Google has always been competitive. So, it shouldn’t come as any real surprise that Google is now attempting to offer the things that Microsoft offers. Namely, Google has recently rolled out new offline apps. These apps make it easy to use Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Calendar while offline.

The official Google blog states that these offline options come at the request of users. While this is no doubt true, it’s also true that Google simply wants to compete with other companies offering offline options. If you use any of the above Google services, you will find the latest Google offline offerings very helpful and useful in many ways.

Google Offline Options

The Gmail offline Chrome app is called “Offline Google Mail,” and it can be found through the Chrome Web Store. Once this app has been chosen, it will be possible for users to send mail, sort through mail, and manage mail while offline. Accessing this app is easy, and users who are familiar with Google’s Gmail app for Android will find Offline Google Mail simple to navigate. This is mostly due to the fact that the new Chrome app has been modeled on Google’s Gmail app for Android.

In addition to easy offline email access, Google has now made it possible to access Google Calendar and Google Documents offline. Almost every aspect of Calendar and Docs is accessible offline with the exception of document editing. The official Google blog states that Google is currently working on a way for users to edit documents while offline, and that this feature should be available soon.

Why Offline?

Aside from the fact that Google is competing with Microsoft, being able to access Google Docs, Gmail, and Google Calendar offline is extremely convenient. Say, for example, you happen to be on a plane or train without Internet access (or you just don’t want to pay those high sky fees). Instead of wondering whether or not you added an event to your calendar or wishing you had responded to an email before you left, it is now possible to accomplish all of these things without the need for Internet access.

As you can see, Google is reaching out to all kinds of clients by offering offline connectivity. The company will, no doubt, also catch many new clients with these apps. If you aren’t currently using Gmail, Google Docs, or Google Calendar, there’s a strong chance that you will begin using these items thanks to Google’s new offline announcement.

Availability

As mention, it’s not possible to edit documents through the offline version of Google Docs at the moment. It’s also not possible to access any of these Google offline features using any browser other than Chrome. Google has stated that it plans to offer Google Offline through other browsers once the kinks have been worked out, and once other browsers can sufficiently support this new Google feature.
Right now, you can find Google offline options through the Chrome store. After installing Chrome, you should be able to use any of the offline apps without hassle.