A few weeks ago, Google announced a new plug-in that would sync Google’s enterprise versions of Gmail, contacts, and calendar with Microsoft’s Outlook. This was a big deal because it not only made it simple for users seamlessly integrate both email applications but it also represented Google’s push to become a serious player in the enterprise apps space where Outlook is still overwhelmingly popular. Unfortunately, Google’s plug-in had some major faults.
Most notably, the bug didn’t allow users find emails using Windows Desktop Search, essentially making the search feature useless. Today, Google announced that it fixed the problem. The Windows Desktop Search feature now works, so you have the option of searching within the native Outlook search or Windows Desktop Search to find information in Outlook.
Google says they’ve also added the ability to access Windows Live Hotmail via the Microsoft Office Outlook Connector plug-in. Google has also launched a Google Apps resource site that is a centralized place for resources and info for businesses which are looking to switch from a Microsoft Exchange environment. The site includes information about Google Apps, FAQs, and customer feedback from those who have switched from Exchange to Google Apps.