Google has introduced a new feature for Gmail users to allow them to access their email offline. Announced on the Google blog you will be able to cache your messages on your computer using Google Gears. A user will be able to open a browser and point it to gmail.com and have acess to their emails and be able to edit, read, and even write emails but they will not send until the user connects back to the Internet.
"Once you turn on this feature, Gmail uses Gears to download a local cache of your mail. As long as you're connected to the network, that cache is synchronized with Gmail's servers. When you lose your connection, 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. And if you're on an unreliable or slow connection (like when you're "borrowing" your neighbor's wireless), you can choose to use "flaky connection mode," which is somewhere in between: it uses the local cache as if you were disconnected, but still synchronizes your mail with the server in the background. Our goal is to provide nearly the same browser-based Gmail experience whether you're using the data cached on your computer or talking directly to the server."
The offline system is currently in beta and is available through Google Labs; it will be available to users in the US and the UK in the next couple of days.
Kind of a deceiving title.
im sueing neowin for new underwear
Sure. If your hard drive is like 10Gb...
Even if you have a 500GB HDD, 5GB JUST for email is a lot. Plus think of how long it'd take to download.
It would be nice if Hotmail introduce a similar feature, so people don't complain and use even more pointless reasons as to why Gmail is supposedly better...
Like this is a vital feature?
(I'm not being a troll by the way, but it's just many people act like Gmail is the best thing since sliced bread and are usually too ignorant to try out the latest Hotmail - after the Jan/Feb update - I still have yet to hear solid reasons and features which prove Gmail is better and I also have yet to see people actually try the latest Hotmail and give it a chance, first)
It would be nice if Hotmail introduce a similar feature, so people don't complain and use even more pointless reasons as to why Gmail is supposedly better...
Like this is a vital feature?
(I'm not being a troll by the way, but it's just many people act like Gmail is the best thing since sliced bread and are usually too ignorant to try out the latest Hotmail - after the Jan/Feb update - I still have yet to hear solid reasons and features which prove Gmail is better and I also have yet to see people actually try the latest Hotmail and give it a chance, first)
For me I would hate to have to have all my logons (generally your email address) be tied to an account that I would be leaving behind. I guess I could go through and change them all but that's a pain.
Also for most people if it isn't broke don't fix it. I went to gmail when they were the first to offer 1GB free, only when hotmail offered 5MB. For many if gmail is offering them a service that does what they need, there really isn't any reason to hassle themselves with the logistics of transferring email accounts.
- Hotmail won't do the same thing as Microsoft policy is "Software + Services" (while Google goes "Full Services"). Microsoft provides Windows Live Mail which, of course, has this feature like any other email client out there for a very long time.
- What Google is trying to do actually is slowly making the customer "think web". So expect to see the G company "webifying" all sets of features we already have in our software in the next years and providing full rich web applications which intend to enter progressively in direct competition with desktop software.
- Actually Hotmail has become very quick to load and interact with. As for the bloat I don't see any : it's clear, good looking and easy to use. The only thing that I much dislike about it is the ads. I think Microsoft should definitely go text ads in Messenger and Hotmail.
- In the other side Hotmail provides (or in some case will provide) a much more comprehensive experience thanks to its ties with the other Live services. When I visit Hotmail I don't feel like I'm just using a web mail, actually I feel like I'm using my Live "board" where the mail application is just a tiny part in a bigger ecosystem.
- Thinking of it, if Microsoft just took the LiveMesh "Web Desktop" and added some nice integration with Live Services, it might end-up being an incredibly comprehensive web experience. Imagine having always a tab in your browser with your web desktop and the other tabs are actually the web sites you're visiting. Might be awesome !
Also hotmail just reintroduced the ability to use pop3 in your outlook as well... I havent tested it yet but I did read here on neowin the new feature for hotmail...
They work fine for me...
Of course not. Probably the latest emails. Like a page or something.
I very rarely am offline - my phone is on 24/7 and theres always coverage
LOVE THIS NEW IDEA
Shame on you Neowin!
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