Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) just gained a big-name ally for its Google Apps productivity tools. Troubled computing giant Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ) joined the Google Apps Reseller program and will marry Google's cloud-based productivity tools to its own printers and PC systems in a turnkey product called HP SMB IT In a Box.
Besides being a tongue-twisting mouthful of letters, this product gives HP a unique selling point that sets it apart from rivals such as IBM (NYSE:IBM). The move also legitimizes the Google tools in a big way by attaching the HP household name to a fairly low-key Google product. This announcement can't sit well with Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), which is used to ruling with impunity the market for office suites.
In the video below, Fool contributor Anders Bylund explains why this is a good long-term move for HP, and how it gives Google a springboard to new market horizons. Keep an eye on HP's Google-flavored adventures by adding the ticker to your Foolish watchlist -- just click here to get started.
Fool contributor Anders Bylund owns shares of Google, but he holds no other position in any company mentioned. Check out Anders' bio and holdings or follow him on Twitter and Google+.
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