Zoho Apps Can Now Be Embedded as Gadgets

Users of Zoho's Web-hosted software suite will now be able to embed and access some of those applications' data in external Web sites.

Zoho, which offers SaaS (software-as-a-service) communication and collaboration applications for individuals and organizations, now lets users integrate Zoho data via gadgets in Facebook, Gmail and any site that is compatible with the OpenSocial APIs.

Zoho currently has gadgets available for its word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, e-mail, calendar, tasks, contacts and planner applications. Gadgets for other Zoho applications will be available later, the company announced on Thursday.

Zoho Business, a suite of hosted Zoho collaboration and communication software designed for use by small and medium-size companies, is free for up to 10 users. Thereafter, it costs US$50 per user per year. Zoho also has a set of applications available for personal use by individuals for free.

Zoho is one of a new wave of vendors that offer a SaaS-based alternative to traditional on-premise productivity and communication suites like Microsoft's Office and Exchange. Zoho specifically targets individuals and small and medium size businesses.