Zimbra’s Ajax-based email is worth a look. It is one of the many dozens of companies that have popped up, and one reason to take them seriously - well they are backed by Eric Hahn, the man behind Lookout Software, which was a “search” application for Microsoft Outlook, something so good that Microsoft bought it for a few million bucks. Seems like Microsoft’s money being used develop an Outlook-rival: not that there is anything wrong with it. ((Don’t be impressed with buzzword heavy press release, that is seriously trying so hard, that you want to simply do what distinguished Japanese warriors used to do in ancient times.) There is the usual crew of VC investors, but from my perspective, Hahn knows email.
Its like Outlook except in a browser, and I am told the Mac-happy version is on cards. Oh course you could get an invite for Yahoo’s (oddpost) enhanced beta, and enjoy the goodness. I am still waiting for Satish to ping me when that happens. I still want an “outlook-like main” on Mac, because now the iCal and Address Book are showing their limitations. Oh by the way, I am going to be mad busy at the office and Web 2.0 conference, so apologies for slow posting. via Silicon Beat
4 trackbacks so far
11:31 AM PT
[...] Zimbra’s email quite impressive actually [...]
6:57 PM PT
[...] Zimbra - Collaboration suite for email and the like that seems to be impressing a lot of people at Web 2.0 The software on that list that I like the most so far is Netvibes. For some reason it just works really well. You can add whatever feeds you want on the same page. It also has a button so you can update each feed individually and it automatically updates. I am also anxiously awaiting the release of Flock. It supposedly incorporates blogging tools, tags and other stuff to smooth out some of the hairy parts of the web. Comments [...]
11:53 AM PT
[...] Been checking out an AJAX based web app for email, scheduling, etc. that I’ve seen mentioned a few places including by Om. It’s sort of gmail with better options and more functionality, and they also have a nice flash demo. [...]
3:17 PM PT
[...] reviewed Zimbra’s solution a while back, here’s his review. Read More: Acquizition, AJAX, Collaboration, Email, Open Source, Yahoo, ZimbraShare This [...]
5 comments so far
11:05 AM PT
I don’t get why Zimbra is positioning the Ajax web client as a product when it’s really just a feature like Oultook for Web and Scalix’s web client.
Noone wants to do heavy duty emailing in the browser when they can do it in a piece of software. For the little amount of time they are away from their main computer, the web interface can be used. That’s all.
11:18 AM PT
actually, that is the fatal flaw. what they really have a is good email server, perfect for SMB and it has an outlook quality client in a browser. the whole pitch is wrong, but i think the technology they built is seriously radical
9:31 PM PT
Yawn!!!!
10:38 PM PT
Well, I think it would be a value proposition to the SMEs who does not want to spend too much on proprietary mail software. By using Zimbra, they gain mail mobility equivalent to that of Outlook for their executives as well.
4:02 PM PT
AfterMail (www.aftermail.com) is a web-based application that does many of the same things as Zimbra, but essentially archives email for multiple email platforms - it works with Exchange and GroupWise now, with others to follow. What’s more, it also has numerous storage management benefits (not to be underestimated) and provides an API to enable integration. Disclaimer: I work there.
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