Google launching revamped OnePass platform for publishers within weeks

Jordan Kahn

According to a new report from ReadWriteWeb, Google is prepping an overhaul of its OnePass platform for publishers sometime in “the next few weeks” based on feedback received from initial partners:

“Our engineering team is currently innovating on OnePass based on all that we’ve learned over its first year,” Google tells paidContent. “Our aim is to improve and iterate OnePass to suit the publishing industry’s needs.”

Google has been working with nearly a dozen publishing partners since the launch of the service in February 2011. Last November, French publishers, who offer content through a subscription service and iOS app known as ePresse, announced they would begin to use OnePass. Now reports from ePresse consortium member L’Express claimed the publishers have canceled their plans in anticipation of Google’s overhaul of the service in the coming weeks.
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Google names Cloud Sherpas ‘Google Enterprise 2011 Partner of the Year’

Jordan Kahn

Following a few big recent Google Apps enterprise announcements— including signing its biggest partnership ever with BBVA switching 110,000 employees to the platform— Google officially named its “Google Enterprise 2011 Partner of the Year.”  This year’s award goes to Cloud Sherpas for its work in helping over 1 million users migrate to Google Apps since 2008 with a revenue growth of more than 300 percent for the third year straight.

Google’s Head of Global Partner Programs Mark Hodgson at a Google enterprise sales event in San Francisco recently handed out the award. CEO for Cloud Sherpas Douglas Shepard said the following about the announcement:

“The Partner of the Year award from Google is important because it validates the role of the channel in helping businesses succeed in the cloud. We hear repeatedly from clients that they need the services of Google experts to fully leverage the platform, collaborate more effectively and grow their businesses. We are proud to be recognized as Google’s partner of the year, and we look forward to continuing our strong relationship with Google and Google Apps users in 2012.”

The full press release is after the break:

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Google+ ‘What’s Hot’ Web app update

E. Betters

Google announced two new features for Google+, including a “What’s Hot” stream that allows users to see the most interesting content shared throughout Google+, and users can now view who has “+1′d” posts —not just the count.

These minor tweaks display Google’s attempts to make Google+ more interactive and attractive. The “What’s Hot” stream on mobile devices could be a response to Twitter’s “Discover” feature that surfaced last month. It is accessible in the Web app by swiping to the right of the Circles stream, and a constant view of trending posts for Google+ will immediately appear. This ensures a flurry of content, even when people within a user’s Circles are silent for the day…

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Google signs biggest deal yet for enterprise cloud services, Spanish bank BBVA switches to Google Apps

Jordan Kahn

Google just signed its biggest deal yet with a single company to offer cloud services with 110,000 employees in 26 countries of Spanish bank BBVA switching to Google apps.  The bank will use apps like Gmail, Calendar, Chat, Docs, and it will have employees’ access video chats and other collaboration tools. According to BBVA, the deal is the “largest global agreement for the adoption of Google Apps, Google Enterprise suite.”

Through this solution, BBVA seeks to increase its efficiency by providing employees the tools of advanced communication and collaboration. In addition, Google Apps will facilitate collaboration among professionals from the bank, regardless of geographic area in which they are. This is essential to drive innovation in a financial group as global as BBVA. 

According to a report from BBC, who talked with BBVA, the move was largely driven by an increasing number of the bank’s staff utilizing smartphones and tablets as their main computer. The bank already moved 35,000 employees to Google Apps and it expects it to roll out to 110,000 staff members during 2012.

Director of innovation for BBVA Carmen Herranz confirmed to BBC that all customer data would remain on the bank’s servers with the move to Google services only applying to communication among staff. The bank had previously rolled out a successful pilot project with around 7,000 staff, and plans to “closely monitor for any increases in network load.” Herranz said their biggest concern is video conferencing.

Vice President of Google Enterprise EMEA Sebastien Marotte gave a statement in BBVA’s press release highlighting the importance of the announcement and growth of Google Apps:

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Amazon Appstore offers ‘Splashtop Remote Desktop’ Android app for free

E. Betters

The Android application for “Splashtop Remote Desktop” is free today at the Amazon Appstore —down from its normal price of $4.99.

The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show  and The New York Times heralded the app that essentially lets users access their desktop through Android devices.

“With this app, you can control your home computer from your Android device via Wi-Fi or a 3G/4G connection,” announced the app’s description on Amazon Appstore.

Users can manage their Web browser with plug-ins and bookmarks, as well as PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook files. Splashtop Remote Desktop can also stream high-resolution video and audio from a PC or Mac to an Android device…

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TiVo releases free app on Android Market, features access to Amazon, Netflix and Blockbuster

E. Betters

TiVo and non-TiVo customers can now experience DVR on their Android-powered devices with the first—and free—TiVo application. Vice President of TiVo User Experience Margret Schmidt tweeted the release of the new app early Jan. 6.

“You can search, browse, discover and share without ever interrupting the show you’re watching,” announced the app’s description on the Android Market. “Quickly surface new content, view guides, schedule and manage recordings, get recommendations, or dig deeper into a particular actor’s entire resume—all using intuitive, gesture-based interaction.”

The app features many options, including: access to the channel guide and ability to record shows without exiting a running program; advanced screening of shows 14 days early; management and scheduling preferences for recordings; and, access to TV, Netflix, Amazon, and Blockbuster streaming content in an integrated view…

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