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Google Email? Would You Trade Off Ads For Better Email Search?

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from the but,-of-course... dept

Fri, Jan 16th 2004 6:17pm — Mike Masnick
The big discussion that I've been having with a few different people over the last few weeks is whether or not Google would get into the email business - and, if so, how? To me, it seems like an obvious extension of their technology and business model - but not everyone agrees. However, the rumors are getting louder and louder that Google is developing an email product. The question is whether they'll be offering an entire "Google Email" system, or if they're just working on a version of their AdSense offering that would work within email (generating contextual ads based on the content of the email). Some people I've spoken to about it thought that people would freak out if they thought Google was reading their email to do its contextualization magic - which could be true. The question is how many people will freak out - and will plenty of others be more than willing to welcome the Google contextualization engine into their inbox, in exchange for the ability to actually "Google your email"? Many people always seem to want the ability to better search through their own email. I could see a certain willingness from many people to let Google place ads in their email in exchange for the ability to better search through all the email. If Google could figure out a good anti-spam solution, as well, it could be a real hit.
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21 Comments

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  1. identicon
    Ed Smith, 16 Jan 2004 @ 9:42pm

    Why worry about google e-mail??

    I don't get why anyone would look to Google to
    allow searching of their e-mail when there's already a product that already has more robust searching than anything ever seen on Google.

    I habe a 2 Gig DB of past e-mails over the past 10 years and I can always find what I want in seconds using DTSEARCH. go wwww.dtsearch.com and downlaod it free for a month.

    Ed

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Mayank, 17 Jan 2004 @ 5:23am

    Not again ...

    So is this the google strategy? Anything with keywords gets an ad? Is this company worth an IPO if it is just rehashing Google keywords across various services? Where is the creativity that is supposed to be the hallmark of Google?

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Beck, 17 Jan 2004 @ 7:03am

    Competitor Ads

    I have seen companies with Google ads on their web site where the ads are for their competitors. This could go one better, putting your competitor's ads into email that you send to your customers.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  4. icon
    Mike (profile), 17 Jan 2004 @ 10:49am

    Re: Competitor Ads

    Google actually allows you to block ads of anyone you want, so people who allow their competitor's ads to show up aren't making use of that function - but the point is definitely valid.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  5. identicon
    Dani Rauchwerger, 27 Feb 2004 @ 7:18pm

    Google email controversy

    What if Google email was ad-free, but came with a minimal charge? I think this would be the best solution. As far as I'm concerned, Google is already ad-free because I don't even notice their ads. I love the fact that there are no annoying ad banners or pop-up ads to bother you. Google's ads are discrete and non-graphical. A free, discrete, non-graphical email would also be an alternative, but then there's the invasion of privacy issue you were mentioning. I also hope that they would have a cut-throat spam filter that would give you the option of having junk mail deleted automatically as soon as it enters your inbox, rather than being reminded in a bold manner that you have a bulk mail folder of X amount of spam right next to your inbox. I hate that about Yahoo email.

    Dani Rauchwerger
    Santa Barbara, CA

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  6. identicon
    secela, 23 Mar 2004 @ 9:43pm

    google email

    I was reading the article in NEWSWEEK on "The New Age of Google" and it just opened my eyes on how important Google was to me. When it first came out I was drawn to it. I thought it was the name "google," but i realized it was the quality of my searches. Because of Google I believe I am smarter and better informed, and I would welcome the idea of them having email. Actually, I would switch instantly. I encourage everyone to keep supporting Google, regardless of the Microsoft, Yahoo, and Ask Jeeves competition. No one has ever answered our questions as quickly and completely as Google... and just think, time and technology can only make them better.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    Andres, 1 Apr 2004 @ 7:20am

    Re: google email


    When the rumours first started I was thrilled :)

    I am very fond of google Can't wait til the email services are online and unti lthey have a messenger service

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    HM, 1 Apr 2004 @ 7:49am

    Re: Why worry about google e-mail??

    Google free for life 1GB storage GOOGLE RULES

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    Stan Ridgeway, 1 Apr 2004 @ 8:34am

    Google Email

    Sign me up!

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Jayne, 1 Apr 2004 @ 10:35am

    Free Google e-mail

    Where does one sign up for the free e-mail? Will Google really be reading one's email? Pls advise,Thx....

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Alex, 1 Apr 2004 @ 11:46am

    Google eMail

    Free email with a gig of space, I don't really care who reads my email. Besides email is as unsecure as talking on a public message board and anything that's that important should travel through other means.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    cc cc, 1 Apr 2004 @ 4:04pm

    Gmail already exists

    GMAIL is a linux mail client
    http://www.advogato.org/proj/Gmail/
    But the google email service sounds great who cares some ads are better than paying a penny especially if they are just text ads

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    dean, 1 Apr 2004 @ 4:06pm

    Re: Google eMail

    Hi, Has Google launched this product yet? I know its unlikely as a search brings up nothing but articles. Can anyone 'can these worms?'

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  15. identicon
    alex, 1 Apr 2004 @ 10:27pm

    Re: Google email controversy

    invasion of privacy!!! people make me laugh

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  16. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 1 Apr 2004 @ 11:20pm

    Re: Why worry about google e-mail??

    anyone noticed that this was announced on april 1st? i gig of free storage! shame on you suckers!

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    George Smith, 2 Apr 2004 @ 12:08pm

    Google Email

    Aparently Google WON'T charge for accounts "1000 megabytes free storage", thats what it says on the gmail site, I don't know about you but I think Google is pretty crazy, they should think:
    1GB x 13242135141535999999999999 gmail users.
    If interested, check out the site: http://gmail.google.com

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  18. identicon
    Ambuj, 4 Apr 2004 @ 4:39am

    Re: Free Google e-mail

    Wait a while.

    The GMail is still in its testing stage. Apparently, a few e-mail buffs are busy testing it.

    It will take a week or two before its public launch.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  19. identicon
    raymond sierra, 17 Nov 2004 @ 5:28pm

    regarding gmail account

    can you please give me a gmail account... thank you and God Bless...

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  20. identicon
    google email is the best, 22 Dec 2004 @ 2:27pm

    Re: regarding gmail account

    gmail makes all compeditors suck. yahoo and msn are attempting to create bigger inboxes and better things but gmail pwns them all. with gmail you can see your e-mail almost like an im conversation. it groups together emails in conversations and then allows you to archive it. if you don't like the ads then go and get a decent web browser like mozilla firefox and then go and grab the latest version of ad block. it blocks specific things that suck.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]

  21. identicon
    google OS, 22 Dec 2004 @ 2:28pm

    Re: regarding gmail account

    google will be coming out iwth an operating system.

    [ link to this | view in thread ]


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