There are some limitations on the free version. As well as the 50 user limit, each user account can . This won't be an issue for most of us, but it's easy to imagine an enthusiastic sales person hitting that ceiling now and again. You also can't send attachments larger than 25MB, although this will only be an issue for those working in the media industries who have to ship around large photographs or video files.

Even if you have to pay to upgrade to the Premier Edition, which allows unlimited users and a host of other benefits, it'll only cost $50 per year. Who can argue with that kind of value?

Some service providers, such as Dreamhost, offer free-of-charge one-click configuration of Google Apps for any domains you have registered with them.

2. Dropbox

is a sync and backup tool that makes use of the cloud to remotely store files. Once the Dropbox software is installed, you'll find a new Dropbox folder on your hard disk. Anything is instantly transferred to Dropbox's cloud storage system. This is done invisibly, and using the Dropbox folder is just like using any other folder on your hard disk.