Support for GoogleDocs and Zoho

[erika]

Hello,

I hope the Android Softmaker allows me to save and open files on the cloud directly and natively from the client.

This way SoftMaker Android will be my ultimate client office application to manage my GoogleDocs and Zoho Docs...

Hope to have this functionality.

On IOS, apple lets to save and restore from their iCloud. We need similar functionality on Android. There is a market need. Google and Zoho gives the cloud, you give the office client software, so let's combine them. Why not?

[sven-l]

Currently we support Dropbox and Evernote. We are working on Google Docs support.

[erika]

Hello,

The reason that I recommend tight integration with Google Apps and ZoHo Office Apps is that, there are millions of business users using them as their enterprise backoffice platform.

If you dont support Google Apps and Zoho Office Apps for storing and managing data from SoftMaker Office for Android, you will miss a huge opportunity.

Please do both Google and ZoHo integration asap as the next high priority, and WIN ALL THE ENTERPRISE OFFICE USERS ON THE CLOUD! These type of users will be the ultimate ones who will be paying for your software due to actual business needs. Regular Android users rarely pay for apps, they prefer free ones mostly.

For example, recently BBVA bank have moved 120K business users to Google Apps. If they a cheap decent native Android office client, you woul easily position 120K business SoftMaker for Android licences to BBVA bank. Am I wrong?

ı also recommend 2 different versions of SoftMaker for Android as Lite and Pro. Lite will be for simple users. Pro will be for enterprise users.

Android 4.0 based tablets will prevail %30-50 percent of the tablet by 2015 in the enterprise space. Many of these enterprises will be mainly on Google Apps or Zoho Office. So you will have a huge addressable market.

[jimjutte]

Hi Erika,

Just wondering on how you define "user" for a Google Docs/Zoho user. For example, I use gmail and from time to time google docs/zoho apps, but really, I can't use them. I'm a high school teacher, and end up using the product that the board chooses. In the past, this has been MS Office. What I have done though is recommend alternatives such as SM Office due to cost. Ironically, I've run into situations where SM Office can do things with MS Office products that they couldn't themselves.

Nevertheless, while we've tried to use apps like Google Docs etc, we often have so many issues related either to functionality or compatibility that we go back to where we started. Now this is of course education and not the business world, but your suggestion of "millions" strikes me as a bit inflated. I'm not saying that "millions" aren't listed, but I'm wondering how many use it as their primary app and how that is really working for them. Do you have a source that shows this data?

[erika]

That's why I am telling you that there is an addressable market for SoftMaker Office for Android if it gets integrated with Google Apps and Zoho Office.

The need for licent is not gone in the HTML5 world. You can do many things on the web browser but it is not perfect. A native platform will application might be needed to support it.

For example, Microsoft gives Office 365 cloud but it also gives Office Pro desktop software if needed as an option.

So SoftMaker will fill the gap for Google Apps and Zoho Office.

I mean millions of users on Google Apps and Zoho Office. LITERALLY. This is due to economic crisis driving the shift to the cloud due to costs.

Look at BBVA Spanish Bank moving 120K business users to Google Apps just mainly to save some money. But they still will be happier with a software like SoftMaker for Android if it works...

[jimjutte]

I don't really want to get into a debate with you about this, but BBVA is desperate and not really a good model. They've needed to bailouts since Dec 2011. Nevertheless, I'm still interested in your figure of "millions"... Certainly a lot people are using cloud apps... but I'm not sure that you can make a direct correlation to adoption of Desktop use. For example, Zoho and GD have been around for while now and people are not picking their desktop apps based on their ability to use GD or Zoho yet...

As to Office 365, one of the reason I DON'T use this is...why would I pay for a cloud app when I have another one for free... Paying anything means that I need to see a ROI... this just doesn't happen for me with Office 365.

Looking forward to your reply.

[erika]

Anyway, ask Google and ZoHo for more specific figures.

I noticed that ZoHo has started to develop its own native client apps for Android and iOS. So you wont have much chances for ZoHo. Better ignore it.

But for Google Apps, I have not seen any comparable client app like your. You have great chances. Please make market research for Google Apps.


In 2010 Google Apps had 3 million customers. I think they had exceeded 5 million customers recently.

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Google-A ... 7160.shtml

Zoho does not reveal much specific data. But they brag 5 million business users on the home page.

http://www.zoho.com

[erika]

Hello,

You can follow who is moving to Google Apps in the Enterprise from here daily..

http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com

I noticed that there are many many large companies moving to Google Apps.

Yet there is no perfect native application for that on Android or iOS. All Google supports is web browsers. I think that is not sufficient for advanced users.

[kaima]

Currently we support Dropbox and Evernote. We are working on Google Docs support.

Is this EverNote support exclusive to the Android apps, or also part of the Desktop versions?

I'd love to make EverNote my central repository but editing of files attached to notes is not seamless.
Well, editing with TextMaker and Planmaker 2012 desktop versions maybe is seamless, but not edits being written back into the cloud. Do I have to switch to Andoid for that?

[sven-l]

Currently we support Dropbox and Evernote. We are working on Google Docs support.

Is this EverNote support exclusive to the Android apps, or also part of the Desktop versions?

I'd love to make EverNote my central repository but editing of files attached to notes is not seamless.
Well, editing with TextMaker and Planmaker 2012 desktop versions maybe is seamless, but not edits being written back into the cloud. Do I have to switch to Andoid for that?

There is a login module for Evernote included exclusive to the Android apps of SoftMaker Office. For the PC you can download the Evernote software.