December, 2008:

Viewing a variety of attachment types is now easier, thanks to Gmail’s feature that lets you view a variety of file types through its HTML attachment viewer. Whether it’s a slide presentation or a spreadsheet, you can quickly view the file through the HTML attachment viewer. And you won’t have to download a special software just to view the file. Simply click on the option that allows you to view the attachment just like a web page and you’re good to go.

The software behind Gmail can turn many file formats into HTML pages that can be quickly accessed and read just like a web page. Here’s a list of some of the file attachment types that can be displayed as a web page through Gmail:

StarWriter documents (.sdw)
Adobe PDF (Portable Document Format) documents (.pdf)
Microsoft Excel spread sheets (.xls)
OpenOffice 1 / StarOffice 6/7 documents (.sxw)
StarCalc spread sheets (.sdc)
OpenOffice 1 / StarOffice 6/7 presentations (.sxi)
StarImpress presentation (.sdd)
Microsoft PowerPoint presentations (.ppt)
Microsoft Word documents (.doc)
OpenOffice 1 / StarOffice 6/7 spread sheets (.sxc)

Powerpoint presentations as slideshows

Another slick feature of Gmail is that you can actually view PowerPoint presentations as slideshows without having to download any software program. You actually don’t have to leave your web browser if you wish to view your PowerPoint files. The “view as slideshow” option is found at the bottom of the message. Once you click on this option, the file will open on a new browser window. Navigating through the slides is easy; just click on the arrows found on the top part of the screen.

Today, free email services are being offered by many email providers. Some of these include Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo! To help you figure out which of the many email providers is best for you, here are some factors worth considering.

Storage capacity

An email provider that offers a huge storage capacity means you won’t have to delete email messages in your account every now and then. If you love sending or receiving emails with attached files that occupy a large amount of storage space, look for a free email provider that can offer practically unlimited online storage.

Chat features

Many free email providers include chat features into their software. Whether you want to chit-chat with a friend while dealing with your email or you simply want to stay connected with your friends and family, a chat feature is handy. If you want real-time conversations with friends, family, and even office buddies, a chat feature can provide quick and hassle-free means of communication.

Spam filter

Getting junk mail is not uncommon these days. That’s why many free email providers include spam filters into their software. Through these spam filters, possible junk emails are sent into a specific folder, with the option to delete them right away or let the software delete the junk emails automatically after a certain period of time.

Extra features

The extra features of a free email software can range from options to change the “theme” of the account to folder labelling features. If you want an email account that you can personalize every now and then, opt for free email providers that offers changeable themes and background settings.

Do you want to compose a more colorful and attractive email? If yes, then you should probably check out the new set of stationery from Yahoo! Mail. Here are the six stationery collections from Yahoo! Mail.

* Abstract/Patterns

If you want to spruce up your message by providing it with a colorful background, then you should probably choose any of the 20 designs from the Abstract/Patterns collection. Your options in the Abstract/Patterns stationery collection include the pastel colored Pink Dots and Lavender Quilt and the geometry inspired Angles-Sage and Circles-Orange.

* Activities

Looking for a fun and cute stationery? Browse through the Activities collection and choose among the seven unique designs that include everything from dogs and sports to computers and motorcycles.

* Flowers/Romance

If you are sending a love note, make sure to choose one stationery from the Flowers/Romance collection. Whether it features a kiss or a flower, having the the Flowers/Romance stationery will surely sweep the recipient of his or her feet.

* Nature

The Nature stationery collection lives up to its name by featuring 9 different designs that showcase the beauty of nature. Your Nature stationery options include Aqua Checkers, Aqua Ripples, Blue Shells, Green Lizards, Kitsch-Aqua, Leaves-Sage, Peas and Carrots, Pink Clouds, and Star Field.

* Hello Kitty

Although it is named after Japan’s favorite white kitty, the Hello Kitty collection is actually made up of seven different designs featuring different Sanrio characters. In fact, only two of the seven stationery designs feature Hello Kitty. The other Sanrio characters featured in the stationery designs are Badtz-Maru, Chococat, Cinamaroll, Kerokeroppi, and the Little Twin Stars.

* Special Occasions

Need a cute background for a special occasion? Yahoo! Mail’s collection of stationery has just the right stationery for you! You can choose from 15 different designs with Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and birthday themes.

Email organization is very important. After all, not all emails have the same degree of importance. Because sorting messages is necessary for easier access, the Yahoo! Mail team has developed new features that will not only help you manage your account efficiently, but will also help you organize your messages properly. Here are the new and improved email organization features from Yahoo! Mail.

* Flag your message instantly

Flagging a message is one way of indicating that its content is important. In the classic Yahoo! Mail, you have to perform a series of steps in order to flag a message: open your Yahoo! Mail inbox, select the important email, click the MARK drop-down menu, and choose the FLAG FOR FOLLOW-UP option. To save you from the hassle process of flagging a message, the Yahoo! Mail team decided to develop a one-click method of flagging an email. Now, you just have to click on that tiny dot in the FLAG column (yes, it’s the one with the FLAG symbol) that corresponds to the message you wish to flag.

* Rename your folder easily

In the classic Yahoo! Mail, it is also quite complex to rename a folder. You have to click on the EDIT link on the upper left part of the page, find the folder from the MY FOLDERS list, click the RENAME link beside it, enter the new folder name on the “Please enter a name for your folder” field, and click the OK button from the pop-up. But now, thanks to the new and improved Yahoo! Mail features, you can now rename your folder with much ease. Just click on the folder you wish to rename from the MY FOLDERS list on the left side of the page, click the RENAME button beside the folder’s default name, enter the new folder name on the specified field, and click the OK button.