Google Gmail

Google Gmail is a new web based email offering from Google that looks like changing the way we use and store email. Gmail besides offering free massive storage (2 Gigabytes) automatically sorts and displays messages along with their replies.

Most ISPs and email providers encourage you to download email to your local computer for storage and archiving. The do this  by either limiting the storage on the sever or by supporting POP3 only access which by default moves mail off the server onto the client. Only the more experienced users know how to leave the email on the server.

Google by contrast by offering such massive amounts of storage encourages the opposite. This could mean that many people start to move their local email onto the network meaning that is accessible from anywhere. It also eliminates the archiving problem that is common for home and small business users.

Using Goggle's search technology means that lost or misplaced emails  and creating myriads of folders to organize email becomes a think of the past as email becomes available through a simple search.

Ads in Email

Google plan to make money from Gmail by placing context based ads in the email messages just like you see on this web page. Although this can be seen as a massive privacy issue Google maintain that email is kept totally confidential.

From a big brother perspective it has always been possible for anyone at any of the ISPs and other nodes on the Internet to monitor email, and so in my opinion Google ad placement is not really a concern. If you want to keep your email confidential then you need to encrypt it.

Gmail Notifier

This is a small application that you download and install on your PC which automatically (every 2 minutes) checks your inbox for new messages.

It appears as a icon in the system tray and will display a small snip of the the new message like this:

Gmail On Your Mobile Phone

You can also access your Gmail inbox from your mobile phone. However your phone must satisfy some requirements which you will find here.

Gmail Future

Gmail is currently still in Beta and is only available to registered users. It is unknown at this time when it will go live.

 Gmail has all the hallmarks of being the first step in moving data from the local PC onto the Network (Internet) . This is a trend I expect to see develop in the coming years ( see online data storage).

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Related Articles and resources:

• Enable and Configure Google Gmail For POP3 Access

• Managing Multiple Email Accounts/Mailboxes

• A Guide to Free Email Accounts