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 Google...quite possibly the most prominent word
on the web, with the exception of "sex" that is. So what happens when
the world's number one search engine offers users an exclusive new webmail
service? Quite a commotion and an overwhelming amount of interest.
Gmail, Google's approach to email, has quickly gained the interest of many
in the internet community. So much in fact, that it has become more of a
status symbol than anything else. So what's all the hype about?
Isn't it just another free webmail service? What are the differences?
Why does everyone really want one? What can we expect in the future?
These are all questions that have been asked many times and is what will be
covered in this short article.
The Hype
Aside from a few features that are normally only
found in a few desktop email client applications, they have created an "elite
membership" that everyone just simply wants to be part of. I say elite
because currently, it is in beta and the only way to obtain an account is through
invitation only. How they will handle new accounts in the future is
still quite unknown and this is primarily the reason why everyone wants one.
It's free, but you can't have it, so you want it. Quite simple actually.
Not your typical free webmail service
For those who are unfamiliar with Gmail, the
primary lure would definitely be the 1GB storage limit per account. No
other webmail service offers this kind of storage capacity and you no longer
have to be concerned with running out of room. In addition, the maximum
message size limit is a generous 10MB, including attachments. I thought
it was actually more, but it appears to be 10MB now. You can
now send those large files and/or documents to someone when on the road without worrying about it not going
through.
As most of you know, Google's search engine is
the most powerful and precise search tool available on the web. Gmail
uses a powerful built-in search engine that is primarily designed to save you
valuable time. Other web-based mail services simply do not have these
capabilities and you are left spending most of your time filing in order to
find what your looking for at a later date. With Gmail, a simple button
click will archive all your messages which will store them in the "All Mail" folder.
You can then use its powerful search capabilities to instantly find exactly
what you're looking for.
What most users will really appreciate though is
its grouping feature as demonstrated in the sample account above. For example, if using another web-based email
service, when someone replies to an email you have sent, it comes in as a new
individual message. With Gmail, all replies associated with the original
message are automatically grouped and are then managed by Gmail as one conversation.
It's a much easier way to manage all your incoming messages and quickly find
what you're looking for.
Are they reading my mail?
This has been a question that has many users a bit
weary about this free service due to privacy concerns. GMail parses your
email and displays advertisements relevant to the content on your messages.
For those webmasters out there, you'll find that GMail uses the same
technology behind Google AdSense, which is completely automated, meaning
obviously no personnel is actually reading them. I think this has also
been blown a bit out of proportion. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but
email in general is not secure. A majority of services, free or not,
do use similar methods, all of which again are fully automated. Think of
a server-side spam filter for example. When used, the application has to
read all incoming mail to be able to manage or process them properly.
Speaking of spam, Gmail does offer spam fighting tools to help you battle this
ongoing dilemma. How good is it? Can't comment on it yet as I have
not used their service long enough to come to any conclusions.
What the future holds
I see a lot of people eventually using Gmail as
their primary account, especially those who only use webmail and don't own any
accounts with hosting companies. At this time, other free web-based mail
services simply cannot compete with it both in terms of ease of use and
feature set. I actually see most of them increasing their storage limits
as well. Possibly not as high as 1GB, but I'm certain you will start
seeing some changes in the very near future. Also, expect a wide variety of new features,
including html email support, drafts concept and even POP3 mail access.
Remember, its still in beta so this is just a taste of what's to come. Although POP3 access is not yet available, you
can use Google's
Gmail
Notifier to instantly know when you got new mail.
Why can't I get one?!?
Well, as I mentioned, it is currently by
invitation only. I actually was just recently told about this service
and have not used it much yet. However, I have done quite a bit of
research on it and the extremes that some are going through to obtain
"invites" is quite absurd. When something gets this much attention, it
is usually because it is indeed good. However, I feel that it has
reached a level that is just a bit too inordinate. The main
reason I can see people really wanting one right away is to be able to reserve
their own addresses before they are all taken, which is happening very quickly
I might add. Don't get me wrong, I think it is quite genius on behalf of
Google to approach it in this fashion. It has created a flurry of
activity on around the web, which has, in turn, provided a high level of
exposure.
Free invites available!
Can't get an invitation from someone? No
worries! ExtremeMHz.com will be giving out free invites
upon request. I will do my best to offer as many invites as I can get my
hands on to those who really would like an account. Simply register and
reply to the
Gmail Thread in our forums with your request and you will receive
a PM with an invite. One request per user please. No exceptions. Get them will
they last and enjoy!
UPDATE 11/18/04: Since the release
of the article, many are still requesting free invites. Unfornately, all
invites are gone and I can no longer provide them. However, please feel
free to request one in the thread below and some of the forum users may be
able to get one for you. Thank you for the understanding.
Questions? Comments?
Discuss them here!
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