Gmail gearing up for full launch?

Gmail, the Web mail service operated by search engine Google, could be gearing up for its official launch, as people using the service have found recently that the number of invitations they can send out has increased from four to 50.

Gmail, which was launched in April 2004 and is still officially in a testing phase, is not open to the general public.

At first, Google let only select family and friends open accounts at Gmail. But it has slowly opened up membership more broadly to friends of those already holding accounts.

This latest development could indicate that either Google is hoping to significantly expand its user base for further testing or that the company is gearing up for a full launch.

At the time of writing, Google was not available for comment.

Gmail's popularity has already been targeted by online criminals. In September, scammers sent phishing e-mails to existing holders of Gmail accounts, offering them the opportunity to invite three or six of their friends to join Gmail.

The fraudulent e-mail, which claimed to originate from the "Gmail Team," asked people to disclose their Gmail account passwords to receive the additional invites.

Munir Kotadia of ZDNet Australia reported from Sydney.

[xpgeek]

rumors rumors galore

This is really just another rumor, what Cnet thinks google is up to now. They're really keeping everyone in the dark with zero info.

I think, since I got 50 invites now too, and its really like more invites then people know what to do with, that another rumor I have heard recently, that Gmail is never going to go public, and stay an invite only system forever, could be true.

[jcc17]

It'll stay "Invite only"

Barely a month ago, I only knew about two people who had gmail, and they had good connections. Right now, not only do I have one and have invited a lot of people, but almost everyone I know now and his mother, have gmail. Yes, I do have more invites than I can use. There's no reason now why google will make it open. It'll stay an invite only thing. Just do the math.

Invitations Gone

I logged into my Gmail account after reading this article to see if I had been given the additional invitations mentioned. Not only do I not have 50 invitations, but several invitations that I previously had have now disappeared, and it is not showing any invitations. Anyone else experienced this problem?

[xpgeek]

r u sure

Sure it just hasn't been moved?

The invites are no longer at the top of the page. They've been moved to an invite box thing on the left side below the labels box.

[201293546946733175101343322673]

I Still Have 6 Invites...

Oh well, most of my friends already have GMail anyway :)

[Bluesview]

My I have an invite?

Hi,

May I have an invite to GMail?

Kind Regards,

Terry H. Parker

[krishna_kumar724]

if anyone have gmail invitation, i want that one

hi
i want gmail account, if anybody have gmail account invitation please send it to me
my mail id is - [e-mail]

[j1cumbee]

Yes this is true.

Believe it or not this is the case. I started out with a measily 6 invites. I spent three of those. In return I got 7. I spent 3 of those. Now all the sudden there's a little box beneath my "inbox" link that says "Invite 50 people to gMail." I'm sorry for the people who don't have all 50, maybe you should spend some of the ones you have and maybe you'll get more.

Josh

[PCCRomeo]

I now have 50....

After having only 6 for the past 5 months I now have 50. lol, I don't even know 50 people.

[sanenazok]

Does anyone want this?

I don't think Gmail is that revolutionary any more. The reason I keep it is because I have a Firefox notifier and that's about it.
Yahoo offers 250MB of free space and it won't be fingering all of your messages to determine what ad to serve next. Doh for Gmail.

[iqula]

Office running in your email

It looks like Gmail has started a new revenue model with up start services like CosmoPOD.com Office in your email ariving on the scene.

[krishna_kumar724]

anyone have gmail account !

hi
i need 5-6 gmail account, anyone having gmail account would like 2 pass it to me.
my mail id is - [e-mail]

thanx in advance

hi Gregory Miller, I need 2 invitations

hi Gregory Miller,

I need 2 invitations, can u send it to me.
Thanx in advance if u can,

my mail id is- [e-mail]

bye
waiting 4ur reply

[krishna_kumar724]

thanx if anyone send me a gmail invitations

hi everybody
is there anybody having gmail invitations. i need gmail invitations . Anyone can send it to me .

my mail id is - [e-mail]

thanx in advance.
krishna

[dhiGu]

50 invites available

I have 50 invites available if anyone still wants them. Visit my blog at http://www.dhigu.com/archive/2005/02/16/gmail_50mb.aspx and add a comment and I'll invite you.

[Highway]

If you need more Gmail Invites....

Check out the automated webservices of http://www.highwayman.org/gmail ... the site distributes and collects Gmail invites. Taking away the hassle of people asking you, "Can I get an Gmail invite?"

[alanpro18]

free gmail invitations

Hi, i haven't used up any of my gmail invitations and google has given me about 10 more, so now i got 60 invites. First 5 to post get free invites. Just send me an email at:
[e-mail], subject: gmail invitation, comment: thankyou.

I hope ur happy! happy new year and new gmail!
dont forget ur plz and thankyous!