Due to the pressure GMail was putting on all free webmail providers, Yahoo has decided to fight back with 100MB of storage.
Funny if you ask me, how do you expect 100MB to fight with 1GB. Well for one thing, you can sign-up with Yahoo Mail anytime as against GMail‘s current by-invitation sign-up priviliges.
In case you didn’t know, for those paying subscribers to the Yahoo Mail Plus package (such as myself), we now get TWO GIGABYTES of storage. Now that’s something that can catch GMail users’ attention.
But is it really worth switching back for the space? GMail still has tricks up their sleeve…
I got a mail from Yahoo a while ago:
Dear Yahoo! Mail Plus User,
Thanks for subscribing to the new and improved Yahoo! Mail Plus. With a virtually unlimited 2GB of email storage, more powerful virus and spam protection, and no graphical ads, it’s the best value we’ve ever offered! So don’t wait take the controls with these powerful features.
Safeguard yourself with virus cleaning. Help protect your email and your computer from dangerous viruses. With virus cleaning powered by Norton AntiVirus, you get added protection that helps remove viruses before they damage your system.
Read only the mail you really want. As you report spam, SpamGuard Plus learns to weed out unwanted mail for you so your inbox receives only the messages you really want. You can also block addresses and web domains, and create filters to direct incoming mail.
Start using AddressGuard. Help protect your Yahoo! Mail address with AddressGuard. Create alias addresses to do business online with more confidence.
Manage all your mail more easily. Log in to Yahoo!, then access mail through your Yahoo! Mail Plus page or use POP Access to manage all your mail to and from any POP3 account, such as your work account.
Archive your most important files. Save valued photos, songs, videos and more. Archive your entire mailbox or just specific folders and dates.
Personalize your mail. Choose from a wide selection of stationery styles, colors and fonts. You can also customize your signature.
Yahoo! Mail Plus keeps you in control. Again, thanks for subscribing to Yahoo! Mail Plus. Enjoy!
Sincerely, The Yahoo! Mail Team
So now, what do I have? 2GB of space, and POP/Forwarding… with the same account. Who could ask for anything more?
As far as Yahoo Mail has put up a good counter to GMail, unfortunately this will be only felt when you are a paying subscriber to Yahoo Mail Plus. And nobody has to remind us that GMail is still FREE 1GB of storage, although by invitation.
But the reason I’m staying with GMail is because of GMail’s engine:
I have been given a GMail invite, and I must say that i’ve fallen in love with the whole concept Google has implemented, with regards to email handling. And there is no doubt in anyones mind when it comes to Google’s seach engine. Having that same engine looking for your mail, in itself, should be enough reason to switch or stay with GMail.
As for me, I’ll probably be wasting perfectly good 2GBs of yahoo space As i’ll just forward everything to my personal and GMail accounts. But i’m definitely going to keep my subscription to Yahoo Mail Plus since Yahoo has also proven itself worthy.
I mean not everyone knows my GMail address, and that’s intentional. Since the beginning of time, people knew my yahoo address,, and I just set it to forward to any address I use at any particular point in time. And believe me, i’ve been though A BUNCH of email addresses.
I think Yahoojust needs some time to catch on. Who knows, maybe it can match Google’s labelling and search functions in their webmail… and even integrate that to their Instant Messaging software (to find contacts easier) or to their mailing lists (we all know how messed up the mailing list search function is).
My final decision? Keep both, use GMail have Yahoo ready in case. And download via Outlook hehehe.