Before I get started this month, I’d like to thank everyone out there who enjoyed last month’s collaboration between John and me, and took the time to tell us so. A number of folks said they found the article both interesting and helpful, and still more people gave us hints, tips, and corrections. There were enough of the latter that I decided to devote this month’s column to clearing up a few things and making a few additions to last month’s article.
In a wonderfully ironic example of Murphy’s Law of Deadlines, about three days after I sent in the final version of last month’s column I visited the iName Web site and found that they now offer on-line email reading in addition to their forwarding service. I have yet to try out their Web-based email features, but those of you who want yet another free email account can check it out, at http://www.iname.com. iName also offers the ability to check your email with a POP client, but only if you pay a yearly charge.
If you don’t want to mess with setting up a Web-based account, iName still offers its simple and elegant forwarding service. Another option for forwarding email can be found at PO Box, which, from what I understand, is one of the oldest email forwarding services. You’ll have to excuse my ignorance about these guys last month, but I’ll make up for it this month by telling you their URL is http://www.pobox.com
I regret that I failed to mention MauiMail last month. MauiMail (http://www.mauimail.com) is still another free, Web-based email service, and offers most of the standard features. The neat thing about MauiMail is that it is hosted entirely on Macs. So, if you’re still looking for a free email account, consider supporting this Mac-based company.
Two more slightly interesting developments concern well-established, respected companies that have decided to throw their hat into the free email ring. Qualcomm now offers free email, using their well-known Eudora moniker, at http://www.eudoramail.com. I didn’t test this site out, and I’m not sure how it stacks up against the competition, but I’d trust Qualcomm to deliver a quality product. On the other hand, Microsoft has taken their usual anything-we-don’t-have-we-buy approach, and has bought into HotMail. HotMail is now the email service of choice of the Microsoft Network. I don’t think this will affect HotMail users in the short term; you can still access HotMail’s usual site (http://www.hotmail.com) and conduct business as usual.
Finally, more than one Mac user has been clamoring to know where they can get their hands on the Macintosh Juno email client John and I mentioned last month. It turns out, as far as I can tell, that we were talking about vaporware. A visit to Juno’s site quickly confirms they aren’t planning a Mac version in the very near future, and although I’d like to see that changed, I’m afraid I can’t help you guys out.
That does it. I hope these additions to last month’s column give you a better feeling for the options available to you. I’m going to cut my column a little short this month, but I’ll leave with this parting thought:
I LOVE Apple’s new ad featuring the snail with a Pentium II on its back. And it was broadcast twice in the same night during NBC’s Thursday night lineup! Awesome! But it’s got me wondering: if a Pentium II is the equivalent of a snail, what do you suppose my ‘030-accelerated LC is analogous to? 🙂
Mike Wallinga (mikew@mymac.com)
Websites mentioned:
http://www.iname.com
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