Google takes aim at Microsoft with aggressive offer

Google has fired off a direct challenge to Microsoft Office in an effort to halt some of the momentum around Office 365 and entice users over to Google Apps for Work.

For Office customers with Microsoft Enterprise Agreements (EA) who switch to Google Apps for Work, Google is offering to pay the Microsoft fees for the remainder of the period and chip in up to $25 per user for migration and deployment fees, in return for a 12 month commitment once the EA has run out.

It is a direct challenge to Office 365 which has been growing at an impressive rate and the launch of Office 2016 which is heavy on the collaboration features that have long been a strength of Google Apps, plus the increased availability of Office on mobile devices. It is also part of Google’s strategy to increase its enterprise footprint.

Google Apps in the enterprise received a boost when PricewatehouseCoopers become both a partner and customer for Google Apps last November, when it took the decision to roll Google Apps out to 45,000 staff, and effectively became an enterprise sales arm for Google Apps, addressing a weakness in the Google armoury and creating a new pain point for Microsoft. However, another high volume high profile Google Apps customer, GE, returned to Microsoft recently so Google’s progress is far from straightforward.

Google is making a cheeky attack against EA’s which are a powerful customer retention tool for Microsoft. It is hard to see Google Apps making major headway on the basis of this promotion (currently available in the US and Canada but likely to be rolled out across other regions) but it pays to look at the bigger picture: Google will be hoping that enterprises exposed to Google Apps will adopt its other cloud platform offerings, enabling it to win business against Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. This cloud platform 'land and expand' strategy is also being actively pursued by Microsoft.

Holding partnership status with both Microsoft and Google, Haptic Networks are committed to keeping our customers up to date with developments and advice regardless of your chosen platform.

Chrome VS Microsoft: Battle of the Century?

Chrome VS Microsoft?

In the Red Corner….the Mammoth Machine, Microsoft
In the Blue Corner…..the Calculating Kraken, Chrome

AAAA LLLLLETS GET READY TO RUUUUUMMMBLE!!!

Or not, as it so happens.

Having (for donkeys years) watched Microsoft practically dominate technology, it seemed as if the Klitschko-esque Windows and MS Office faced no conceivable threat. As the more recent arrival of Google Chrome steps confidently through the ropes I’d assumed that two of the giants of our time would fight tooth and nail to ensure it held the majority. After the final punch landed, customers would be forced to pick a side and stick with it.

However the more I work with Chrome the more I see they’re doing something unusual for a global tech firm- they accept their limitations and the market as it is rather than the market they want.

Chrome have certainly been clever in their endeavour. They’ve identified that organisations don’t just switch en-masse to a whole new software/hardware ecosystem (especially when they’ve invested heavily over a number of years in Microsoft Infrastructure).
As such they’ve made it easy for customers to have their own way. For example, simple things like Google Active Directory Sync (GADS) which means employees/students simply carry on using their existing login details, and IT admins can still manage users with their existing group structure.
Using Office 365? Like it? Think this puts the kybosh on Chrome?....Think again.

As we know Office 365 was designed with mobility in mind; one user, many devices, a Chrome device (be it a Chromebook or a Chromebox) is just another device; From Google Apps you can pre-install all the major Microsoft applications onto the Chrome device- sure they’re web based but the difference between Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Outlook online and a locally installed program, is negligible.

Most importantly this means users aren’t confronted with the ‘dreaded change’, they are met with the same familiar, friendly icons, same features and most importantly, files in the same place.
Sure there is a Google App to do just about anything, including several which are arguably better and easier to use than the Microsoft versions, but the fact is that if you wanted to have a Chromebook and never actually use a program with the letter G in it you can.

Effectively Chrome OS is providing an option for:

Devices with faster boot times (It would be a challenge to find a Windows notebook for under £200 which boots in under 9 seconds…)
Better battery life- think back to the dark days of Netbooks, literally dark days as you’d have to have screens so dark it was like watching the Blair Witch Project to eke 5 hours use out of them! Now think even budget Chromebooks will run brightly for 6 hours straight
No Viruses or Malware; Due to the design of the OS you don’t have to worry about users downloading dodgy software as put simply, they can’t
Straightforward Management- the Chrome Management Platform is frankly a thing of simplistic beauty, no powershell, no CLI, no sitting there remembering which exact Command is needed, just straight forward tick boxes and drop down menus, yet still the same (if not more) level of control and customisation
Due to constant updates and users profiles loading automatically regardless of device support time is greatly reduced.
True mobility- everything is stored in the cloud therefore multiple users using a single device isn’t a problem, users get the same applications and files regardless which Chrome OS device they use

Ultimately Chromebooks give a low cost, high performance, minimal time investment solution to mobile devices for users, with the flexibility to pick and mix and which aspects of Googles offerings you use and which Microsoft products you continue to utilise. It’s less a matter of ‘pick a team’ and more of a group hug than you might imagine.

to read more about Chromebooks click here

If you'd like to trial some Chromebook devices contact us here

Content Consumption VS Content Creation: The Battle of the Devices

Haptic Networks recently announced that we are now one of a small handful of Google partners in the UK.

Recent independent study has highlighted that Chromebooks have become the fastest selling mobile device in the U.S and we have been busy discussing their benefits to clients in the UK market.

Regular feedback we hear from customers includes "we are an Apple house" or "We prefer touchscreen tablets".

This post aims to briefly outline some key differentiators between Chromebooks and tablet devices and why comparing them to one another comes at the cost of their relative benefits.

Tablets

Although some users (as well as Apple’s marketing machine) may disagree, tablets are designed primarily for content consumption. Designed to keep you scrolling for hours at a time, flipping between apps consuming the information supplied. These are consumer based units that have been adopted by the commercial and public sectors for use in a work environment.

Do they help in the day to day work environment? In some ways, certainly.

Do they offer benefits over a laptop and PC? Again yes they do, ease of use is a big thing for today's pupil or professional.

Can you quickly create a new document with ease and distribute this to a colleague half way across the world? On the majority of touch screen tablets this will be more time consuming and in some instances impossible.

Most users of iPad or any other tablet will also possess a Notebook/PC alongside a Tablet for this exact reason.

Who reading this has attempted to write a long email using the on screen keyboard of their tablet? If you’re anything like me (chubby digits) it’s a long process of constantly battling tiny keys, awkward layouts not to mention the repetitive undoing of the "useful" auto-correct features that tablets today offer.

Content consumption is great for home users, it also has a place in Business/Education…….Content creation? Now that is the key to unlocking a device’s potential.

Chromebooks

In the US, Chromebooks have seen a huge surge in demand and deployment. There is good reason for this – Customers, whether professional or pupil, there exists a need to be able to use Applications, browse with ease and of course create documents when required. Chromebooks are made for content creation which in essence is what our work and Education relies heavily upon.

Whether you’re creating quotes or proposals, assignments and development projects all of this is made simple with Chromebooks. Factor in the benefits of a fully functional App store too and the user receives the best of both worlds.

Content is pretty much useless unless you can share and access it, with Chromebooks you can keep your content in the cloud so you don’t even need your Chromebook to access it, a simple username and password at a desktop anywhere in the world will recover the information you need.

Below I have briefly covered the benefits of Chomebooks over Laptops and Tablets.

Replacing PC’s with Chromebooks can cut your total cost of ownership by almost 75% over 3 years.
They feature an easy to manage web based OS that is incredibly secure, fast, reliable, and easy to use.
Centralised, web based device management means lower total cost of ownership:
1. Update an entire fleet of Chromebooks with just a few clicks
2. Preinstall and block web apps, track assets, create user groups and more
Battery life of 6.5 hours to 15 hours plus - lasts an entire work/school day
Spend more time working and less time managing devices - Chromebooks switch on in 8 seconds
New operating system released every 6 weeks with no need for backups, patches, data migration or reimaging - This means you are always on the latest and greatest operating system regardless of the age of the Chromebook
Seamlessly integrate with the Google Apps for Education FREE Suite of tools
£19 Software Management (Edu) fee per device for life includes 24/7 support directly from Google Enterprise.
They have a Qwerty keyboard as standard No need to send my fingers to boot camp….

It's also important to remember just how much of the Chrome OS happens without the user ever needing to lift a finger. These machines are updated on an almost monthly basis, just like the Chrome browser for your laptop or PC.

Based in Northamptonshire, UK. Haptic Networks supply both the Google Chrome Management Platform and the Chromebook devices themselves to Schools, Colleges and Businesses across the UK. We also provide on and off site training to aid the transition and adoption of new technologies.

Our tech team implement the solution from a learning perspective and how it benefits the individual site and their teaching experience.

We provide a fully managed 1:1 scheme for Chromebooks and other mobile devices for schools looking to roll out hardware to all students. Our offering incorporates everything from parent notifications, School payment portals and full insurance and repair servicing.

For more information, or to ask us for a Chromebook trial click here

Chromebooks outsell Windows Laptops for the first time

US Business to Business (B2B) sales of Chrome OS devices surpassed 50% in the period between June and early July 2015.Education sales were up almost 40% over the same period last year.

This marks the first time that demand for Chromebooks has exceeded Windows Laptops in any sales period to date.

"The results from the end of Q2 and the first half of July are good news for all the major notebooj platforms," Steven Baker, VP of Industry Analysis @ The NPD Group, Inc states in a press release heralding the stats.

"MacBooks grew the most of any platform, and Google saw Chrome rise to take the number one spot in the market share"

Haptic are IT Specialists based in Northamptonshire, UK. We are witnessing a similar upward trend in demand for Chromebooks from this 'side of the pond'

We'll be sure to keep you up to date with developments as they arise, if you'd like to know more about Chromebooks click here

Alternatively read more on this story at zdnet:

http://www.zdnet.com/article/npd-chromebooks-outsell-windows-laptops/

Haptic Networks Joins Google Education Partner Program

Last week we had the privilege of being invited to Google’s UK HQ in London. Feeling somewhat like Charlie Bucket on his trip to Mr Wonka’s establishment explains our anticipation.

With Google’s focus on altering the conventional way in which users in Education and Business utilise mobile devices, we were a perfect fit for their Partner Program.

Sadly no oompa-loompas were present, although it’s fair to say they have an excellent work environment and they truly convey a solid passion and a keen eye for what the tech users in Education & Business really need. We were greeted by a superb team from across the world, all present (in casual attire, naturally) to sit and work with us to understand how their offerings can have the upmost effectiveness at improving staff and student experience.

Since the launch of Chromebooks from brands such as Acer, Toshiba, HP, DELL and Lenovo users have already seen the benefits of the light, cost effective and easy to use/share devices. As a Google authorised reseller we at Haptic are enabled to provide the one off Chrome Management License to Education for just £19 per device (ex VAT)

We also offer a full deployment service, working with you to make the process of deployment and support as easy as taking the Chromebooks out of the box and handing directly to staff/students.

We have an extensive range of Chromebooks to hand for demo purposes, ask us for your free trial and we’ll arrange one for you. Likewise if you’d like to know more about Google’s offerings, let us know. Whether it’s a call, email, webinar or visit you’d prefer, we can arrange it.

Let us know you agree to cookies.