Google+ as Social Media for your Enterprise?

Google launched its potential "Facebook killer" yesterday. It is taking the invite only approach for now (wise due to issues with the Buzz launch last year). I keyed into Google+'s potential for Google Apps and the usability of this social media app within an organization. Without getting into all the collaborative and communication and info sharing goodness that social media brings, Google may have be onto something that no other social media solution can even comprehend.

Most organizations now understand the the power of social media. Some use it for customer outreach, others use it internally, while others may do both. Google Apps states 3 million businesses are using its solution and they recently opened all Google products to Google Apps deployments. It only makes sense that Google+ will eventually be available to organizations. For example, Montana may get an out of the box social media solution soon. Couple this Android and iOS apps as well as dead simple ease of use and you have a winner.

Time will tell. Imagine the possibilities for "enterprises" large and small across Google Apps' current and future customer base?  No other social media product or enterprise solution provides what Google Apps may very well be providing in the very near future.

UPDATE - 8July2011:

Just read a 5July post from the guys at Google Operating System. Seems Google+ (and necessarily Profiles) is on the way for Google Apps domains. Google is unto something big here.

Google Operating System is a rock solid source for news / updates.
Check them out on twitter as well: @googleos

A win / win - "Google Apps for Gov"

Google's launch of Google Apps for Gov is a huge step in the right direction for End-Users (and the budget). Until now, it seems the gov has merely been dipping its toes in the Web2.0 waters. Use of Social media has skyrocketed, but full on adoption of new age web capabilities is a rarity. This may be the belly flop off the high dive needed to serve as a catalyst.

A few key points on Google Apps for Gov:

1. FISMA certification, a private cloud based on US soil and additional security measures.
2. At $50 per user per year, this is huge savings in licensing fees of traditional enterprise capabilities (HW and SW).
3. Google Apps and its WYSIWYG characteristics are well suited to more than meet the needs of most government agencies (fed, state and local).
4. Google Apps use readily enables hardware agnostic as well as mobile use.
5. Rapid adoption and integration of new apps such as Google Wave, Marketplace apps.
6. The Navy is already using Google Apps (on a .com) for InRelief - one can only wonder if more .mil adoptions will occur.
7. Is Chrome OS next?
8. Microsoft is shaking in their boots.

This is a win / win situation. Gov budgets are tight and gov Knowledge Workers are disgusted with outdated and out paced software tools (read MS Office, MS SharePoint, MS Exchange, MS etc). This capability is now wide open for the .gov domain and may very well take over the landscape - I would not be surprised if swarms of government entities rapidly adopt this solution.

For more details, read PC World's story.

Bits: Google Voice, milSuite, DCO

1. Google Voice: Part of the Army CIO/G6 enterprise strategy is to provide End-Users a single email address AND phone number. Check out Google Voice to see what that capability may be like - sign up is open to everyone now.
2. milSuite: Social Media (SM) has changed the communications landscape and the US Army is leading the DOD to operationalize SM via the milSuite capability from PEO-C3T MilTech Solutions. You like Facebook, Wikipedia and Blogs? Check out milSuite. Rumor has it: milSuite may go Joint and may be adding milTube in the future - its already a killer capability. AKO/DKO Login required.
3. Defense Connect Online (DCO): Enterprise version of Adobe Connect web-conferencing via AKO/DKO (another MilTech Solutions service) has been around since Button 1 and 2. There are currently a lot of stand-alone Connect servers in TOCs, but as the network matures and permeates, more and more users in the tactical environment will be able to access and use DCO proper. AKO/DKO Login and DCO login required. Also try Adobe's commercial light version - Connect Now.