The end of Microsoft's model is nigh. Scott Johnston, product dev guy at Google, announced in Ann Arbor this week that in 2008 Google's spreadsheets, documents and presentations will work offline. Up to now, Google's freebie software hasn't been too appealing to business users because (a) you need a hotlink to the Internet to run the Google applications, and (b) Google's apps are not compatible with the Excel and Word docs we have by the millions on our hard drives.
Google has solved the Internet problem. Now, if it can make its software able to speak with Word and Excel and PowerPoint docs, we can all convert to a free world. This spells huge trouble for Microsoft, since it undercuts the extremely profitable busopoly that has us all using Office software bound to plastic PC shells. If business apps migrate seamlessly online, Office may go away. This move would also shatter PC manufacturers, since we wouldn't need to upgrade to faster Intel chips every two years. It's as if we've all been focused on buying better and better car engines, and suddenly Google puts up a free high-speed train right outside our door.
This week, Google made one additional move that signals the closing in on Microsoft. Google is preparing an online data storage service that could replace your hard drive. Forget Intel Inside; soon it will be Google Outside.
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