Google Addiction

As a forward to this, I just realized recently that Google Apps for small businesses is now $5 per month or $50 per year per user. All older accounts were grandfathered through the paywall and will continue to be free. I always have used Google Apps in the past to set up proper email addresses for myself and my clients. I prefer it, however, and am searching for best alternatives to it.

The Google addiction is due to good quality programs at a great price, free... Now, what if Google tried to cash in on every program they offer, like they did recently like Google Apps? No more free Analytics? No more free Webmaster Tools? How about no more free listings in Places? No more free Google maps? No more Google images? Google insights? There is too much to list. If your like me and try to make a living using these free programs, what if the paywalls go up and you're left paying or replacing things? I honestly think I would have to go and get a another job.

 

Very True Article, I think we should find some other services to get rid from Google the Idiot Marketing Giant.

 

Yup!
Agree totally, I've been using Google Apps for ages, and advising clients to do the same for various reasons.
Now if they are paid services, many of us will be looking for alternatives.

I doubt we'll find anything else which compares favorably for free, but I have no doubt many new sites will start to appear offering cheaper services - like ZOHO for example.

 

5$/month is not that much if it is for all the apps made by google, but if it is made for every app that is made by google than that is a problem.
Then the thread "Why Google will disappear in 5 years" is having to make a lot of sense.

 

Good, it is useful, no doubt to this..

 

Better organizations than Google have gone by the wayside through bad business decisions . . . . the bigger they are, the harder they fall (etc etc)! The web population will always try to find free services, and I see more and more companies popping up now with similar offerings for lower costs.

As for Google disappearing . . . . that won't happen anytime soon, and I expect they'll continue to build. Personally I can't wait until they expand their Google Voice services - that will take it's toll on the international telecom companies for sure.

 

It's a risk, to be sure! Anytime a new service, especially one labelled as beta, is used for business purposes there are pricing and continuity risks associated with the use. The case of Google Apps moving to a paid service has certainly proven this.

 

I suspect there's more afoot - just had 2 new Google Gmail accounts - which I had to verify via the phone, go bad on me.
Can't get into them, they're advising that I'm in breach of their rules and access is already denied. Haven't done anything different to the other accounts I've had for years, so may be time to backup my mail and move over to a new provider.

I've already started looking elsewhere for a reliable alternative, and think I've found one.

 

all good things come to an end

 

Good . . . . Google???
Lol !

 

The thing most of the features of Google are free, at the same time, if there are some paid features the price is really affordable, this is good thing I would say for Google.

 

I can still setup the Standard Edition of Google Apps if anyone need it, feel free to PM.

 

I don't see any real change in their policies - they are trying to charge businesses, not individuals. Google very well know what will happen if they try to charge for every consumer application - somebody else will come and take advantge of the situation. Just like what they did with Gmail- when Yahoo was offering 4mb space and MSN reduced from 5mb to 2mb, when people were expecting the end of free email service - Google came in with 1GB free storage and didn't look back. Obviously they do not want the same to happen to them.

Having said that, if they decide to charge webmasters for services like webmaster tools, analytics etc, may be they can get away with that. But gmail / maps / images - I don't see that happening at least in the near future.

 

no doubt True Article, we should find some other services to get rid from Google the Idiot Marketing.