since that launch Google Apps customers have added over 200M installs of the more than 750 offerings in the Google Apps Marketplace, which run the gamut of business apps. From UberConference, which integrates conference calling with Hangouts, to DocuSign, which integrates digital signatures with Google Drive, customers can access great apps that help them run their businesses even better. Meanwhile, more and more software developers are finding a highly engaged customer base through the marketplace. Smartsheet, for example, which offers a project management app integrated with Google Drive, discovered that customers from the Google Apps Marketplace share their projects 50% more and add 100% more attachments than the norm.

    Today, to build on this momentum, we’re announcing a formal technology track in the Google Apps Partner Program for software vendors that build complementary business apps and tools. This new program will sit alongside our existing Reseller Program, which already includes 10,000+ partners. The new track is designed to recognize technology partners for their successes and offer them technical, marketing and sales support to help bring the products they build to more people.

    We’ll start with a limited launch and begin adding existing technology partners to the program today and we’ll open the doors to all software vendors next quarter. Interested in getting involved in the meantime? If you have a business app you think would benefit Google Apps customers, check out our program guide and list your app in the Google Apps Marketplace.

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    (Cross-posted from the Google Cloud Platform Blog.)

    Editor's note: This week we’re featuring news, stories and updates about our vibrant partner community as we host more than 700 partners for our second annual Global Partner Summit.Keep an eye on this blog, our Google+ page and visit our program site for more information on the Google Apps Reseller Program.

    As part of our continued investment in Google Cloud Platform, we have worked hard to build a great community of partners. These organizations provide everything from hands-on deployment and technical support to customized application development. Since its inception, we have welcomed 161 partners into the Partner Program.

    Today, we are expanding our Partner Program in order to recognize our top service and technology partners and provide the means for any company to qualify as a Registered Company. The Partner Program’s three tiers are highlighted below:

    • Premier Partner - all the benefits of the core partner program and access to premier level services. 
    • Authorized Partner - core partner program with branding, relationship management and access to online resources and training.
    • Registered Company - entry level status with access to online resources and training.

      These tiers are the first steps of many to further develop our partner community so we can provide the best possible experiences for everyone out there while working hand in hand with those companies that make it possible.

      If you're ready to join our community and help bring Google Cloud Platform to everyone please learn more and apply here.

      If you’re looking for technology or services partners with experience with Google Cloud Platform, check out our partner directory where you can find partners who can help you move to the cloud.

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      (Cross-posted on the Gmail Blog.)

      Whether you’re checking your email first thing in the morning or as you’re waiting in line at the grocery store, you want to get your messages as quickly as possible. With today’s update to the Gmail iOS App, it’s easier to do just that.

      The app now fully supports background app refresh, which means your Gmail messages will be pre-fetched and synced so they’re right there when you open the app—no more annoying pauses while you wait for your inbox to refresh. This feature requires iOS 7, and you’ll also need to turn on background app refresh and notifications (badge or any other type) for the Gmail app.

      The Gmail app also now supports sign-in across Google iOS apps, including Maps, Drive, YouTube and Chrome. Sign in to one, and you’ll be signed in to all (this also works for signing out). So you won’t have to type in that 27-character password or retrieve your 2-step verification code every time you navigate to another Google app. You may need to re-login after you update the app, but then you’ll be all set.

      Head over to the App Store now to download the updated app so you can save a bit more time each day.

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      Editor's note: This week we’re featuring news, stories and updates about our vibrant partner community as we host more than 700 partners for our second annual Global Partner Summit. Today, we hear from Simon Corbett, Founder & Managing Director of Jargon PR, based outside London. Keep an eye on this blog, our Google+ page and visit our program site for more information on the Google Apps Reseller Program.

      I worked at a few large PR companies for a decade before starting my own shop. I saw an opportunity for a small, nimble company to help businesses in the tech industry, and launched Jargon PR in a converted country barn outside London in 2008. Since then, we’ve grown to 12 people, added an office in the U.S. and even netted a few awards along the way.

      The PR industry is extremely competitive, and we’re always looking for ways to differentiate ourselves. A few years back, we realized there was an opportunity to do just that with Google Apps. Most of us were using Gmail at home and wanted to be able to create, share and collaborate on documents in real-time at work, too.

      There was one big, hairy obstacle in the way: we used Microsoft Outlook, worked on multiple devices and operating systems, and I had no idea how to switch to Google. How would this work if I was using a MacBook Air and another team member was on a PC? We needed someone to walk us through the process, hold our hand and make sure our work didn’t skip a beat along the way.

      That’s where Ancoris came in (and saved the day). I’d researched online to learn more about Google Apps Partners, and, after realizing Ancoris were just down the road from us, set up a meeting. The team had done dozens of these migrations, both large and small, and talked us through the process from start to finish, addressing each of my concerns. They took the ambiguity and fear out of the switch. A few meetings later, our Ancoris team came to our office to make sure everything went smoothly, and we were up and running in less than a day. It was quick — no drama, no stress.



      Now, gone are the old fashioned days of bad, hit-your-head-on-the-desk technology. No more asking someone to email the latest version of a document, and having to wait for different time zones to wake up to share them. We do all our work on shared Google Docs, so everyone has access to the most up-to-date information and can collaborate in real-time, whether they’re in London or California in somewhere in between. I can open a draft press release from the Drive app on my mobile phone while I’m sitting with my clients at the British Library’s Business & IP Centre. And as the company grows, it takes 30 seconds to set up a new employee with an Apps account, no training required — they’re already using it at home, so using it at work is an organic experience.

      Our partnership with Ancoris has continued far past the migration, too. They send us email newsletters with product updates and new features. They’re accessible on chat and via a tech hotline for quick, one-off questions. And because they’re local, they’re never too far away for an in-person visit. Moving to Google Apps, and doing it with the help of a great partner, has been a game changer for our business.

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      Last week, I spoke at a panel with a few peers at RSA, a leading security conference. Microsoft CISO Bret Arsenault, Verizon risk expert Wade Baker, security guru Bruce Schneier and I joined together onstage for a session entitled (and begging the question) “Is the Cloud Really More Secure than On-Premise?” It gave us the opportunity to wholeheartedly agree that the cloud can be as safe as — or in many cases, safer than — storing data on-premise. We even contemplated hosting our data in a rival’s cloud.

      It may not surprise you that we believe this — the cloud is what we do. Yet, it was great to hear the panel agree that computing should be outsourced to experts whose job is to provide the best possible security. Leading cloud providers have the size to invest more in security, the speed to react faster to threats and they can work harder to stay ahead of the bad guys.

      Millions of businesses have placed their trust in the cloud over recent years, and we take this responsibility seriously. Google’s business customers now include over half of the Fortune 500 and FTSE indexes, three quarters of the DAX, and more than 30 million students, teachers and other education staff.

      Looking towards the future, we’ll see even more organizations embrace the cloud — because, as many of our customers have testified, the cloud is often more useful and more secure than existing on-premise solutions. And as they do, you can expect us to evolve our protections and drive security innovations to continue to keep our customers safe.

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      This week the Google for Education team will be at SXSWEdu. This event brings together educators, innovators, startups, content providers, large companies and hackers, all focused on the same mission: providing the best learning experiences for students.

      As our team talks to educators and developers alike, we keep hearing the same thing — people want better ways to connect with each other and discover the best tools. Developers need feedback to make great apps, manufacturers want to understand what Administrators need from devices, and teachers need easy ways to find the right content.

      Today, in collaboration with many partners, the Google for Education team is announcing new tools that will help bring the best of edtech to schools.

      Providing even more affordable device choices to schools
      When it comes to technology deployments in education, affordability and manageability can make the difference between leveling the playing field or widening the gap. We’re pleased to see that Oakland Unified School District has chosen the Dell Chromebook 11 to bring 8,000 laptops to its 3rd through 12th grade classrooms, helping provide equitable access to information to all of their students.

      Today we’re also adding more choice for schools looking at Chromebooks. Samsung announced the new Samsung Chromebook 2 Series, with more than 8 hours of battery life, more memory, a faster processor and a more durable design. There are two models that will be available for both schools and consumers in April:

      • 11” Samsung Chromebook 2 in Classic White or Jet Black, for $319.99.
      • 13” Chromebook with a full HD resolution screen with 250-nit brightness and high-quality audio for a superb Google+ Hangouts experience. This device will come in Luminous Titan Gray for $399.99.

      The Samsung Chromebook 2 series adds to the already deep line up of Chromebooks for Education, including new Lenovo Yoga and Thinkpad Chromebooks, Toshiba Chromebook and Dell Chromebook 11.

      Making it easier to find the best content for students

      Tablets with Google Play for Education help K-12 schools put the right apps, books, and educational videos in the hands of students. Today we're introducing multiple improvements that make it easier than ever to incorporate the right digital content into the classroom:

      • Access thousands of K-12 books - Starting today, K-12 books are available to all schools using Google Play for Education. With a broad catalog ranging from classic literature to recent textbooks, it’s easy for teachers to get the right reading to each student. James Eichmiller, Director of Instructional Technology at Forest Park School District 91 in Illinois, helped test the program and appreciated the flexibility:
      "The books in Google Play for Education have been an outstanding classroom resource for us. Instead of buying a set of books and being locked into using them for years to come, our teachers enjoy having the freedom to select books that fit the needs of their current students and share them immediately. This differentiated approach is essential as schools adopt the Common Core and work to improve student reading abilities."

      • Find the best app for the job - It’s easier than ever for teachers to find the right content for their lessons. Reviews from Google Play give a quick view into pros and cons, and new app details show the grades, subjects, and common core standards an app supports.
      • Reassign apps as needed - When students transfer or change grades, schools shouldn’t lose the investments they’ve made in great apps. That’s why we’re adding the ability to reassign licenses for the educator-approved apps in Google Play for Education, starting on April 2. We're also making it easier for schools to keep tablets clutter-free by uninstalling apps remotely, right from Google Play for Education.

      Students read on Nexus 7 tablets at Edison Elementary in Council Bluffs, IA
      Learn more
      If you are about SXSWEdu stop by the Google Lounge in room 602 on the 6th floor of the Hilton Austin. If you aren’t here in person follow the action with hashtags #googleedu and #sxswedu.


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      Editor's note: This week we’re featuring news, stories and updates about our vibrant partner community as we host more than 700 partners for our second annual Global Partner Summit. Keep an eye on this blog and our Google+ page and visit our program site for more information on the Google Apps Reseller program.

      Millions of businesses around the world—from scrappy startups to large enterprises—rely on Google’s solutions for work. And many of them are supported by a community of partners, including more than 10,000 Google Apps Resellers globally, who help businesses set up and get more out of the Apps productivity suite.

      We’ve seen our partner program grow up quite a bit since it was launched in 2009. But it’s not just growing in size — our community has gotten increasingly diverse, with IT providers from a variety of backgrounds and specialties joining us in the last few years. New partners include well-established companies, like CDW and SHI, who have provided IT solutions to customers since before tools like Hangouts or Drive ever existed. Wix and Weebly, two of the most popular website builders for businesses, also recently integrated with Google Apps after seeing the benefits it provided their own customers. These partners, like UK-based Grove Group, are driven to give their clients IT solutions that drive a better way of working.

      This week, we’re hosting our second annual Global Partner Summit in San Francisco to celebrate the contributions of partners across Google Apps, Enterprise Search, Chrome, Cloud Platform and Maps for Business. The three-day summit brings together more than 700 partners to collaborate on business plans, share best practices, and engage with product experts. At the end of the week, we hope our partners will leave energized with fresh ideas for how to better help their customers.