An Open Letter to Gmail: Happy Halloween! We love your costume!
Posted Oct 31st 2008 12:56PM by Webmail Team
Happy Halloween Gmail! We knew you would have the best costume at the party, and who can blame you? We think it's great that you're using this holiday to pay homage to the one who started it all, who got 35 million people online at once, gave them all email, great content and messaging capabilities, and even created a forum that encouraged them to speak in emoticons.
That costume is fabulous...clearly, the devil is in the details... and what's that you've got there? An "experimental" instant-messaging feature built right into your mail service so people can use it to send text messages to their contacts' phones? We love it – that was such a hit when we first introduced it so many years ago. We tried to make it easy: telling users to simply open the AIM panel in their email type "+1 and the 10-digit cell phone number" into the To: Screen Name box. It's kind of fun, too – good choice!
And those sidebar options – talk about getting it right... Adding gadgets to email that allow people to manage their calendars, access their favorite content and best Websites? Nice work. The idea of adding a side panel like that was one of our best. Giving people the ability to get to their favorite places on the Web, manage their schedules and IM right from their email home page tripled the convenience of our service. We're sure you'll get lots of compliments.
Finally, is that an "attachment warning" popping up on your back? Nice touch. We know nothing is more embarrassing than having to send an email twice because you forgot the attachment. Our users love this little reminder, and they have been praising it since we first implemented it back in 2007.
They say imitation is the best form of flattery, so Gmail, we thank you and we are indeed very flattered. Putting together a costume that is so dead-on could not have been easy, and you've got it down pat. Trying to convince all the other kids at the party that the only thing to use is Gmail and putting out a press release every time you add a new button to the service is just so 1998. We're telling you – this outfit brings back memories!
Here's a tip though... the Web's getting more personal, and people are really savvy at customizing their own services. When you don this same costume next year, make sure you check out www.tunome.com first and add some third party services (see our new Yahoo! plug-in) – you can't be all Gmail all the time any more – it won't be such a big hit next year!
Happy Halloween!
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Reader Comments (Page 5 of 5)
81. AOL WAS HELL TO GET AWAY FROM WHEN I CANCELLED, OF COURSE THEY KEPT BILLING ME. TILL FINALY THE COURTS STOPPED THEM. SLEAZY!CORRUPT!SHAMEFUL!THEN TAPPED INTO A JOINT ACCOUNT I HAD WITH A FRIEND 1300 MILES AWAY,AND CAUSED BOUNCED CHECKS THERE!THEY STILL OWE ME MONEY I'M SURE I'LL NEVER SEE.MAKE THEM FIRE EVERYONE THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.BETTER STILL, SET UP A FUND TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE THEY STOLE FROM GETS THEIR MONEY BACK.AND NOW THEYARE BEING SMUG? KARMA NO?
Posted at 11:40AM on Jan 19th 2009 by CHRISEMMEL1
82. I float back and forth with all four email and instant messaging services because I like certain things about all of them, including AOL. The one thing that keeps my main ties with Gmail is the conversation thread; that is seeing all my replies and forwards in a 'conversation' grouped like tidy index cards. The old Outlook style inbox common to AOL, MSN, and Yahoo just doesn't do it for me now that I am used to the Gmail way. Two things would win me back to AOL. 1.adopt the conversation view, and 2.Let me pick up all my other instant messengers on AIM. If Trillian and Digsby can make it work, then maybe AIM can meld the differing platforms in the form of 'plug-ins', or some other way. Then I can have the best of everything in one place, enjoying the rich and robust features of AOL.
PS. AOL your cheap shot at Gmail was not the best move.
Posted at 9:33AM on Dec 1st 2008 by shawnreynard2
83. Late to this post but it made the point well that almost everything Google does is copying some other company's already existing service but the general public thinks Google made it first. There is this weird attitude out there that bugs me where almost everybody thinks Google is perfect and can do no wrong but if they do do wrong in some instance that it is justified simply because it is Google. Take the Google goggles off, people! I use them for some stuff but not for everything.
Posted at 5:46PM on Dec 16th 2008 by Christian
84. Hi,
Every time I open my e-mails, it says at the top of the left side, "mail blog", and there is some type of advertisement. Is this an aol blog? If so, how do I get rid of it? It bothers me all this motion going on when I'm trying to read.
Someone please help me get rid of it.
Thank you,
Jill Lafferty
Posted at 12:20AM on Mar 4th 2009 by Jill Lafferty
85. AOL this is the saddest thing I have ever seen. This show how afraid of Google you are. But good try thought.
Posted at 7:24PM on Mar 3rd 2009 by Benjamin Prater
86. Hey...I just came on here to suggest something from Gmail and found this. Perfect place.
Gmail's contact list is wayyyyyyyyyyy better. It doesn't auto-add (in my experience) and it is just organized in a much more useful way. Auto-add is super annoying, just so you know. Also, Gmail allows you to add as many email addresses or phone numbers per entry as you want, which makes AOL look ridiculous allowing only two. I recommend you check out Gmail's contact list and reformat AOL's. Seriously, you need to step it up.
Posted at 2:25AM on Mar 11th 2009 by Laura
87. buenisimos
Posted at 6:24PM on Mar 18th 2009 by raulmarqz
88. For two weeks I have been getting every AOL email in duplicate, triplicate, or more! Plus, once read mail disappears insted of going into old mail, and finally, the mailbox indicator is always empty even tho I have a zillion duplicating emails unread. They are multiplying more and more every day. I have sent messages via "feedback" but no response. Help!!
Posted at 12:48PM on Apr 1st 2009 by Paula
89. WEALTH SHOCKER! Up to(50) valuable Electronic books on making money are YOURS FREE A value of up ($374.50...YOURS AT NO COST!just go online and read or download these FREE EBOOKS that are written to help you make hugh sums of money!
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Posted at 12:53AM on Apr 21st 2009 by john f. thomas
90. let me sum it up for you, aol. gmail is free.
Posted at 11:22AM on Jun 26th 2009 by josh
91. it repeats it self time and time again
Posted at 11:45AM on Jun 26th 2009 by lucy