As Email Turns 50, What Service Should You be Using?
Computer programmer and electronic mail inventor, Ray Tomlinson, sent the first-ever email message in 1971, and in the 50 years that followed, the service has grown to dominate modern communications. From the corporate world to the consumer world, you’re likely utilizing email in some way to do business: from the way you shop to the way you communicate.
It’s not uncommon to send and receive over 100 emails a day, and according to a 2019 study, the average worker spends almost six hours checking their email every day. With that much time devoted to email, wouldn’t it make sense you commit yourself to the best provider possible?
Shaw’s email service is popular among Canadians, but unfortunately, signing up for an account is akin to inking a lifetime deal. Suppose you decide you no longer want Shaw as your Internet or cable provider. In that case, you can say goodbye to your email address - and the plethora of messages, pictures, and memories associated with it, unless you set up the laborious process of transferring all your information. The same goes with Telus; only, if you decide you no longer would like them as your provider, they’ll let you keep your email account, for a monthly fee.
So if you’re looking for an email provider that won’t also handcuff you to any additional extra services and allows you the freedom to do whatever you want, you’re in the right place! Keep reading for some of the best email services available today.
Gmail
It’s been a steady climb to the top for Google’s Gmail, which has become the leader in free email providers after its release in 2004. The cloud-based service is accessible from any device and integrates nicely into Google’s Chrome browser. It has a robust search function to help you find old emails, an email forwarding feature and employs the most potent spam blocking technology on the market that will keep junk mail out of your inbox.
Your messages are neatly presented via conversations that optimize your viewing experience and allow you to read and reply with ease. Don't want to miss important emails from real people? Gmail automatically sorts your messages into three categories (Primary, Social, and Promotions) to prevent real emails from getting lost in the shuffle. Oops! Accidentally hit send on your message before you meant to? No worries, as the email is sending, an ‘Undo’ tab pops up to give you a last-second chance to revise. If you receive an email that you don’t have the time for at the moment, the snooze option lets you put it on hold for a specified amount of time.
You can also draft emails and set a scheduled time for when you want them to be automatically sent; tonight, tomorrow morning, tomorrow afternoon, whenever works best for you. Another addition that will help you be mindful of your time is the ability to mute specific threads, beneficial when you’re included on a group email that maybe you don’t deem a high priority. These features make it easy to see why Gmail has more than a billion users around the world.
Sign up for a Gmail account here
Outlook
The service is elite in terms of how it manages attachments, with superior support that allows you to share your OneDrive files as copies or link and attach files directly from your device. If you’re sending an email and it includes the words ‘attachment’ or ‘attached’ in the body of your email, but you forgot to include whatever it is you intended to attach before you hit send, Outlook will remind you that you may have neglected to include a file before it sends the message.
You can also integrate your calendars seamlessly to your mobile device. If you receive flight, hotel or rental car reservations by email, Outlook automatically adds them to your calendar along with the necessary info like tracking numbers and links. Another handy feature is the ability to mention someone in an email message, useful for getting someone’s attention when dealing with action items. There are also plenty of app-based integrations you can work into your setup that lets you take the service further, allowing you expanded access to things like GIPHY, Uber, Yelp, and more.
Sign up for an Outlook account hereYahoo Mail
Launched in 1994, Yahoo started as a web portal and search engine. Since then, they have grown to offer additional services like Yahoo News, Yahoo Groups, Yahoo Fantasy Sports and more. The provider is a reliable, if not unspectacular, option that perhaps despite not being as flashy as the other guys, offers a polished and legitimately solid alternative to their competitors.
The interface is easy to use and looks a lot like Gmail, offering an extensive view of your inbox along with the ability to organize it into custom folders. If you’re browsing on mobile, a super handy feature is the ability to unsubscribe to newsletters and the like without leaving your inbox.
Tracking down images, videos and documents that have been sent as attachments is a breeze, and you’re also afforded the option of connecting external email accounts to your Yahoo mail. The most impressive feature has to be the massive amount of storage at 1TB, which means you won’t have to get rid of anything for more space for a very, very long time.
Sign up for a Yahoo Mail account here
Free Yourself from Shaw and Telus Email
In the 50 years since email emerged as one of our primary methods for communication, a slew of email providers has cropped up on the web. We could go on about all the free email providers out there, but you’d be looking at a number bigger than your list of unread emails…
If Shaw’s email service is the only thing holding you back from switching Internet providers, now is the time to make the jump. Not only will you find better features in the services we’ve outlined here for you, but you will also find freedom from being tethered to expensive Internet plans.
Sign-up today for Internet with Q Wave, a local alternative to big box services. We’ve got plans that cater to a wider variety of speeds, and we keep it simple. No flashy sales pitches, just good, old-fashioned, excellent customer service. Try our most popular plan, Internet 75, today by contacting our Alberta-based Customer Care team!