Microsoft Launches Outlook.com

On Tuesday Microsoft’s Outlook Blog took the wraps off of Outlook.com, a new online email portal that cleans up the traditional inbox user interface and adds several social networking features to the mix. On the inbox side, Outlook.com automatically detects emails that are newsletters and puts them into their own separate folder while also giving users the option to easily stop receiving newsletters with a one-click “unsubscribe” button. The new inbox also allows for message “sweep” operations where Outlook will only keep the very latest message from a given sender and will delete all previously sent messages.

Check it out for yourself and sign up for a free Outlook.com email address

Google Snags E-Mail Genius Sparrow

We've all dreamt of a better Android e-mail client, Google has announced today they have acquired Sparrow. Sparrow's been an iOS/OSX staple, and we can only hope it'll bring its talents to Android, along with Gmail at large. 

Sparrow writes:

We're excited to announce that Sparrow has been acquired by Google!

We care a lot about how people communicate, and we did our best to provide you with the most intuitive and pleasurable mailing experience.

Now we're joining the Gmail team to accomplish a bigger vision — one that we think we can better achieve with Google.

We’d like to extend a special thanks to all of our users who have supported us, advised us, given us priceless feedback and allowed us to build a better mail application. While we’ll be working on new things at Google, we will continue to make Sparrow available and provide support for our users.

We had an amazing ride and can't thank you enough.

Full speed ahead!

Dom Leca

CEO

Sparrow

We also want to thank our advisors and investors — Loren Brichter, Dave Morin, John Maeda, Xavier Niel, Jérémie Berrebi — as well as our friends and family: Simon Istolainen, Jérémie Kanza, Sacha Cayre, Cedric Gepner, Laurent Merlinot, Didier Kuhn, Christophe Baillon, Laurent Cerveau, Christophe Giaume, Sebastien Maury, Manuel Colom, Bertrand Guiheneuf and all of you who have helped us along the way.

For all press inquiries, please email press@google.com.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Acknowledges BlackBerry Data Efficiency

Last night, while covering the Apple Q2 results for iMore, I heard Tim Cook say something that I don't ever quite recall anyone from Apple ever saying before.

In response to a question about carrier subsidies on iPhones, and potential pressure, Cook said the following as part of his reply:

"Our engineering teams work extremely hard to be efficient with data and differently than some others. And we believe as a result of this iPhone has far better data efficiently compared to other smartphone that are using sort of an app rich ecosystem. Finally, and this is most important, iPhone is the best smartphone on the planet to entice a customer who is currently using a traditional mobile phone to upgrade to a smartphone. This is by far the largest opportunity for Apple, for our carrier partners and its a great fantastic experience for customers. So its a win win win there"

Sure, he didn't actually say "BlackBerry" anywhere. But his wording was carefully chosen, as usual. He said Apple is more efficient than other "app rich" ecosystems, meaning Android. By saying this, he clearly recognizes BlackBerry is more efficient.

But what surprised me even more was how he even acknowledged the importance of data efficiency at all. In some ways its nice to see Apple acknowledge the importance of something that RIM has been so good at for so long. But it's also clear that consumers don't really care that much about data efficiency.

Google Sync For BlackBerry End Of Life

It's springtime, and you know what that means for Google: out with the old and in with the new. Unfortunately, many BlackBerry fans might not like how Google's rearranging the furniture. During its routine tradition, the company announced that Google Sync for the BlackBerry will no longer be available for download as of June 1st. 


Put simply, the company identified its app as redundant, as RIM provides the same contact and calendar sync services to its customers with native software. Also in the spirit of spring cleaning, Google is encouraging users to uninstall the Sync app and properly configure their BlackBerry handsets to take advantage of these services. Fortunately, those content to keep with the status quo will be glad to know that Google Sync will continue to function properly -- so even if you're feeling lazy on this fine day, it's all good. Those with motivation, however, will find instructions of how to make the switch in this link.

Peek Kills Off Service For 'Lifetime' Customers

Stories have steadily flowed in over the past day about the death of the Peek, an unusual gadget resembling a portrait QWERTY smartphone (think BlackBerry) sold in various forms between 2008 and 2010. It wasn't a phone, though — in fact, it was originally designed to handle email alone using T-Mobile's 2G data network. Service ran $19.95 a month, but the device could occasionally be purchased for $299.95 bundled with "lifetime" service, which meant you had no monthly bill. For smartphone owners, Peek was obviously a tough sell, but it found its niches among the hard of hearing and those without the need for a smartphone (and the pricey smartphone data plan to match).

Tech site "The Verge" confirmed with Peek CEO Amol Sarva today that all versions of the Peek have been decommissioned and will no longer function on the network, including the Peek Classic, Peek Pronto, and the newest model introduced in August of 2010, the Peek 9. Says Sarva, "We have been winding down this group of users since Q4 2010 with these original Peeks. We kept service live and a 'few' people still love their Peeks (flattering!) but the network requirements are changing and we can't keep the network up forever with a handful of people on it."

"We have been sending out emails for like a year saying so, but some folks are always surprised."

"The Verge" asked exactly what network requirements have changed, Sarva says it's a combination of things: "billing interfaces, data gateways, secure tunnels, SMS gateways, IP addresses of these systems, credentials for them." The company had already swapped out users' Peeks to manage changing infrastructure once before, in mid 2010, spending "tons of money" in the process — presumably, there weren't enough users remaining in 2012 to do it again, particularly considering Peek's changing focus as a company. "The devices worked for years, were a great value to start with, and nobody is paying us any new money for anything... did anybody think we were going to somehow offer service untilthey died? That is silly."

Indeed, Peek isn't in the hardware business anymore. Since last year, the company has been selling "the genius cloud," a series of services designed to make inexpensive feature phones smarter. Sarva notes that his product has just been nominated for the GSMA's Best Technology award which will be handed out at MWC later this month. He says that these services are the logical continuation of what Peek has been about since day one — "building smartphone features on ultra low cost platforms" — and that they're making huge inroads with the countless Chinese manufacturers who sell unbranded phones in emerging markets, many of whom are "feeding off Nokia's carcass."

Of course, that's little consolation for the handful of Peek users out there in the US, particularly those who paid $300 or more for "lifetime" service. How can you get a Peek-like device now? "Good question. Not possible. The US market is crazy expensive and you cannot get a cheap easy connected device. You have to pony up $50 or more per month. That sucks, but Peek is too small to change that."