Category: Technology Author : JR Posted: July 24, 2008
Tags : email, gmail, outlook, thunderbird, yahoo, zimbra
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Yahoo Tries to Outdo Outlook with Zimbra

Yahoo has a new plan to seemingly lure AOL and Gmail users into its service.

The company has released the beta version of Zimbra Desktop, an offline mail client marketed specifically to users of Yahoo Mail, AOL Mail, and Gmail. The utility offers POP and IMAP access as well as offline access to the iCal calendar function.

The program includes a list of other features, such as offline access to the Zimbra Documents and Zimbra Briefcase programs. None of them, however, appear to offer anything significantly different from or better than what users could find on Gmail or any other popular third-party mail client. Here are the primary selling points:

“All your accounts in one place.”
Yeah… Gmail’s been offering that option for ages. So does Outlook, Thunderbird, and basically every other desktop mail utility.
“Better for big inboxes.”
Maybe a slight advantage over Outlook, though not Gmail. Still, not enough to warrant a switch, at least for me.
“Be more productive.”
The statement here is that Zimbra Desktop can manage contacts, calendar appointments, documents, and tasks. See previous statement about Gmail, Outlook, etc.

This is a strange one. It’s clear what Yahoo is attempting to do with the Zimbra Desktop program — but at this point, I’m not sure why anyone would bother switching from their current e-mail system. It’s a decent enough program, sure, but why would I bother migrating over? It strikes me as someone saying, “Hey…want a program incredibly similar to what you’re currently using? It does most things about as well.”

Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not seeing the value.

Zimbra

BjornTipling

They've tried all of this before with various versions of the Yahoo Toolbar, Yahoo Browser, Yahoo Plus software. It's always failed.

Drake Jacobs

The key difference here is that there is a full search index (think about gmail 's search index) and a conversation index that is all brought offline. So you can now view your AOL or Y! Mail with a conversation view or you can search your entire gmail box offline (since the search index is offline)

JR

Drake, true -- I suppose it would be a step up from using the AOL or Y Mail interface. Personally, I have most of my accounts set up to route to a single Gmail account, which I typically check via IMAP through Outlook when I'm on my primary computer. For me, that provides fairly substantial on- or offline capability, and I've always got Xobni for conversation-based viewing options. It's certainly just a matter of personal preference, though.

Dan Applegate

"Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not seeing the value."

That's because you're dense. Seriously, why are you posting this crap. There is nothing of value in this article, and the absence of information on the Yahoo Desktop is astounding. You get paid to do this?

Did you even install it?

LAME.

JR

Dan, thanks for your input on the conversation. I did install it (see comment above), and -- as originally stated -- didn't find it to be a substantial improvement from the previous e-mail utilities I was already using. That's not to say everyone will feel the same; you are certainly welcome to your own opinion, even if you chose to express it as elegantly as you have here.

In any case, I do appreciate the pleasantries. Hope you have an enjoyable -- and perhaps even non-hostile -- afternoon.