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Facebook's ceaseless march across the Internet likely will continue this Monday with the announcement of what is rumored to be a fully- functional e-mail that works not just within Facebook, but across the Web.
Earlier this week, Facebook issued media invites to yet another announcement in San Francisco campus – and the design of the invite may very well give away what the technorati have been waiting for. Note the old-timey snail mail border and iconic text balloons inside. Not too subtle.
The announcement is expected to be more than an update of Facebook's existing messaging service. "Rather, Facebook is building a full-fledged webmail client,"TechCrunch reports.
The tech news blog first reported on the super secret "Project Titan" in February. "Facebook is completely rewriting their messaging product and is preparing to launch a fully featured webmail product in its place, according to a source with knowledge of the product," TechCrunch wrote.
This could explain a lot about the recent animosity between Google and Facebook. Google cut off Facebook's access to its own e-mail product, changing its terms of service to prevent Facebook from importing Gmail address books. Notably, Facebook never allowed Google to access that data.
If Google is getting nervous about losing its Internet reign, that's easy to understand. As TechCrunch points out:
Facebook has the world's most popular photos product, the most popular events product, and soon will have a very popular local deals product as well. It can tweak the design of its webmail client to display content from each of these in a seamless fashion (and don't forget messages from games, or payments via Facebook Credits). And there's also the social element: Facebook knows who your friends are and how closely you're connected to them; it can probably do a pretty good job figuring out which personal emails you want to read most and prioritize them accordingly.
Get ready for a whole new day.
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Yesterday the announced a$460 million datacenter going up in NC, construction will start Monday. Perhaps this is why they need it.
I hope facebook succeeds and puts gmail out of business. I opened a gmail acct in april and within 6 mos. I had TWO breakins into my acct. Not only can you not get any answers from google, but you cannot block any suspicious mail senders. I closed my two accts and left google mail. I am happily back now with a safer email acct. somewhere else.
I've lost track how many times in the last 6 months Facebook has been hacked or accidentally let their users' personal information slip. I'll keep taking my chances with Gmail.
maxie,
Usually when your email gets hacked it is because you signed up for a service on an illegitimate site that asked you for your email address and a password. And you probably used the same password or a near derivative as your gmail password. Knowing what has happened to friends and family of mine, I'd say it was probably you and not gmail that is the problem here. Lesson to be learned: Use a strong password on your email and DON'T use it anywhere else.
Yeah because facebook has been so trustworthy with our information. THERE IS NO WAY I'M GIVING THESE CROOKS ACCESS TO MY EMAIL!
Maxie..............I have had Gmail for years......never had a problem. You have exposed yourself in some way......and if you are running Windows, that explains a lot.
As for Facebook, there are so many holes in that system, I shudder. My grands talked me into signing up for it, and after one week, I opted out. Talk about exposing yourself!!!!
Competition is better for everyone.
About 3 years ago I started creating 10 new facebook accounts per week with my name. I now have over 1500 facebook pages with not a thing on them.
I have activated every single one. If you search my name at facebook you will be completely frustrated. BTW I used my real name. I used a separate email address for each. So I would have to say that any website that would allow me to do this is completely run by idiots.
Good-Day
Virtually all e-mail and other security hacks are the result of poor password structure.
Strong passwords use a combination of letters, numbers, and punctuation (special characters) instead of being simply a word with a number. The most common password in the world is probaly still "password" which makes breaking into accounts easy.
K6y&b3.<oP* would be a good password, though still not unbreakable.
That said, privacy of e-mail has been questionable for years. Most of mine is encryted as a matter of policy for the privacy of my customers. Facebook has a virtually non-existant privacy policy, Google's is better (lots better if you use Google Apps). Remember if you say it on the Internet (including e-mail) it is forever and someone will eventually find it even if you don't want them too, so privacy in the end is all about not giving people any information unless you absolutely have to and know them to be trustworthy.
Yes but for those of us who eschew Facebook, Google rocks.
Agreed. I don't like the thought of Facebook, I don't like what they did after their expansion to allow access to everyone. It was simple, but not it makes media as a whole, as it acts a lot like some large Ad service for businesses where people can comment. Most of the time the old friends are left behind for a reason. As I said, Facebook was fun at first, but it grew rather boring and tiring just checking on it all the time, looking at events, liking this or that, commenting and always chatting. The games aren't all that fun either. It was like a new toy that just grew old for me. Also, I feel like we're moving too fast in technology, and people are always on this sort of thing. I lost a couple of friends thanks to the drama on Facebook (which can be avoided, yes) and because of their addictive habits with it. The Internet and tech are practically ruling many lives and this is just another step further towards it. I like Gmail because it is simple and only based for Email. I don't really use it for chat or calls, but it's pretty intuitive and I don't feel that I have to check it every five minutes.
you just cant beat the features of google and gmail. facebook cant come close no matter how popular it gets
Considering Facebook's track record on security, privacy, and the sharing of personal data?
I think I'll pass on giving them access to my personal emails.
I'm sorry but I would not want to put on a job resume xxxxx@facebook.com. Even hotmail.com and yahoo.com are very big "ew" factors to people. I love gmail and the way it works. Having a Facebook email almost makes you seem obessed. Not like things are happening every second that you can't turn away from Facebook for 2 seconds to check your email.
Also: I don't want to have to change my email address on everything NOR do I want a "secondary" email. Too late FB!
Amen to all above comments re FB. Gmail is a superior product in my mind with its dozens of related services. Frankly, as others have noted, FB's record regarding privacy has convinced me never to share business or personal aspects of my life on FB - and those are things I want to share in e-mail. No, no and no to FBmail!
Given Facebook's privacy record, who would trust sending emails through them?
The 500+ million using it today.
I use facebook and I would never trust them with handling my day to day e-mails. Little messages between friends is fine and all, but I'm not about to have my bills etc sent to a Facebook account. Same reason I don't have any of my contact info posted on Facebook.
500 million is not a legit number it doesn't take into account the following:
100 million fake/porn/spam accounts
100 million real but duplicate - trolling accounts
100 million inactive uses (after you deactivate - Facebook still counts you)
and lets not forget the FB accounts people create for their pets and what else they think of making a profile page for.
true, so...
Right. I can't trust facebook to keep ANY of my info on their website private (which is why I don't put anything on there that I wouldn't want the whole world to see) even if I've got my settings in order, but I'm supposed to use them for e-mail? I don't think so.
I refuse to use Facebook apps because of the spam. NO WAY will I use their email service.
facebook is pretty much only good for keeping a record of my friends that i don't contact or interact with often. like being able to look up an old college buddy once in a while. my real friends i contact directly every day.
facebook is also pretty much a chick thing too. i notice that all my female friends are on there incessantly and my guy friends are like me saying huh...whats the big deal with this thing?
AMEN!! Personally I don't even have a Facebook account and I don't know a single straight male that is on there 1/10th as much as the girls that I know. I've noticed from friends, family and colleagues that he biggest offenders are the tweens to early 20's girls.
A whole new day? If FB email functions anything like FB does then Google has absolutely nothing to worry about. Again, a whole new day? You have got to be high on the infamous "tech bubble" stuff out of Silicon Valley. Hyping a site notorious for poor performance won't make it any better...sorry.
Yeah.... work out your security issues first then talk email. Also, its pretty rampant that any product that's meant to be a ____— "killer" never is. So, you guys might want to stop hyping things as such.
No way would I use Facebook for email. Don't get me wrong, I love Facebook for connecting with friends all over the world. But I only put things on there that I don't mind everyone seeing. There are too many privacy concerns with Facebook to use it for email.
Great.... Here comes another trusted domain to be used for SPAM. :(
I didn't even trust g-mail. There's no way I would ever trust Facebook with e-mail.
Gmail works just fine for me and with Facebook you always need to worry about who is getting your private information. I have given up playing Farmville and all of those other scam applications. I don't need to give Facebook one more way to sell my information and end up getting deluged with tons of junk and scam mail. Sorry, not interested.
Farmville and other things got so annoying! Making co-ops and "help this person by sending them this!" I just stopped playing those things. Whenever I'd sign on into a game a million things about new features would pop up and freeze my browser! Facebook is just a place to contact friends I don't see every day.
What is Facebook? ;P
After having my personal data show up online for download through a part of Facebook that wasn't covered under their privacy policy, why would someone's abuse of my information give the idea that the email part would be any safer?
Gmail is great in that it can be accessed from anywhere, I can send/receive huge attachments and the fact that the advertising is minimal. It is also fast and I don't use all the extra bells and whistles.
Facebook is spammy, not privacy friendly and is a total joke when it comes to "efficiency."
Nope, keepin' ma Gmail! :)
Wow.. How FUNNY... Most of you think GMAIL is any more secure??? They read/scan your emails and target you for specific ads.. They've been caught sniffing wireless networks and gathering passwords... They have had security breaches with peoples data during transfers.. Ignorance is bliss I guess...
They didn't "get caught sniffing," they REPORTED that they found the information... something ANYONE could do if you don't secure your Wireless router. Heck, my computer tells me just about as much as they got just by looking at what wireless networks are available. You wouldn't believe how many of my neighbors have their wireless unlocked... I wouldn't have to pay for internet if I didn't care about security. They had good intentions, their intent was to map all the WiFi hotspots, they didn't realize how many dummies there are giving their homes away for free.
there has been breaches into email accounts since email accounts were introduced. not news there. gmail is up on the radar due to its popularity, not because their security is compromised. facebook's privacy policy has only gotten worse and worse with each revision.
At least Al Gore isn't a senior advisor to Facebook and wasn't allowed, like Google allowed him, ten programmers to help "refine" search algorithms (New Yorker, Oct 12, 2009). What other favors have they curied?
Facebook is for the most part apolitical, for now. Google is not. I don't trust Google in the least, especially while they dodge taxes with impunity while promoting politicians who seek to squeeze more from the rest of us turnips.
I will use neither for email, use Hotmail on occassion, and will stick with my tried and true clunky Outlook 2003 (would use Eudora 1.2, vintage 1995, if I still could). When away, I utilize my ISP's webmail facility.
You don't trust google because you think its overly political? REALLY?
I understand and agree with the privacy concerns but just because msnbc is a political site doesn't mean we need to turn EVERY story into a political conspiracy.
Good point. I just appreciate companies that are small and unsullied. Too bad things are centralizing into the hands of the "too few", which clearly is a danger if history is any guide.
freempg, Im surprised you dont use Ubuntu linux. its free, open source, has a great office package called Open Office, is very secure and safe to use.
"THANKS, BUT NO THANKS!"
Sorry, I gave you a thumbs-up when I meant to reply. Just wanted to say, now that you've said your piece, suk@ss, sink back into the slimy soul sewage of Hell from which you slithered. Clean up your name if you want to be taken seriously.
I don't think "thanks but no thanks!" was meant to be taken all that seriously.
Meanwhile, freempg, if you want to be taken seriously you should stop telling people to "sink back into the slimy soul sewage of hell". Was that really necessary?
I agree with your comment about polticizing. I am just decompressing I guess. You may not have seen "turd blossom's" previous name, which was, "Palin.Suxass". Was that really necessary?
Good question - what IS Facebook? Is the head of FB honorable and worthy of trust?
Article hyping Facebook 'Gmail' wannabe?
LOL no way I am switching to FB mail. Google is fine with me.
Ever since my address book was hijacked, from an application on fb, (and everyone in my address book received spam), I don't use apps on fb!!!
So why would i trust Face Book, with my email?
That was your dumbass fault for allowing apps access to your address book, not Facebook's. Read the disclaimer.
Just because they can disclaim it, doesn't mean they are blameless.
Eh, pretty much... I mean when somethings reads, "if you reply to this message I am going to throw water in your face." You reply to the message, you get water thrown in your face. Who is to blame? Take some responsibility, use common sense and quit being a crying dill hole about it.
Same exact thing happened to me. I had to import all my contacts from msn over to Gmail and then delete all the contacts from my msn account to stop the spam. I stopped using any FB apps and don't open things from friends that require me to give the app access. No Way In Hell I would start using FB for my email program!
I love a lot of you people are sooooo concerned about having your privacy invaded via email by Google, FaceSpace, or whatever, yet you voluntarily plaster every detail of your life on FaceSpace for the world to see. And then you act surprised when someone sells that information. Oh the horror! First of all, don't ever put anything online you don't want EVERYONE to see. Period. If you follow that rule, then you will never have privacy or security issues to worry about. I use Facebook, but only under an alias. It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who I am, but for the average Joe searching my name... not gonna find me.
I am pretty sure the people who are worried about privacy post nothing on FB :)
I've tried repeatedly to get onto Facebook because I have family all over the USA and they post pictures there. I have two sons and two grandsons and a daughter-in-law all on Facebook but I can't get an account there because Facebook won't accept my last name which is the same as the aforementioned relatives. I have repeatedly tried to use the contact link which of course won't let you state your case but only re enter the information. I have had the same last name for 50 years and I refuse to make up a ficticious name or use my maiden name (both of which have been suggested by others) as it is my name and others can use their names. Another daughter-in-law used her maiden name as facebook wouldn't accept her married name and her husband (my son) couldn't get it to accept his last name either so used her maiden name to get an account. I find it ridiculous that a web site could have a system that automatically decides what is a valid name and what is not and not have a system in place to at least contact a human being to get a chance to plead my case. My last name was my husband's last name and his father's before him and his father's before him. It is not a swear word.
It doesn't go by your NAME, it goes by your email address? I have teammates (roller derby) that will put their skater name as kind of a middle name and people that will change their actual names to use a funny last name or something. You have to have a valid email address to join Facebook and I believe only one account per address. Then you type in your info. Will it at least let you register your email address?
PGH - they do somehow assess your name. It happened to me as well and I have a valid e-mail address
Sorry with all their privacy and security issues there is no way in hell they will be a gmail killer.