Finally, Gmail Exits The Land Of Beta
I wouldn’t have noticed it had I not read about it first on Tech Crunch and a couple of other technology sites. Google’s email program – Gmail – which has been around for five years now and of which I am a committed user, finally has exited beta. Gmail along with several other Google applications (apps) no longer are sitting in beta which means they are ready for your review.
Say that again?
Gmail has long past AOL mail in the number of worldwide users and should soon overtake AOL in the US market alone. Hotmail and Yahoo mail are still out of reach, but Hotmail’s numbers are declining at least in the US. Yahoo seems to have its top position secured for right now, but as we all know Google will do whatever it can to increase its market share at the expense of everyone else.
Bye, Bye Microsoft Office
I long ago quit using Microsoft Office products, having embraced OpenOffice a few years back. Along with Gmail, the suite of Google apps being touted make Google a worthy Microsoft competitor especially if you like to share files and documents. Currently, Google’s apps include Google Docs, Google Talk, Google Calendar and other stuff, something Google charges businesses just $50 per year per user which is about one-third the price of Microsoft.
Lots of businesses have gotten rid of in-house email, choosing to sign up their employees to Gmail which means that they can outsource some of their Information Technology needs. I once used Hotmail (got banned for spamming so they locked down my account….grrr) and I still used Yahoo Mail for one or two back up email addresses. Honestly, I think Gmail is the best email product hands down especially since I can use it as an email aggregation where I can pull in mail from various accounts. Oh, by the way, Outlook has failed me miserably too on several occasions.
A Beta Label Freaks Some People Out
Tech Crunch reported that Google removed the beta label for its customers who may have viewed it as a stumbling block to Google Apps. Some business folks freak out when they see the word “beta” used, thinking that they’re getting a test product that is flawed and certain to crash. Believe me, I can relate to this as I have customers who aren’t particularly web savvy, but see beta as an obstacle worth avoiding.
Of course, if you miss seeing the beta label with Gmail you can get it back by visiting Google Labs, click on settings where you can enable the beta label.
Photo Credit: Svilen Mushkatov
Tags: GMail, Google, Google Apps, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Google Talk, Hotmail, Microsoft, svilen mushkatov, Tech Crunch, Yahoo Mail
Technology | Matthew C. Keegan, 10 Jul 09
By LarryJackson, July 10, 2009 @ 5:35 am
I have been a Gmail user for several years, but I don’t receive much email on it. I prefer to use the email accounts that come with my Cox internet services. I use Opera or Thunderbird to retrieve the messages from all accounts, even Gmail. For some reason, I have never been able to make myself like the web interface of any email system I have used. Do you use the web interface or another program to retrieve the messages?
As for Microsoft Office, I too have thrown it by the wayside. Since I use Linux as my operating system at home, I use Open Office there and when I had to purchase a new computer for work, I opted to download and install Open Office here as well. The only drawback is that fact that some of the documents I have to email to the Fort Smith Police Department, pertaining to some of the vehicle tows we do, can not be opened by Microsoft Office. I usually just print and fax those, because I am not going back to Microsoft Office.
LarryJackson´s last blog ..Dog fighting ring broken up in Oklahoma
By Alax Nash, July 12, 2009 @ 11:10 am
Yeah i saw that collaboration of AOL with Gmail, and i was shocked when AOL asked me to link up with gmail while creating new account, huh, m sure google will overtake it soon, also I have heard that Google is soon changing Beta tag to Price Tag ! is that true ? I mean from now onwards do we have to pay for Gtalk or Picassa ? ohhhhhh man…ridiculous…lol
Thanks pal for sharing it
By James, July 12, 2009 @ 7:07 pm
I used Gmail last year that was the first time I decided to use Gmail accounts, and leave my hotmail account.
I love the features being given to me by Google and Gmail.
The verification emails is easily received by Gmail that is why i am now using Gmail.
By Rental Management Company, July 13, 2009 @ 5:34 am
I too have thrown it by the wayside. Since I use Linux as my operating system at home, I use Open Office there and when I had to purchase a new computer for work, I opted to download and install Open Office here as well. The only drawback is that fact that some of the documents I have to email to the Fort Smith Police Department, pertaining to some of the vehicle tows we do, can not be opened by Microsoft Office. I usually just print and fax those, because I am not going back to Microsoft Office.
By Hakan Selvi, July 13, 2009 @ 6:07 am
There have been a lot of fuss going around in the market about what is going on. People have heard lots of them but everyone has heard something different than the other. Google is making new in roads in the internet world.People are saying that Bing is challenging the KING of search engines. Let us see what more is going to happen.
Hakan Selvi´s last blog ..Business Opportunities in Canada
By Web Design Liverpool, July 14, 2009 @ 5:58 am
Good post – GMail and Google Apps are a winning solution, especially when collaborating and sharing documents. Still some way to go before Google Apps is as ‘thorough’ as Office, but Google do push things through quickly, and with the emphasis on cloud computing, I would definitely choose Google.
By Vaillant Poznan, July 16, 2009 @ 4:02 am
Gmail is not in a beta stage anymore. Windows 7 is not in a beta stage anymore. Seems like the older I get, the more awesome stuff there is around me. I love it!
By wyjazdy studenckie, July 20, 2009 @ 3:34 am
Maybe Google offers its apps for one third of Microsoft price, but OpenOffice is still free, and there are many free applications that work just fine, so I think that future of more sophisticated and advanced programs is also in hands of free software developers.
By veinna12, July 20, 2009 @ 5:59 am
the staff member wasn’t saying that gmail was still in beta, rather the sms feature, which is clearly in beta as its part of the gmail labs project.