The new version of Yahoo! Mail will enable users to send free text messages to mobile phones.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007: Yahoo! Inc. has launched the new version of Yahoo! Mail that will allow you to send free text messages from Yahoo! Mail to mobile phone numbers in India, the US, Canada and the Philippines. You can also send instant messages (IM) from Yahoo! Mail to members of Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger. The new version also includes speed and performance enhancements as well as productivity refinements. However, when I checked my account, the facility to send text messages to mobile phones was not active.
"We have always been focussed on making it easy for people to connect to those who matter most to them, and during the beta testing period of the new Yahoo! Mail, we were able to incorporate a number of enhancements based on valuable feedback from our users," said John Kremer, vice president, Yahoo! Mail."
Now, with the all-new Yahoo! Mail, we're creating a more social e-mail experience. In addition, we wanted to make sure that people have the best possible Web mail experience regardless of their geographic location, preferences or system, so we're continuing to offer our trusted Yahoo! Mail Classic interface," added Kremer.
A co-branded version of the new Yahoo! Mail will also be available in the fall to customers using the following broadband Internet services: AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet, Verizon Yahoo! and Rogers Yahoo! Hi-Speed Internet. The new Yahoo! Mail will be available this fall to Yahoo! Small Business Mail users as well.
Both the new Yahoo! Mail and Yahoo! Mail Classic are offered as free services with unlimited e-mail storage, accessible from virtually any computer or mobile device connected to the Internet, without the need for a software download.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Listen WORLDSPACE Radio On Your PC!
MSN and WORLDSPACE join hands to take the satellite radio online on MSN India.
WORLDSPACE Satellite Radio and MSN India, along with A R Rahman, have announced the launch of five WORLDSPACE stations on MSN India. This move gives music lovers 24 hour access to their favorite stations Farishta (Hindi film classics), Sparsha (Kannada), Spandana (Telugu), Gandharv (Hindustani classical) and Shruti (Carnatic music). online at http://in.msn.com/worldspace at USD 9.9 only per month.
Velu Shankar, senior advisor, content and programming, WORLDSPACE India Pvt Ltd said, “We are delighted with our strategic partnership with MSN India. We believe that with this initiative we will help bridge the needs of Indians across the globe to be closely connected with their roots and Indian culture, and provide a platform to savor songs online even when they do not have access to WORLDSPACE Satellite Radio.”
“WORLDSPACE has been instrumental in popularising satellite based digital radio in India,” said Jaspreet Bindra, country manager, online service group, Microsoft - India. “This association is part of our commitment to our users in bringing the best of entertainment online. Users now can listen to their favourite music online. Together with WORLDSPACE, we shall continue to provide the best of music to all users.”
A R Rahman, brand ambassador for WORLDSPACE and one of the leading music composers said, “Technology is breaking barriers and going beyond geographical boundaries helping musicians gain recognition outside India, and at the same time making their music available worldwide. This breakthrough will enable millions of music lovers to stay tuned at all times.”
Elaborating on the partnership, Krishna Prasad, executive producer, MSN India said, “While music on the net is gaining popularity today, users in India today do not have many radio stations online to listen to the music they love. Now, users in India can log on to MSN India and listen to music that is relevant to them, in their own language while experiencing the digital quality that WORLDSPACE offers."
WORLDSPACE Satellite Radio and MSN India, along with A R Rahman, have announced the launch of five WORLDSPACE stations on MSN India. This move gives music lovers 24 hour access to their favorite stations Farishta (Hindi film classics), Sparsha (Kannada), Spandana (Telugu), Gandharv (Hindustani classical) and Shruti (Carnatic music). online at http://in.msn.com/worldspace at USD 9.9 only per month.
Velu Shankar, senior advisor, content and programming, WORLDSPACE India Pvt Ltd said, “We are delighted with our strategic partnership with MSN India. We believe that with this initiative we will help bridge the needs of Indians across the globe to be closely connected with their roots and Indian culture, and provide a platform to savor songs online even when they do not have access to WORLDSPACE Satellite Radio.”
“WORLDSPACE has been instrumental in popularising satellite based digital radio in India,” said Jaspreet Bindra, country manager, online service group, Microsoft - India. “This association is part of our commitment to our users in bringing the best of entertainment online. Users now can listen to their favourite music online. Together with WORLDSPACE, we shall continue to provide the best of music to all users.”
A R Rahman, brand ambassador for WORLDSPACE and one of the leading music composers said, “Technology is breaking barriers and going beyond geographical boundaries helping musicians gain recognition outside India, and at the same time making their music available worldwide. This breakthrough will enable millions of music lovers to stay tuned at all times.”
Elaborating on the partnership, Krishna Prasad, executive producer, MSN India said, “While music on the net is gaining popularity today, users in India today do not have many radio stations online to listen to the music they love. Now, users in India can log on to MSN India and listen to music that is relevant to them, in their own language while experiencing the digital quality that WORLDSPACE offers."
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Difference between PayPal and Google Checkout
We have been using both Paypal and Google checkout for various reasons and there are places where we can use both .
the following article in timesofindia lists out some features and differences between them.
Google Checkout Vs Paypal
It's been a year since Google Inc launched its much-anticipated payment service, and I've been curious whether a company known best for its search engine can deliver a money service as good as industry leader PayPal. In many ways, I found Google Checkout much easier to use. I can pay for merchandise in fewer steps and more easily understand my account options. But the ultimate test is whether Checkout works with the tasks for which I've been using PayPal, and the answer is no. Checkout works well as an online wallet, a way to store credit card numbers and addresses so you don't have to retype all that information each time. PayPal functions more like a bank account: You can do much more, such as receiving money, but the array of options can be confusing and add steps to the shopping process. Both are free to set up and make payments, and signing up is easy. With Checkout, you provide at the outset an e-mail address — through Google's Gmail or any other provider — along with your credit card, billing and shipping information. PayPal requires only your e-mail address and basic details to start and asks for your credit card or bank account information later as needed. (Google accepts payments via credit or debit cards only, while PayPal lets you withdraw funds from a regular bank account.)
In terms of buying goods, what I like about Checkout is its consistency and simplicity. The layout and process are familiar whether I'm shopping at the Web site for Starbucks Corp, RadioShack Corp or a small outfit called Weloveipod. I simply click on a "Google Checkout" logo, sign in, review my order and accept. There's a pull-down menu at the review stage where I can choose standard, express or other shipping option. PayPal's look and feel vary, and it's not as seamless as Checkout. Like Checkout, PayPal offers merchants various ways to integrate the service with their own online stores. That's good because sole proprietors will have different needs from a large merchant like Southwest Airlines or Toys "R" Us. But while the back end may vary, Checkout manages to make the front end appear consistent to the customer. It took seven steps — compared with Checkout's four — to place a Starbucks order with PayPal. First, I encountered a PayPal screen where I must verify the information I have with the payment service. I then had to choose a shipping option separately and create a separate account with Starbucks. It's worse at Toys "R" Us. I had to retype my billing and shipping information even though PayPal had all that. But Checkout isn't accepted where it counts. Google claims tens of thousands of merchants accepting Checkout, compared with millions claimed by PayPal. Online auctioneer eBay Inc, which owns PayPal, doesn't allow its auction sellers to accept payments from Checkout. And some smaller merchants take PayPal only (Some merchants accept Checkout but not PayPal, but none are places I'd regularly shop at.) Unlike Checkout, PayPal sometimes lets you make one-time payments without creating an account, though the merchant then gets your credit card information to complete the transaction. Normally, PayPal, like Checkout, limits what it shares. Of course, merchants will need your name, shipping address and sometimes your phone number.
Checkout will sometimes give merchants your billing address and the last four digits of your credit card as well, while PayPal says it won't unless you use the one-time option. On the other hand, PayPal shares your e-mail address with merchants that request it, while Checkout lets you keep that private — and Google will forward receipts and other important e-mails to you. PayPal is better abroad. You can buy goods from about 190 markets with PayPal compared with some 140 for Checkout. With PayPal, you can receive money in about 50 countries, while Checkout accepts US and UK merchants only. And while PayPal is offered in 17 currencies, Checkout deals only with dollars and pounds. Most importantly, Checkout won't let you receive money with regular accounts — you'd need a special merchant account and provide a Social Security number or federal tax identification number. I haven't used PayPal often to receive money, but it sure came in handy when I've needed to. Of course, PayPal's versatility also leads to complications. With Checkout, you either have a regular account for making payments only or a merchant account for receiving payments. PayPal offers three types of accounts, all letting people send and receive payments, but each with different fees and restrictions. You also have additional options within each account type to boost your trust level. For example, you can connect a PayPal account with a regular bank account to lift spending limits. But doing so makes subsequent payments by credit cards more cumbersome — PayPal obviously wants to avoid their higher processing fees. With both Checkout and PayPal, consumers are charged nothing to send money or make payments.
Merchants are charged based on transaction amounts. Checkout's rates are much easier to understand: It's 2 percent plus 20 cents per transaction; fees are waived through the end of the year and beyond that merchants can receive subsidies by spending money on Google search ads. With PayPal, fees depend on your account type, monthly sales amounts and whether the buyer is sending money from a bank account or credit card. Simplicity wins any day. Unfortunately, until Checkout is more widely adopted by merchants and begins to let regular account holders receive money, I must accept PayPal's complexities to fully engage in e-commerce.
the following article in timesofindia lists out some features and differences between them.
Google Checkout Vs Paypal
It's been a year since Google Inc launched its much-anticipated payment service, and I've been curious whether a company known best for its search engine can deliver a money service as good as industry leader PayPal. In many ways, I found Google Checkout much easier to use. I can pay for merchandise in fewer steps and more easily understand my account options. But the ultimate test is whether Checkout works with the tasks for which I've been using PayPal, and the answer is no. Checkout works well as an online wallet, a way to store credit card numbers and addresses so you don't have to retype all that information each time. PayPal functions more like a bank account: You can do much more, such as receiving money, but the array of options can be confusing and add steps to the shopping process. Both are free to set up and make payments, and signing up is easy. With Checkout, you provide at the outset an e-mail address — through Google's Gmail or any other provider — along with your credit card, billing and shipping information. PayPal requires only your e-mail address and basic details to start and asks for your credit card or bank account information later as needed. (Google accepts payments via credit or debit cards only, while PayPal lets you withdraw funds from a regular bank account.)
In terms of buying goods, what I like about Checkout is its consistency and simplicity. The layout and process are familiar whether I'm shopping at the Web site for Starbucks Corp, RadioShack Corp or a small outfit called Weloveipod. I simply click on a "Google Checkout" logo, sign in, review my order and accept. There's a pull-down menu at the review stage where I can choose standard, express or other shipping option. PayPal's look and feel vary, and it's not as seamless as Checkout. Like Checkout, PayPal offers merchants various ways to integrate the service with their own online stores. That's good because sole proprietors will have different needs from a large merchant like Southwest Airlines or Toys "R" Us. But while the back end may vary, Checkout manages to make the front end appear consistent to the customer. It took seven steps — compared with Checkout's four — to place a Starbucks order with PayPal. First, I encountered a PayPal screen where I must verify the information I have with the payment service. I then had to choose a shipping option separately and create a separate account with Starbucks. It's worse at Toys "R" Us. I had to retype my billing and shipping information even though PayPal had all that. But Checkout isn't accepted where it counts. Google claims tens of thousands of merchants accepting Checkout, compared with millions claimed by PayPal. Online auctioneer eBay Inc, which owns PayPal, doesn't allow its auction sellers to accept payments from Checkout. And some smaller merchants take PayPal only (Some merchants accept Checkout but not PayPal, but none are places I'd regularly shop at.) Unlike Checkout, PayPal sometimes lets you make one-time payments without creating an account, though the merchant then gets your credit card information to complete the transaction. Normally, PayPal, like Checkout, limits what it shares. Of course, merchants will need your name, shipping address and sometimes your phone number.
Checkout will sometimes give merchants your billing address and the last four digits of your credit card as well, while PayPal says it won't unless you use the one-time option. On the other hand, PayPal shares your e-mail address with merchants that request it, while Checkout lets you keep that private — and Google will forward receipts and other important e-mails to you. PayPal is better abroad. You can buy goods from about 190 markets with PayPal compared with some 140 for Checkout. With PayPal, you can receive money in about 50 countries, while Checkout accepts US and UK merchants only. And while PayPal is offered in 17 currencies, Checkout deals only with dollars and pounds. Most importantly, Checkout won't let you receive money with regular accounts — you'd need a special merchant account and provide a Social Security number or federal tax identification number. I haven't used PayPal often to receive money, but it sure came in handy when I've needed to. Of course, PayPal's versatility also leads to complications. With Checkout, you either have a regular account for making payments only or a merchant account for receiving payments. PayPal offers three types of accounts, all letting people send and receive payments, but each with different fees and restrictions. You also have additional options within each account type to boost your trust level. For example, you can connect a PayPal account with a regular bank account to lift spending limits. But doing so makes subsequent payments by credit cards more cumbersome — PayPal obviously wants to avoid their higher processing fees. With both Checkout and PayPal, consumers are charged nothing to send money or make payments.
Merchants are charged based on transaction amounts. Checkout's rates are much easier to understand: It's 2 percent plus 20 cents per transaction; fees are waived through the end of the year and beyond that merchants can receive subsidies by spending money on Google search ads. With PayPal, fees depend on your account type, monthly sales amounts and whether the buyer is sending money from a bank account or credit card. Simplicity wins any day. Unfortunately, until Checkout is more widely adopted by merchants and begins to let regular account holders receive money, I must accept PayPal's complexities to fully engage in e-commerce.
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