Google acquires Docverse. Another salvo has been fired in the Google Microsoft war, this time by Google. The Microsoft vs Google fight has been going on for a while now and it has heated up further with Google's acquisition of San-Francisco based company DocVerse, which offers a technology to edit Microsoft Office documents online. According to sources, this deal has cost Google around $25 million. This is the latest of Google acquisitions.
Google's attempt to outthink Microsoft with Google Apps has just been boosted with the DocVerse application. With this application, Google Apps will be able to enhance the experience of using desktop software online.
According to group products manager for Google Apps, Jonathan Rochelle, DocVerse application will not only allow you to upload Microsoft Office files onto Google storage, but it will also allow you to edit them. In addition, it will let you comment on the documents and you can publish these for others to view as well. Google is offering this service for a fee which will differ depending upon usage. There is also a temporary offer for free sign ups.
DocVerse, incidentally, was started two and a half years ago by former Microsoft employees Alex DeNeui and Shan Sinha. About $ 1.5 million capital for this venture was financed by Baseline venture and a few others.
Shan Sinha, of DocVerse said that they were excited about enhancing Google Apps and making it more effective in terms of collaborating different file types. He acknowledged that Microsoft is also in the process of developing a similar application but he is of the opinion that Google is "better positioned to reinvent Web-based business software". He also said that Google will be able to execute this quicker and with greater efficiency than Microsoft.
Google has been on an acquisition spree since 2009 and clearly the trend is continuing in 2010. Google acquisitions in the last year include AdMob, a mobile advertising company and AppJet.
A spokeswoman from Microsoft said in a statement released to the press that this latest Google DocVerse deal reiterates the fact that users are looking for options to work on Microsoft Office files. It implies that Microsoft service are very much in demand and the press statement cited the example of Microsoft's SharePoint and its usage by companies like Coca Cola, Volvo and Kraft to drive home the point.
In other Google news, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Google will be paying its top three executives a compensation of $1 with no bonuses for the current fiscal year. In 2008 too, Google's co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin as well as its Chief executive were paid the same compensation of $1 with no bonus, stocks and/or stock options.
So wait and watch what happens next in Microsoft Google war.
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