Google Cloud taps to offer free docs, chat, others access for limited time

Google Cloud has introduced Workspace Essentials Starter, a new offering which enables its users a free access to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, and Meet, Chat and Tasks by using their existing official emails. To be available for a limited period of time, this collaboration and productivity suite can be accessed from mobile devices, tablets, laptops or personal computers. Google claims that this new offering doesn’t require file conversions, plug-ins, or new desktop software, and all the tools will work within existing environments.

The new Google Workspace Essentials Starter Edition is a no-cost solution for business users looking to enhance teamwork and unlock innovation with secure-by-design collaboration. With Essentials Starter, we’re making it easy for employees to choose their own productivity tools and bring modern collaboration to work, Kelly Waldher, VP of marketing Google Workspace was quoted as saying in a Google blogpost.

Some of the key features of Google Workspace Essentials are one-on-one and team video meetings (unlimited), real-time messaging with Google Chat, team collaboration in Spaces,  15 GB of Drive storage per user and the ability to store, share or co-edit more than 100 file types — including Microsoft Office documents and PDFs — without the need for file conversions. Furthermore, team members could be added or removed by using a dashboard on this solution.

“During a time of enormous uncertainty, our customers have launched game-changing products, reached new audiences, accelerated lifesaving research, and digitally transformed their own customer experiences. Along the way, they’ve used Google Workspace to empower their employees—across homes, offices, and on the frontlines—to connect, create, and collaborate in powerful new ways. And starting today, with Essentials Starter, employees can make the switch from legacy productivity tools and experience the difference with Google Workspace,” Waldher further added.