Google takes on Hotmail with Gmail

Google is launching a free email service, offering 1GB of storage for each account, in what is seen as a major challenge to leading web email providers such as Yahoo and Microsoft-owned Hotmail.

Gmail.com will be rolled out this month in what the company calls an experimental service.

Each account will feature Google's search engine technology to make finding old emails easier.

"If a Google user has a problem with email, so do we," said Sergey Brin, Google co-founder and president of technology, in a statement.

"And while developing Gmail was a bit more complicated than we anticipated, we're pleased to be able to offer it to the user who asked for it."

Google's system was designed by one of its engineers as a "20 per cent" project - the scheme which gives Google employees one day a week in which to work on projects that interest them, the company said.

In contrast to the 1GB of storage offered by Gmail, Hotmail offers a maximum inbox size of 100MB for £39.99 a year.

Further information about Gmail can be found here.

What do you think about Google's new email service? Join the discussion in our forum.

See also:

Google ups Gmail storage to 2GB

Webmail service enhanced with new features  01 Apr 2005

Yahoo ups free webmail storage to 1GB

Increased allocation follows Google's Gmail lead  24 Mar 2005

Accidental hack reveals Gmail flaw

User names and passwords open to all  13 Jan 2005

On Test: Webmail services

With the impending release of the free Gmail service, we ask whether it's worth paying for webmail services  25 Nov 2004

Hotmail strikes back in webmail storage war

MSN woos users with free antivirus and extra storage  24 Jun 2004

Gmail service raises risk of data loss

Google's forthcoming web-based email service could give IT managers a security headache  26 Apr 2004

Emulating Google will be a struggle

Microsoft may covet Google's success but the European Commission's ruling could stymie any plans it has to create a rival, writes Colin Barker.  22 Apr 2004

Privacy backlash against Google email plan

Civil liberties groups express data sharing and retention concerns  08 Apr 2004

Google bowls Yahoo a googly

Search engine upstart takes just three years to knock Yahoo off the top spot  30 Sep 2003

A look at Google's hidden gems

Google is one of the best search engines around and can do so much more than just search. It has some great tools tucked away to help you get the most from the internet.  04 Aug 2003

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