Saturday, January 31, 2009

Yahoo gives IM to its Classic Mail


The millions of users of Yahoo Mail's "Classic" edition will get some of the features that made it into the Web portal's more advanced free e-mail service more than a year ago.

Yahoo has announced that it has begun rolling out integrated instant messaging (IM) and SMS text messaging features to Mail Classic users worldwide. The features had previously been available in the current (new) version of Yahoo Mail, which differs from Classic in that it offers a more dynamic, tab-based user interface.

But soon, users hanging onto "Classic Mail" version may get a nice surprise.

The features will take a few months to roll out to all of Mail Classic's users, which Yahoo described as numbering in the millions -- indicating that it still has a chunk of Yahoo's user base, even though the portal has been pushing its more advanced Mail version for more than a year. There are over 280 million users of market leader Yahoo's e-mail services worldwide, according to comScore.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Access Gmail Offline

This is a new feature rolled out by Google in Gmail Labs that allow Gmail users to access their mail even when internet connection is down. Once you turn on this feature Gmail uses Gears to download a local cache on your machine. As long as you're connected to the inernet, that cache is synchronized with Gmail's servers. When the connection is lost, Gmail automatically switches to offline mode, and uses the data stored on your computer's hard drive instead of the information sent across the network.

You can read messages, star and label them, and do all of the things you're used to doing while reading your webmail online. Any messages you send while offline will be placed in your outbox and automatically sent the next time Gmail detects a connection.

This is still in beta phase so dont be surprised if you dont find it in your Gmail Labs. To check this feature first you will have to install Gears. Then go to Settings->Labs->Offline and enable it. All set!!!!!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Google G2 by May 2009


Rumors of next-generation T-Mobile G2 phone have started to pop up on the Web. T-Mobile currently offers G1, based on the Android operating system.

The G2 will be thinner and not include the pull out keyboard of the original G1, according to Gizmodo, which published what it said were "spy photos" of the alleged, slick-looking device. Gizmodo also quoted an unnamed source as saying the device is due for release this May. The T-Mobile G2 will also sport a 3.2 megapixel camera and maintains an interface similar to the current G1.

The news comes at a time of red hot competition in the smart phone market led by Apple's hot-selling iPhone and unprecedented download of applications for the device. Apple said there have been over 500 million downloads at its App Store for the iPhone.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

IBM to buy Chinese e-mail company


Computing giant IBM has announced its intention to acquire a Chinese e-mail and messaging company.

Hong Kong-based firm Outblaze sells hosted multilingual e-mail and messaging services for other service providers, telecommunications companies, and corporations to operate under their own brands.

Outblaze will become part of IBM Lotus' Bluehouse project, IBM's online-business and social-networking and collaboration service, IBM announced on Thursday. Bluehouse is currently in open beta testing.

"The acquisition of these Outblaze assets further demonstrates Lotus' commitment to delivering secure, scalable online solutions, and will help accelerate delivery of collaborative services, with little to no IT involvement," Bob Picciano, the general manager of IBM Lotus Software, said in a statement.

Bizztra Feed

Bizztra Feed