Google and Singtel are rapidly signing up small and medium-sized companies in Asia to use the Google Apps suite of web software (email, video, chat, office software like Microsoft Office).

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We've had a quick chat in this office and reckon it's the first time we've seen it happen.

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The White House was conducting an online chat it labelled "Office Hours" in an effort to connect to web users about the often dry issue of the debt and budget negotiations.

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About a year ago, jBilling also started an online chat room that functions as an office water cooler.

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The Welsh Office has been accused of shutting down an Internet chat forum because of attacks on the Welsh Assembly.

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SAP's tool, called Gravity, lets users design business processes in Wave, while Novell's Pulse, a stand-alone product that will be released in 2010, will add security features, an improved chat function and live editing of Microsoft Office documents.

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The admissions office uses Microsoft's Net Meeting to conduct online chat sessions that let prospective students and their parents ask college administrators questions about admissions, financial aid and housing.

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While at the Office division, Ms Hood worked on the acquisitions of online chat service Skype and business networking company Yammer.

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Although I never did get used to someone crying in the office, this particular employee felt comfortable enough to pull me aside in the future, to chat (and cry) things out away from the group, which made life a lot easier for both of us.

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