Google Apps is a cloud-based productivity suite that helps you and your team connect and get work done from anywhere on any device. It’s simple to setup, use and manage, allowing you to work smarter and focus on what really matters.

Apps to fit your business

Gmail – Email with Google-powered search, 25GB of storage, offline support, custom email addresses, and much more.

Calendar – Easily schedule meetings at times that work for everyone, get meeting reminders, and share calendars.

Google Drive – allows you to store your files in the cloud, share them, and have access to them from anywhere.

Docs – Create, share and work on documents with your whole team in real-time.

Sheets – Manage spreadsheet data faster with click-to-edit charts and discussion style comments.

Slides – Create presentations together, embed videos, and never press save again.

Click here to learn more about Google Apps!

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User benefits include:

• Data accessible from anywhere, on any computer platform
• 25GB of email inbox storage per user with powerful search capability
• Simple and fast collaboration and messaging tools
• Data is never lost, even if your laptop dies or is stolen
• Sharing mechanism within Docs, Sites and Video enables a new level of collaboration

IT user benefits include:

• No hardware or software to install or maintain
• Very low fixed cost per user
• Intuitive applications that many users are already familiar with – little training necessary
• Ability to move users incrementally
• Savings of license fees, hardware and data center costs
• Open platform for integration

Business benefits include:

• Decreased cost
• Increased employee productivity, enabling faster decision making.
• More flexibility to deploy changes and innovations fast and get on with business
• Focus resources on strategic initiatives instead of operational activities
• Attractive IT environment for the younger generation of employees

How much money can I save with Google Apps?

Most companies have a cost model for provisioning email and productivity applications to employees – usually somewhere between $300 and $1000 per employee.

Why Gmail?

Gmail has over 10 million business users and growing.  With Gmail, your inbox has substantial storage to minimize the need to delete email. Furthermore, there’s powerful Google search functionality and email/IM threading. Instant messaging is embedded in Gmail so you can respond to an email in real-time. Also, your Gmail is available from any computer so you’re no longer limited to answering email at your desk. Gmail is simple to use, but not simplistic in its functionality, which means less time required for user training.  You can also use Gmail offline for when no in Internet connection is available.

Why Google Calendar?

With Google Calendar, you can view the calendars of co-workers and colleagues from one online calendar. Their appointments are viewable right next to yours which streamlines event planning. Google Calendar also can be integrated with other components of Google Apps. You can communicate, share and collaborate via Gmail, Talk and Calendar to reduce duplicate work and improve output efficiency. Additionally, you decide who can see your calendar details.

Why Google Talk?

Google Talk enables you to communicate more effectively and efficiently using text chat, video chat, and audio chat. You can see your contacts’ presence and respond to an email via chat; this allows you to truly have real-time communication and increase the productivity of you and your work force. Because it is integrated with Gmail, a client provider is not required. Also, the chronological email/IM discussion thread enables you to comprehend the full conversation history and context.

Why Google Docs?

Google Docs improves the quality of output by enabling collaboration and discussion of the document simultaneously– multiple people in multiple locations can view, discuss, and edit the same document from anywhere at any time. It also reduces duplicate work and confusing document tracking and version control issues while simultaneously eliminating the concern of exceeding disk space and inbox quotas with the standard back and forth emailing procedure. Furthermore, Google Docs has secure sharing. Each Google Doc requires a login so you don’t have to worry about information getting into the wrong hands.  All of your Docs are always available online within the Doclist.  You are no longer restricted by access to your My Documents folder.

Why Google Video?

Video sharing makes important communications like internal trainings and corporate announcements more personal, engaging and effective. Employees can securely share videos with select coworkers or everyone at the company without making confidential information public. Google securely hosts and streams your videos, so employees don’t need to share videos over email, or burden IT for a video solution. Employees can share videos instantly. Viewing and annotating doesn’t require any special software, just a standard browser.

Why Google Sites?

Businesses use Google Sites to make useful information accessible. Employees can create an intranet or let project teams build sites to capture and share departmental knowledge. File versioning is done automatically, so it’s easy for people to make updates and get the latest version. Supported formats include .doc, .xls, .csv, .ppt, .txt, .pdf and more. Users can display Google Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, YouTube videos, Picasa slideshows and gadgets without any programming skills. Google search technology is built-in, so employees can find useful company information as easily as searching the Internet. No coding or system expertise is required to update pages or create new internal sites, so anyone can add to shared knowledge.  All of this is hosted by Google allowing users to drive innovation without the concern of justifying hardware and administration expenses.

Businesses Using Google Apps

How many businesses use Google Apps?

Currently more than 1 million businesses with over 10 million active users on Apps, while signing up 3,000 businesses per day. The infrastructure is mature, having been available since April of 2004 when Gmail was launched. Large companies such as General Motors are using Google Apps, and Google uses Google Apps for its own 20,000 employees. Businesses understand that software-as-a-service (SaaS) is the future and they realize they need to start heading down that path.

Are there any particular industries where Google Apps makes more sense?

Google Apps provides fundamental communication and collaboration capabilities that are essential to every business user. Having said that, we’re seeing rapid adoption in industries with mobile workforces, regionally disparate teams separated by time zones and great distances, and companies where IT is challenged with scaling at the speed required by its users.  Specific industries include retail, real estate, manufacturing, technology and media.

• Users on web/legacy email (ex. retail branches, customer service reps, real estate agents)
• Users with no messaging or collaboration services (manufacturing plants, distribution centers, strategic partners/temporary consultants)
• Dynamic user bases where the need to add and remove users easily is a necessity
• Collaboration users (teams/departments that share spreadsheets, project plans, etc).

Google Apps Compatibility and Coexistence

Is Google Apps compatible with Microsoft products?

Google Docs: Yes, Docs is compatible with Microsoft Office file formats and many other standards such as PDF, OpenOffice, and ODF. Standard Microsoft file formats are supported for import/export from and to all these popular formats. Our products are designed to open standards and are compatible with many other products.  Gmail also allows you to read your Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and PDF documents directly from your inbox — no additional software required.

Messaging and Collaboration: Google Apps are built on an open and extensible platform with extensibility and integration in mind. Google’s open API standard, Gdata, provides easy and secure programmatic access to data within applications such as Google Docs, Google Calendar, Gmail, etc. In addition, Google’s popular Gadget development platform is ideal for creating enterprise mashups and workflow integrations to serve business needs in a fraction of the time and cost of traditional development environments (e.g., .NET, SOAP). Over 50,000 gadgets have been developed on this platform, many of them are enterprise specific applications such as CRM and ERP integrations as well as workflow management.

Can you migrate all my mail and calendar events from MSFT Exchange and/or Lotus Notes?

Yes. Google Apps for Business has a set of migration utilities and APIs to pull data from your existing systems and migrate that data to Google Apps.

Google Apps Usability

What about offline capability?

We recognize that offline capabilities are still critical in today’s business world. Although broadband connectivity is becoming more ubiquitous, there are still scenarios where users need to be offline (e.g., airplanes). Google has released Google Gears, an industry standard and open-source toolkit to offline-enable Web 2.0, browser-based applications. Google’s applications are based on open, industry standards. Gmail can be used offline, as well as in popular client applications such as Outlook, Thunderbird, and Mac Mail through the use of POP3 or IMAP. Similarly, Google Calendar is available offline in any client application that supports the standard iCal format (e.g., Outlook, iCal, etc.). Google Docs supports export to and import from all popular desktop file formats including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, HTML, OpenOffice, CSV, TXT, and many more.

If I decide to stop using Google Apps, can I get my data back?

Yes our solution has open APIs to all applications and you can get email, calendars, and documents back in other industry formats (IMAP, iCal, MS Office) for migration purposes.

Google Apps: Data Security and Reliability

Do I get dedicated servers?

No. Google operates what is called a “multi-tenant” environment. While there is logical separation between users and corporations, storage and compute power are shared across a vast computing array. This is at the heart of Google’s architecture and it’s what provides the scalability, reliability, and cost effectiveness for which Google is known.

What are security advantages to Software-as-a-service?

With traditional software, employees save data to insecure USB drives, discs and laptops for easy access. With Google Apps, because employees can access information securely from anywhere, they’re less likely to save sensitive data locally. And with Google Apps’ 99.9% uptime guarantee, you can be confident that employees will have access whenever they need it. The 99.9% uptime SLA for Google Apps is offered to organizations using Google Apps for Business, as described in the Google Apps for Business Terms of Service and covers the full range of application services as specified there.

Why is Google Apps secure?

Google operates one of the largest networks of distributed data centers in the world, and we go to great lengths to protect the data and intellectual property on these servers. These facilities are protected around the clock and we have a dedicated security operations team which focuses specifically on maintaining the security of our environment. The controls, processes and policies that protect these data have successfully completed a SAS 70 Type II audit. There are three main components to our security practices:

• People – Google employs a full-time information security team including some of the world’s foremost experts in information, application, and network security. This team is responsible for the company’s perimeter defense systems, security review processes, and customized security infrastructure, as well as for developing, documenting, and implementing Google’s security policies and standards.
• Process – Security is part of the Google DNA. Each application is built from the ground up with security in mind. Google applications go through multiple security reviews as part of the Secure Code development process. The application development environment is closely restricted and carefully monitored to maximize security. External security audits are also regularly conducted to provide additional assurance.
• Technology – Google Apps data is fractured and obfuscated across multiple servers and disks, making it human-unreadable. Data is replicated in multiple data centers for redundancy and consistent availability. To reduce exploit risks, each Google server is custom-built with only the necessary software components, and the homogeneous server architecture enables rapid updates and configuration changes across the entire network when necessary.

We rely on Google Apps ourselves.  We trust our own data to the products available to you. Google employees use Gmail for all corporate email, Google Calendar to schedule all meetings and events, and Google Talk to instant message among project teams. We use Google Docs for sensitive content like product design specs, and Google Sites to manage team projects.

Who owns the data in Google Docs?

You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in content which you submit, post or display. As stated in our terms of service, Google doesn’t claim ownership or control over your content in Google Docs. For documents you expressly choose to share with others, we have the proper license to display those documents to the selected users and format documents properly for different displays.

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Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: There are a lot of great reasons to incorporate video on your website. The biggest no-brainer would be for sales. According to SearchEngineLand, approximately 80 percent of online users view an entire video, and 25 percent click to purchase products, which drives an overall revenue lift of 10 to 15 percent. Cisco reports that online video currently represents 40% of all current consumer internet traffic, moreover, they predict that this will increase to 62% by 2015. As of January 2012, YouTube has hit 4 billion (Yes, BILLION, with a b!) views per day according to TechCrunch. Needless to say, web video is here to stay.

When shopping for a car would you rather look at a static photo and read about it or watch a video like the one above? Make your products come alive with video!

Another factor to consider is that video drives SEO and helps build brand awareness. Generally, when a website doesn’t contain video content it won’t show up on Google’s first page of search results, so if you want to be easy for your customers to find, video helps immensely. Video can engage the viewer in a far more memorable and effective way than text or images alone. Web traffic analytics back up the fact that users will spend longer on pages that contain online video versus those that don’t and have a higher conversion rate.

Above is a reel of just some of the video work we’ve done in the past. Don’t leave your customers in the dark, check out the HD services provided by SimCloud to engage your customers, improve your page rank, and most importantly increase sales!

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Currently, most websites with mobile and tablet versions are constructed like this:

However, when utilizing responsive design, every device loads the same page, which is great for SEO. It easier for you to keep your information current across platforms and improves the experience for the end user.

For an example of responsive design in action, below are shots of simcloud.com on my Samsung Galaxy Nexus phone and the office iPad. (click screenshots to enlarge)

Now this is the same exact URL as the desktop version seen below:

Here are a few examples of why responsively designed sites are a good idea for you or your business:

1. Fully Featured for Users
Users want to be able to access all of your content on the go, quicky and easily. Compuware reports that a bad experience on a mobile website leaves mobile web users much less likely to return to, or recommend, a particular website. Nearly half of mobile web users are unlikely to return to a website that they had trouble accessing from their phone, and 57% are unlikely to recommend the site.

2. Easier Updates
No more having to update 2 or 3 separate versions of your site for various platforms. With responsive design, the process is streamlined. Just edit your content once and every format is updated.

3. Routes all inbound traffic to one address
This is big for search engine indexing. Instead of traffic being routed through to several versions of the site, all of the traffic is coming into your main website which helps it rank better with search engines.

If your business needs a responsive web design, get started with SimCloud today!

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Keeping with the theme of the event, SimCloud held a drawing to be chauffeured to the event by limousine courtesy of RIX Limousine. The lucky couple to arrive at the event in style were John & Natalie Riccilli, representing The Corner Coffee Shop. SimCloud also sponsored an online drawing to win a Google Nexus 7 tablet. The winner of the latest piece of Google technology was Debra Bender of Northwest Savings Bank. Thank you to everyone who participated in the online contest and attended the event.

SimCloud Corporation would like to specially thank the following companies for contributing to the success of the “Red Carpet” Business After Hours:

• Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Chamber of Commerce
• Cam-Ron Video Productions
• RIX Limousine
• Top Dog Productions
• Absolute Signs
• Oakland United Methodist Church

View Event Photos

About SimCloud Corporation

SimCloud Corporation is a leading provider of emerging technology-based business solutions. SimCloud offers a synergistic approach to private and public cloud technology by overlaying core services and experience and combining three main components: SaaS (Software/Applications as a service), PaaS (Platform as a service), and IaaS (Infrastructure as a service). This core platform combined with in-house website development, creative marketing services, and information technology (IT) solutions enables your organization to make data-driven decisions and achieve measurable results.

For more information, please contact:
Stacey Wyandt, Executive Assistant
SimCloud Corporation
706 Eisenhower Boulevard, Suite 2
Johnstown, PA 15904
(855) 474-6256
stacey@simcloud.com

http://simcloud.com

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Johnstown, Penna. – Team members of SimCloud Corporation and supporters of ALSLife, Inc. participated in an unique dining experience with Evgeni “Geno” Malkin, #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and his family. The dinner was hosted at Alla Famiglia, a fine Italian dining establishment located in Pittsburgh, PA.

Through personal association, Nicholas Pappas, Executive Chairman of SimCloud Corporation, sponsored a contest through ALSLife, Inc., a local charity that he closely supports, to allow additional people to share in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have dinner with Evgeni. Individuals that purchased an ALSLife.org t-shirt through http://donate.alslife.org by March 21, 2012, were entered in the drawing. The individuals chosen were Dave Turcato of Windber and Sharon Fetzer and son Nick Fetzer from Johnstown .

Besides the entrance in the drawing, ALSLife, Inc., donated $5.00 for each shirt purchased to the Big Dreams Children’s Foundation supporting children in need. Through the sale of these shirts, ALSLife, Inc., was able to make a donation of $500.00 to Big Dreams Children’s Foundation. The Pappas family generously matched a $500.00 donation which was distributed to Love for Lokomotiv. The funds raised were presented to Evgeni at the event’s conclusion.

“This was a great demonstration of combining efforts to make a difference,” says Pappas. “Evgeni was very generous in donating his time to our organization. This event not only fostered some great friendships but has opened the doors to a world of opportunity and continued altruism. We are pleased to be a part of their organizations and will continue to support their efforts in any way we can.” — ALSLife, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded by Michael Muscatello to promote the awareness of Lou Gehrig’s Disease, to find a cure, and help those currently diagnosed with ALS.

The mission of the Big Dreams Children’s Foundation is to help children in need around the world by providing them with medical, financial, and humanitarian support through various kinds of fundraising.

Love for Lokomotiv is a fundraising campaign founded by NHL wives to help the families that lost loved ones in the Russian plane crash on September 7, 2011. The plane was carrying the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team.

For more information on how you can make a difference in the fight against ALS and the lives of children in need, please contact:

ALSLife, Inc.
Michael C. Muscatello
706 Eisenhower Boulevard, Suite 2
Johnstown, PA 15904
814.808.LIFE
info@alslife.org
http://donate.alslife.org

Big Dreams Children’s Foundation
360 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 110
Norwalk, CT 06854
203.665.7417
http://bigdreamscf.org

SimCloud Corporation
Nicholas Pappas – Executive Chairman/CEO
706 Eisenhower Boulevard, Suite 2
Johnstown, PA 15904
855.474.6256
nick@simcloud.com 
http://simcloud.com

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Johnstown, Penna. – Supporters of ALSLife.org and Big Dreams Children’s Foundation score a double play! By purchasing an ALSLife.org t-shirt through http://donate.alslife.org,advocates make a difference in the fight against “Lou Gehrig’s disease” by raising awareness and helping to find a cure, while also supporting children in need through Big Dreams Children’s Foundation.

Two lucky people who help us make a difference will also hit a home run. Through his affiliation with the Big Dreams Children’s Foundation, Nicholas Pappas, a founding influence in ALSLife.org, is offering the chance for two people to win a private dinner with Evgeni “Geno” Malkin, #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Each ALSLife.org t-shirt purchase through March 21, 2012, earns an entry into the drawing. The Dinner will be held on March 26th.

One hundred percent of regular donations to ALSLife.org go directly to works of the organization. However, for this special incentive, Michael Muscatello of ALSLife, Inc. will donate $5 for every shirt sold to the Big Dreams Children’s Foundation supporting children in need and Love for Lokomotiv.

First base legend, Lou Gehrig, once said, “There is no room in baseball for discrimination.” ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) also shows no discrimination, arbitrarily attacking about 5,600 people in the United States each year. It can strike anyone, male or female, any age, from all walks of life. Average life expectancy following diagnosis is two to five years, and the disease requires significant medical care during its course. The New York Yankee’s beloved “Iron Horse” succumbed in 1941, bringing ALS to the forefront of the American public’s awareness. ALSLife.org is a not-for-profit, non-stock corporation licensed in Pennsylvania, formed by Michael Muscatello. Muscatello cites the mission of ALSLife.org as, “To promote awareness of ALS, raise funds to find a cure, help those currently diagnosed with ALS, and comfort their families.” He also lobbies selflessly to improve laws governing benefits to service men and women and reservists with ALS.

Big Dreams Children’s Foundation (BDCF) was formed to help children in need of educational, medical, and financial support. Through volunteerism and fund raising efforts, they provide necessities such as medication, food, clothing, shelter, and schooling to improve the lives of individual children worldwide.

Through personal association with Nicholas Pappas and the help of the staff at SimCloud Corporation, the logo design, website, and marketing efforts were developed and donated to both ALSLife, Inc. and Big Dreams Children’s Foundation.

“It is important to understand that 100% of the proceeds through both charities will go toward making a difference in the lives of individual families.” “All time and effort is provided through volunteers that wish to contribute in any way, shape or form”. “Our goal is to raise awareness both nationally and internationally for both organizations,”says Nicholas Pappas.

Please learn more by visiting http://alslife.org or http://bigdreamscf.org.

For more information on how you can make a difference in the fight against ALS and the lives of children in need, please contact:

Michael C. Muscatello
ALSLife, Inc.

706 Eisenhower Boulevard, Suite 2
Johnstown, PA 15904
814.808.LIFE
info@alslife.org
http://donate.alslife.org

Big Dreams Children’s Foundation

360 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 110
Norwalk, CT 06854
203.665.7417
http://bigdreamscf.org

Nicholas Pappas – Executive Chairman / CEO
SimCloud Corporation

706 Eisenhower Boulevard, Suite 2
Johnstown, PA 15904
855.474.6256
nick@simcloud.com
http://simcloud.com

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We have found that organizations today fail to protect the identity and privacy of domain account owners. For publicly owned corporations…not so big of a deal; for private companies or non-profit agencies this knowledge may be better kept secret.

There is a simple way to protect your registry information, domain, and security with ID Protection services. SimCloud can help you protect your privacy by encrypting your domain securing it against loss.

Through our ID Protection services you maintain complete control of your domain name. Important documentation including patent registrations, disputes and email systems will still flow through your domain as needed. You can also cancel, sell, renew, or transfer your domain at any time.

With SimCloud Domain ID Protection services we can secure your domain for as little as $8.95/yr. per domain.

What information is displayed today? Take a look for free by conducting a WHOIS Search in the browser of your choice visit: http://networksolutions.com/whois-search/yourdomain.com – Please remember to change the domain string at the end. (eg. http://networksolutions.com/whois-search/simcloud.com)

If your interested in learning more about domain protection services contact us today!

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Listen to our radio commerical

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Johnstown, Penna. – Nicholas Pappas, founder and Executive Chairman of SimCloud Corporation enthusiastically announces the addition of a new member to the team. Stacey Wyandt of Johnstown joins SimCloud at their Eisenhower Boulevard offices, in the role of Executive Assistant.

Ms. Wyandt holds an Associate degree in Specialized Business and will use her experience to ensure that the corporation operates efficiently and effectively. Pappas is confident in her strong background in marketing, customer service, public relations, and legal administration. Her people skills and organization talents are sure to build and reinforce current and future client relationships.

“I have a sense of adventure that carries over into the business world, says Stacey. “I am enthusiastic about a business venture with SimCloud and furthermore envision a long-term career along with growth and success of the corporation”.

SimCloud welcomes Stacey and is looking forward to the contributions her experience and motivation will bring to our workplace environment. Her professional and enthusiastic approach is a perfect addition to our team.

About SimCloud Corporation

SimCloud Corporation (SimCloud) is a leading provider of emerging technology based business solutions. SimCloud offers a synergistic approach to private and public cloud technology by overlaying core services and experience and combining three main components: SaaS (Software/Applications as a service) PaaS (Platform as a service), and IaaS (Infrastructure as a service). This core platform combined with in-house website development, creative marketing services, and information technology (IT) solutions enables your organization to make data driven decisions and achieve measurable results.

As Google revolutionized the way people use the web, SimCloud defines and revolutionizes the way you do business by increasing efficiency while maintaining the agility needed in today’s market. SimCloud, as a trusted technology advisor, has the resources and reach to help you be successful and achieve your goals.

SimCloud, headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, maintains locations in Johnstown, Pennsylvania and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The company has established client relations across the country and has forged direct relationships with today’s leading and trusted technology providers.

News Center

Please visit http://simcloud.com/press for all media contacts, press releases, news, high-resolution video + images, and other information.

____

Nicholas S. Pappas | Executive Chairman

SimCloud Corporation
Ballantyne One
15720 John J. Delaney Dr. Suite 300
Charlotte, North Carolina 28277
Tel: (855) 474-6256
Fax: (855) 677-1566
press@simcloud.com

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Copyright © 2011 SimCloud Corporation – All rights reserved – Google, Google Apps, Gmail, Goole Talk, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Sites, and Google Video are trademarks of Google Inc.

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