Google Launches Offline Versions of Gmail,
Calendar & Docs
Google is launching a new Gmail web app and updates to Calendar and Docs, in an effort to increase its products’ offline utility. Google users have called bringing Gmail, Calendar and Docs offline an essential step for improving productivity, Group Product Manager Rajen Sheth told Mashable. The problem, he explained, is that when users need offline access to their email or calendar, they really need it.
To that end, Google is launching a new Chrome app called Gmail Offline. Separate from Gmail itself, the new app is designed for accessing, managing and sending email while you’re disconnected from the web. “We can build on top of a lot of HTML5 standards, which gives us the capabilities to make it work offline,” Sheth said.
The HTML5 app looks and feels a lot like the Gmail app for tablets. That’s because Gmail Offline is based off the tablet version, which was designed to function with or without Internet access. It focuses on the key features users need to access while offline, including organizing, starring, labeling, archiving and responding to email. It won’t give you access to Gmail Labs features, but it will get the job done.
In addition to the Gmail Offline app, Google is rolling out the ability to access Calendar and Docs offline. The feature, available by clicking the gear icon at the top of the page, lets you view events and RSVP to appointments in Calendar and view documents in Docs. Offline document editing isn’t available yet, but Google promises to find a way to make it work. Part of the problem is finding a way to make sure document edits made offline don’t override edits made by online collaborators.
The apps are only available through the Chrome Web Store at the moment. If you try to use the Calendar or Docs offline features, you will be prompted to first install Chrome. Google says that it intends to roll out its offline apps to other browsers once they support the functionality.
IBM Buys Crime Prevention And Data
Intelligence Software Developer i2
IBM is announcing the acquisition of i2, a company that provides intelligence and investigation management software for law enforcement, defense, national security and private sector organizations. Financial terms were not disclosed.
With more than 4,500 customers in 150 countries, i2 is provides intelligence analytics for crime and fraud prevention in sectors such as banking, defense, health care, insurance, law enforcement, national security and retail. i2 solutions are currently used by 12 of the top 20 retail banks globally and eight of the top 10 largest companies in the world.
i2 does doesn’t replace human intelligence but helps improve the technology that can drive crime-fighting, fraud prevention and counter terrorism. i2 will be integrated into IBM’s Software Group.
IBM says the acquisition will help IBM’s clients harness data to combat fraud and security threats. From the release: Using IBM real-time analytical solutions in combination with the technologies of i2, public agencies and private enterprises battling fraud will now have the capability to better collect, analyze and process all the relevant data at their disposal.
While its already August, and this is only one of a handful of acquisitions IBM has made this year. Unlike 2010 (IBM spent $6 billion to acquire 17 companies in 2010), 2011 has been a relatively low-key year for IBM in terms of buying companies. This year’s purchases include real estate software company Tririga.
File this one under rumor, but CNBC just tweeted that Facebook is preparing to launch a new music service on September 22nd, which just happens to be the date of their annual f8 developer conference. What a coinkidink. The new service is rumored to be called Facebook Vibes (yeah man, totally trippy). There's some speculation that it could be powered by our much beloved Spotify, and it seems like it will allow for downloading. Other than that not much else is known. We'll letcha know if we hear anything else.
Facebook Music Coming September 22nd?
File this one under rumor, but CNBC just tweeted that Facebook is preparing to launch a new music service on September 22nd, which just happens to be the date of their annual f8 developer conference. What a coinkidink. The new service is rumored to be called Facebook Vibes (yeah man, totally trippy). There's some speculation that it could be powered by our much beloved Spotify, and it seems like it will allow for downloading. Other than that not much else is known. We'll letcha know if we hear anything else. 
