RSSSeptember 1st, 2006
Email, Web 2.0 Style!
Would you like to see what the future of email looks like?
I think it looks a lot like an email product called Zimbra. Over the last year or so, I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this highly acclaimed software. I had the opportunity to beta test it a while back, and officially made the switch this past week and absolutely love it. It will be compared to Exchange Server by many, but is already miles ahead of it in most categories.
Zimbra was developed for the linux platform, and is open source at the very core. Like exchange, it syncs your calendar, address book and email. If you use a desktop client, you can currently set it up as an IMAP or POP account and it works beautifully. They have made a commitment to working alongside Apple and PC desktop applications to sync the contacts and calendar, though. There are tools for both Outlook and OSX machines that help you sync everything. I have been using the beta sync tool for Mac, which is fantastic. It operates as an extension of iSync, and my Zimbra account is automatically synced every hour, or whenever I make additions to iCal or Address Book.
The Zimbra web client is simply a sight to behold. It takes AJAX to a completely different level. Everything is drag and drop, most things are right-clickable, and the amount of options is just stunning. Instead of going into major details regarding ALL of the features, it would just suit you better to try their hosted demo for yourself.
Here are more of my favorite features so far . . .
- VoiP support, works seamlessly with Skype if you choose
- Widgets they call “Zimlets” that will add a great deal of value to the product
- Share your calendar publicly for viewing or editing in two clicks
- Support for Blackberry Enterprise Server is almost here, can’t wait for that
- Re-brandable interface for your business
- Automatic backups
- Great search tool!
I could talk about Zimbra a great deal, but this product is something that must be “experienced”. Set aside 30 minutes or so to play with their hosted demo, it is worth every second.
To be fair, I also wanted to mention a couple things I feel that they will improve on in the near future. Since it is pretty much 100% AJAX, it can move slowly at times. I noticed the hosted demo is much slower than my new account though. Also, I have found a couple things that are a little buggy, but I am sure they will continue to improve their software at an amazing pace.
So are you ready to sign up? Our friendly hosting provider Voxel.net was one of the first partners on-board with Zimbra, and their team has accounts with 1GB of space for only $4 per month. Zimbra is revolutionizing the personal workspace, and bringing innovation to the web with their software. I would suggest trying it out!
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