Aah! at last I am a proud owner of a Gmail account.. thanx to my friend from Austria who was kind enough to send me an invitation..
Ask any net addict and you'll know that it's the craze of the day to have an account in Gmail. During last few months, it got a tremendous hype.. So, here ii am to analyze what's the hype for...
Gmail from Google.com has some unique features most of which are not offered by other webmail services.
No more deleting of messages
With 1,000 megabytes of storage, you never run out of storage space in Gmail. Generally, in a free webmail account, you have to keep deleting message on a regular basis to keep space for new incoming messages. But in Gmail, a typical user can go for years without deleting a single message. You never know when you might need a message again. With Gmail, you can easily archive your messages. If you decide you no longer want a message in your Inbox, just hit the 'Archive' button and the message will still be available in 'All Mail' or through a search.
But then, there are some other servers.. like Rediffmail.com and suredid.com offering the same storage area.. So lets see what other features attract netizens to Gmail...
Inbox with a different view
In all other mailing services, you have to rely on your memory to recall what was said in previous emails about the same subject. But through Gmail, each message you send is grouped with all the responses you receive creating what they call 'conversations'. So, when you open a message in a conversation, all the replies will be neatly stacked one upon other, like a deck of cards. It helps to view all your messages in context.
Search in a google way
When the mailbox is from google, the leader in search engine, how can you not expect to have something that reflects the same? Gmail provides you with a variety of search options that return speedy, accurate results. The search can be made by keyword, date range label, or a host of other options. You are always sure that you are never going to miss out anything that's needed from your message.
No more managing folders
Gmail gives freedom from folders and subfolders. Instead of folders, Gmail uses labels to give you the functionality of folders, but with more flexibility. In Gmail, a single conversation can have several labels, so you're not forced to choose one particular folder for each message you receive. That way, if a conversation covers more than one topic, you can retrieve it with any of the labels that you've applied to it.
See them all
Previously, we had few options for managing messages: file them, delete them, print them, or leave them in your Inbox. But Gmail simplifies this process by placing the messages in 'All Mail' when you use the archive function. 'All Mail' is the holding place for all of the messages you've sent or received, but not deleted.
Shortcuts
Gmail can be explored quite quickly without taking the hands off the keyboard or to use the mouse. There are several case-sensitive shortcuts that make it easier to navigate through Gmail's features.. Like
<SHIFT>+ c allows you to compose a message in a new window
<SHIFT>+ r will allow you to reply to a message in a new window
hit <ENTER>to expand or collapse a message
'u' refreshes your page and returns you to the inbox
's' adds or removes a star to a message or conversation. The Star marking allow you to give a message or conversation a special status
Faster fasteners
With Gmail, you can send and receive messages up to 10 megabytes (MB) in size and believe me, it's done really fast.. faster than any other webmail services I've used so far!
Dormant Account
Most free web-based email providers delete dormant accounts (accounts that have not been accessed for an extended period) after as few as 30 days. Whereas in Gmail, a dormant account is closed only after 90 days.
Protection from viruses
Gmail blocks viruses by not allowing you to receive certain files (such as files ending in .exe, .zip, .tar, .tgz, .taz, .z, .gz .. which are mostly viruses) that could contain damaging executable code.
Don?t sprain your brain
With Gmail, You can automatically sign in to your account by checking 'Don't ask for my password for 2 weeks' on the login page. When you check the box and sign in, Gmail sets a cookie to automatically remember you when you return to the site from the same computer.
It's FREE
The best thing about Gmail is that it's completely free. That means you don't need to pay for additional email storage, filters, or special webmail options, like with those other online email providers. All you need to get started is an invitation from a current Gmail user.
What you don't get...
@ Gmail doesn't currently offer the ability to import mail and/or directly access mail from another provider
@ Can?t add digital signatures along with your mail
@ Can?t use word format feature.. that means you always have to use black letters to compose your mails...
@ Gmail does not accept files if they are sent in a zipped format.
But since Gmail is in it?s beta version.. we can certainly hope for greater than better service once it is released in full version?
