The main drawback of Google Apps was the need to be online to use them. Google is launching Google Gears, an application that can be downloaded and installed locally. With Google Gears, users will be able to access Google applications even when they aren't connected to the Internet. The most impresive move is that they are launching the tool as an Open Source application.
Google Gears (BETA) is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux
According to CNET Networks: “Gears is a browser extension that will enable people to access their Web applications when working offline. It works on all major browsers and operating systems, and can be used by developers to make any application offline-enabled, not just Google programs.”
To see the developers guide:
Google Gears API Developer's Guide (Beta)
The first program released in Gears is Google Reader, this will allow a user to manually download the most recent feeds into their personal computer in order to read them offline. Maybe the next releases will be Gmail, Calendar, Docs & Spreadsheet. Google Reader was developed by a Google engineer who wanted to review his news feeds while traveling. The growth of the "offline-enabled" applications will be huge, either from Google and from independent developers, due to the fact that Gears is Open Source (with thousands of developers arond the world contributing with new applications).
You can see more info in this YouTube video:
Jorge I. Blanco
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