Google starting webmail system?

[X Q mano]

Hi,

I just read in a Norwegian paper that Google are going to launch their own webmail system called Gmail to compete with the likes of hotmail and yahoo mail...

This is april fools right? :)

EDIT: Sorry should have put this in Internet industry news?

[X Q mano]

By the way, found this on another site too...

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/8325125.htm

[incka]

I bet it is an april fools. Google is expanding past just searches though, so...

[incka]

It's not an April's fools... Go to www.gmail.com

[X Q mano]

Cool... :)

[kdb003]

Let me get this straight 1gb for free....seems like april fools to me

[Chris]

It could be real. Kinda a way of getting back at Yahoo perhaps.

[incka]

It's the 1gb thing that is making me so very unsure...

[flyingpylon]

They seem to emphasize that they want people to store a lot of stuff, and then use Google's technology to organize it and then find it again. And of course, if you go looking for old e-mail on a given subject, they'll be right there with Google's contextual ads. How convenient. More old stuff, more revenue opportunities.

I'm still trying to think of a way to leverage all of this... I'm sure some spammer with a more devious mind will figure it out.

[incka]

I am too...

[ozgression]

Originally posted by incka
It's the 1gb thing that is making me so very unsure...

I doubt many (if any) users will reach the 1gb limit. So it is a good marketing ploy (gamble) in my opinion.
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[michael_gersitz]

Think it could be real.

[GCT13]

Originally posted by ozgression
I doubt many (if any) users will reach the 1gb limit.As a user, the 1 gig limit eliminates the anxiety that your account will be suspended due to quota overage because you were away from email over an extended period of time. That ever happen to you? You go on vacation for two weeks - no internet access - and your email has been suspended because you received 2MB of span (or an ill-timed 4megapixel un-optimized photo from Uncle Jeff).

And pictures pictures pictures. Send and receive entire photo albums without the hassle of deleting large attachments to maintain quota. Wonder what the email message size limits will be?

If Gmail proves successful, serious pressure on Hotmail and Yahoo. Hotmail has 170 million users, Yahoo has millions also... how much time/cost involved with those guys if they find they have to catch up?

[incka]

I've given my email account 15gb so I already experience the advantages of large space...