Google opens Gmail to all

Google on Wednesday said its Gmail service is now open to anyone who wants an account. Previously the service, which provides users with 2.8GB of e-mail storage space, has been by invitation only.

The service, known as Google Mail in the U.K., has proved very popular. When it was launched, Google raised eyebrows with its practice of indexing the content of e-mails so that the company could place contextual advertisements in them. Nevertheless, early ZDNet UK stories garnered hundreds of reader responses from people looking for free accounts.

Google ceded rights to the Gmail name in the U.K. following a court case with Independent International Investment Research, which registered the trademark Gmail in the time between Google's Web-based e-mail launch and the search firm's own attempt to trademark the Gmail name.

Its woes did not end there: across western Europe, a quiet battle rages on between Google and Daniel Giersch, a German-born venture capitalist who insists he'll never relinquish his 6-year-old trademark registration of "G-mail...und die Post geht richtig ab" (translation: Gmail...and the mail goes right off).

Google said it has also launched an application to let U.K. users access Gmail or Google Mail on their mobiles. The application, which will run on any Java-based phone with data services, synchronizes Google Mail on the phone with the user's Web-based account. E-mail attachments such as photos, PDF and text documents can all be viewed from mobile devices, said Google. The application is free of charge. Google said it will be available for download from here.

Matt Loney of ZDNet UK reported from London.

[airwalkery2k]

Never-ending Beta done?

Alright--if anybody still wanted an account and didn't get one by now, they are not trying hard enough.

I'm surprised they actually stopped calling it Beta, though.

[airwalkery2k]

Never-ending Beta done?

Alright--if anybody still wanted an account and didn't get one by now, they are not trying hard enough.

I'm surprised they actually stopped calling it Beta, though.

[aabcdefghij987654321]

So how the heck do you get a Gmail account?

...without giving Google your mobile phone #?

[rcrusoe]

Re: how do you get an account

According to the FAQ, you either have to give them a mobile number or you need an invite from a current gmail user.

Apparently Google doesn't want to become a haven for spammers like Hotmail and Yahoo. Whether this approach will work or not is another matter.

In any event, so a search for gmail-invitations and you should find someone willing to give you one.

[CoderForChrist]

Can't

Here in the States, we've had the ability to sign up for GMail via our mobile phones for some time. I'm guessing that this a new thing for the UK?

Anyway, Google addresses this in the FAQ. The purpose of this is to prevent the sort of thing that Hotmail is infamous for (how many Spammers had multiple Hotmail addresses?).

In the FAQ Google proposes two "workarounds": 1) get a buddy to let you use his phone, or 2) get a friend to send you an invitation.

[eddddd89]

I don't think you can

From the look of the gmail site (I go there often as I have an account) this is really old news. If you want to get an account you need an invite or a mobile phone. You have been able to get an account with a mobile phone for months. Thanks for finally letting everyone know cnet.

[eddddd89]

If you want an account

I can send you an invite if you give me a current email address.

[aabcdefghij987654321]

So how the heck do you get a Gmail account?

...without giving Google your mobile phone #?

[rcrusoe]

Re: how do you get an account

According to the FAQ, you either have to give them a mobile number or you need an invite from a current gmail user.

Apparently Google doesn't want to become a haven for spammers like Hotmail and Yahoo. Whether this approach will work or not is another matter.

In any event, so a search for gmail-invitations and you should find someone willing to give you one.

[CoderForChrist]

Can't

Here in the States, we've had the ability to sign up for GMail via our mobile phones for some time. I'm guessing that this a new thing for the UK?

Anyway, Google addresses this in the FAQ. The purpose of this is to prevent the sort of thing that Hotmail is infamous for (how many Spammers had multiple Hotmail addresses?).

In the FAQ Google proposes two "workarounds": 1) get a buddy to let you use his phone, or 2) get a friend to send you an invitation.

[eddddd89]

I don't think you can

From the look of the gmail site (I go there often as I have an account) this is really old news. If you want to get an account you need an invite or a mobile phone. You have been able to get an account with a mobile phone for months. Thanks for finally letting everyone know cnet.

[eddddd89]

If you want an account

I can send you an invite if you give me a current email address.

[pentium4forever]

Beta is finally over??????? About time! LOL!

It's about time Gmail is out of beta, it's been in beta for ages it seems like. It's rock solid as far as stability goes, is as easy as pie to use, and the storage is nearing 3GB. Go Google! Yeah!

[pentium4forever]

Beta is finally over??????? About time! LOL!

It's about time Gmail is out of beta, it's been in beta for ages it seems like. It's rock solid as far as stability goes, is as easy as pie to use, and the storage is nearing 3GB. Go Google! Yeah!

[ScottMo]

Still Beta

Checked my gmail account. Still says "Beta" underneath the gmail logo.

[ben::zen]

Well, yeah...

Beta, yes, but it works! :) I'd rather have a working program "in beta" than a buggy bit of software that isn't.

[ScottMo]

Still Beta

Checked my gmail account. Still says "Beta" underneath the gmail logo.

[ben::zen]

Well, yeah...

Beta, yes, but it works! :) I'd rather have a working program "in beta" than a buggy bit of software that isn't.

[Jyuujin]

I wish it was still beta

Let the spamming begin I suppose.....how long are you giving Gmail before spam bots are created using name generators like Yahoo! and MSN? I give it less than 6 months.

[hadaso]

They don't spam

I've never seen spam coming out of Yahoo servers. I've seen *very little* spam out of Hotmail's servers (that's not more than one or two per year, out of thousands of spam messages reported). I've never seen spam sent out of Gmail's servers, and Gmail has one additional advantage in that they handle abuse reports on email coming from their subscribers, whereas Yahoo and Hotmail forge the user's http connection as if it is a mail transfer in the email message headers (add a "Received" header per the http session) that effectively deflects spam reports to the ISP from where the spammer accessed their website, and the ISP most often cannot do anything about the email account being abused. Gmail don't forge "Received" headers and handle spam reports on spam that might go out of their users' accounts.
I have no affiliation with any of these services, except that I am a very light user of all three of them (and a heavy user of another smaller email service).

[Jyuujin]

I wish it was still beta

Let the spamming begin I suppose.....how long are you giving Gmail before spam bots are created using name generators like Yahoo! and MSN? I give it less than 6 months.

[hadaso]

They don't spam

I've never seen spam coming out of Yahoo servers. I've seen *very little* spam out of Hotmail's servers (that's not more than one or two per year, out of thousands of spam messages reported). I've never seen spam sent out of Gmail's servers, and Gmail has one additional advantage in that they handle abuse reports on email coming from their subscribers, whereas Yahoo and Hotmail forge the user's http connection as if it is a mail transfer in the email message headers (add a "Received" header per the http session) that effectively deflects spam reports to the ISP from where the spammer accessed their website, and the ISP most often cannot do anything about the email account being abused. Gmail don't forge "Received" headers and handle spam reports on spam that might go out of their users' accounts.
I have no affiliation with any of these services, except that I am a very light user of all three of them (and a heavy user of another smaller email service).

[hadaso]

Just in time for Europeans to register @gmail.com addresses

Just in time for Europeans to register @gmail.com addresses - before registration is limited to @gogglemail.com like in the UK due to TradeMark dispute.

[hadaso]

Just in time for Europeans to register @gmail.com addresses

Just in time for Europeans to register @gmail.com addresses - before registration is limited to @gogglemail.com like in the UK due to TradeMark dispute.

[thedreaming]

This is news?

I thought this already happened and was already posted on cnet? Why are they bringing this up again? Slow news day?

[Nikhil Sinha]

re: This is news?

I feel the same way. Seems like this has already happened. - Nikhil Sinha

[smarty_pantz]

Arrrg...they got me!!!!

Arrg, they got me to read this useless article!!! This is OLD news!!!!

I'd like to noodle-whip these darn writers for all these misleading headlines. These headlines are getting out of control. Shame on you guys. Try to have a TINY bit of ethics.

[thedreaming]

This is news?

I thought this already happened and was already posted on cnet? Why are they bringing this up again? Slow news day?

[Nikhil Sinha]

re: This is news?

I feel the same way. Seems like this has already happened. - Nikhil Sinha

[smarty_pantz]

Arrrg...they got me!!!!

Arrg, they got me to read this useless article!!! This is OLD news!!!!

I'd like to noodle-whip these darn writers for all these misleading headlines. These headlines are getting out of control. Shame on you guys. Try to have a TINY bit of ethics.

[fmsorigaay]

Not ready for prime tame

How about fixing their intermittent SSL login problem that comes and goes, knocking out POP service for weeks at a time? I spent an hour trying to fix someone's no-email problem the other night and found dozens of hits showing server problems about this.

[fmsorigaay]

Not ready for prime tame

How about fixing their intermittent SSL login problem that comes and goes, knocking out POP service for weeks at a time? I spent an hour trying to fix someone's no-email problem the other night and found dozens of hits showing server problems about this.

[ralfthedog]

Nor is your spelling.

No offense. My spelling is as bad as it comes.

:)

[ralfthedog]

Nor is your spelling.

No offense. My spelling is as bad as it comes.

:)