Google’s Gmail app for iOS has been docked by some potential adopters for feeling like a poor cousin to other native apps. It may be worth revisiting: the 1.3 update has just arrived with a much-requested ability to save common image attachments to an iOS device’s photo collection. Should that not be enough, Google has smoothed out animations and scrolling for iPhone and iPod touch owners. The new version has pushed live for everyone, leaving just a quick download between us and saving our parents’ vacation photos for posterity.
Google has rolled out a minor update to Gmail for iOS. Version 1.3 includes faster scrolling and animation (thankfully) on the iPhone and iPod touch. Additionally, now you can save photo attachments to your library the same way you save images from Facebook on your phone, by simply touching and holding. Google has also mended some bugs, and these aren’t a huge changes, but they’re definitely positive ones. [9to5Mac] More »
The new Hotmail is here, and with it comes a whole new @outlook.com domain to colonize. That means it’s time to act quickly to get your-name@outlook.com. Certain members of our staff with very very common names—not saying who—have scored in the Outlook landgrab. GOGOGOGOGO before it’s too late! Protip: We’ve had better luck going for our full names. Sadly mario@outlook.com was gone before I could get to it. GO! More »
Microsoft has launched Outlook.com, a new cloud-based email service to take on Gmail with integrated Skype video calling and social networking integration. Considerably more attractive – not to mention comprehensive – than Hotmail, which it replaces, Outlook.com supports easy access to attachment photo slideshows, integration with Office and SkyDrive, and support for Facebook Chat.
As you might expect, there’s also support to open, edit and share Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, and in fact those files can all be edited directly from the inbox. Facebook and LinkedIn contacts are automatically synchronized with the Outlook contacts.
Skype integration hasn’t been enabled yet – Microsoft describes the current service as a “preview” rather than the final release – but when it’s turned on it will allow for calls to Skype and Outlook users. Best of all, it won’t require Skype be installed on the system itself, working instead in the browser.
Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn content will be pulled into the sidebar, and as for the inbox itself, there’s support for categories, folders, and rules. There’s also ActiveSync support for using Outlook.com with mobile devices.
Outlook.com Introduction:
Hotmail users who want to switch to Outlook.com can do so by clicking “Upgrade” in the options menu, with their existing email address, password, contacts, old email, and rules unchanged; they’ll be able to send/receive email from their @hotmail.com or @msn.com or @live.com address, or indeed set up a new @outlook.com address.
Maybe you heard, but Microsoft launched a new email service today. No, not Hotmail — a completely new, built-from-scratch service. This is Outlook.com, and for the time being, at least, it will exist separately from Hotmail. So why didn’t Redmond just give Hotmail a drastic overhaul? Well, friends, there are two explanations. First, the polite one: for technical reasons, the engineers found it easier to build a new service from scratch rather than retrofit the old one. The frank answer: Microsoft is keenly aware Hotmail has a bad rap, thanks to those banners and flashy video ads. In fact, the company has been very candid that it wants not just to compete with Gmail, but siphon away some of its growing user base. As such, Outlook offers a fresh, minimal interface — far cleaner than Hotmail ever looked. What’s more, the ads are more pared-down here: no video adverts, and no targeted ads on messages between people (newsletters are still fair game).
The service is open to the public as of today and you get virtually unlimited storage, along with 7GB of SkyDrive space if you create a new Microsoft account. (Microsoft uses the word “virtually” to hedge itself against spammers who might otherwise use limitless storage to game the system.) And you should take our word when we say it’s worth giving the service a shot: we’ve been testing it for almost two weeks. Go get yourself situated and then meet us after the break for details, impressions and lots more screenshots.
Note: many of our screenshots say “NewMail” instead of “Outlook.com” in the upper left corner. NewMail is a codename Microsoft used before announcing the service to the public.
No need to be kind here: telling people you use Hotmail has been the Internet equivalent of admitting to necrophilia. But after a decade as a punchline, Hotmail just pulled off the biggest victory in the inbox game since Gmail. And it might just get you to switch. More »
So Microsoft launched a new email service today — not a redesigned version of Hotmail, but a completely new, built-from-the-ground-up service. It’s called Outlook.com, and for now, at least, it will exist separately from Hotmail, as Microsoft attempts to distance itself from Hotmail’s bad rap. As it happens, the email features are basically the same across the two services, but from a visual standpoint, Outlook.com is everything Hotmail is not: where Hotmail has distracting banners and video ads, Outlook’s are discreet. Indeed, you won’t find any targeted ads on conversations with individual people (newsletters and such are still fair game). In lieu of those creepy personalized ads, you’ll see quick access to Twitter and Facebook, where you can retweet and like things, as well as post comments. Skype integration is coming too (finally!), though that feature isn’t live today. Most importantly, though, it brings a fresh, minimal interface designed to lure away Gmail users who wouldn’t have otherwise given Hotmail the time of day.
Outlook.com is open to the public starting today. You can create a new account or sign in using an existing Hotmail address. Though it’s still in its preview phase, anyone can sign up (read: no invites necessary). Storage is “virtually” unlimited — Microsoft doesn’t want to promise potential spammers a limitless account — and anyone creating a Microsoft account for the first time gets the usual 7GB of complimentary SkyDrive storage. Hit up that source link if you want check it out yourself, and then head over to our in-depth preview for detailed impressions and screenshots galore.
Email is something many of us have only been using for the past 20 years, but its roots go back much much further than that. The earliest traces of email even date back to the 1960s. And according to Wired, computer engineer Ray Tomlinson was responsible for many of email’s earliest innovations, including the use of @ in email addresses. More »
Google’s been adding a lot of features lately to get us to Hangout, from providing digital moustaches to scheduling virtual soirees. Now, the company’s aiming to get folks video conferencing from their inbox. That’s right, you can now start a Hangout with up to nine friends or colleagues straight from Gmail with a click of a button. Users can expect better quality as compared to Gmail’s old peer-to-peer video chats, and it provides access to people with an Android or iOS device and those on Google+ in a web browser. The new feature has already started making its way to users, and the rollout will continue over the next few weeks. Still not ready to mix your Hangouts with email just yet? Perhaps the pair of videos after the break will persuade you.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
Google’s Gmail app for iOS has been docked by some potential adopters for feeling like a poor cousin to other native apps. It may be worth revisiting: the 1.3 update has just arrived with a much-requested ability to save common image attachments to an iOS device’s photo collection. Should that not be enough, Google has smoothed out animations and scrolling for iPhone and iPod touch owners. The new version has pushed live for everyone, leaving just a quick download between us and saving our parents’ vacation photos for posterity.
