Email, or electronic mail, is possibly the greatest achievement in communication since the invention of the modern telephone. It's purpose is to allow an author to send a digital message containing text, image, sound, links, or even video, to another person over the internet. Early precursors to email required both the sender of the message and the recipient to be online simultaneously (similar to current instant-messaging applications), however the modern email server system eliminates that hassle. Standard current email service-providers feature an inbox for received mail as well as the ability to compose and send mail. Users are required to register an email-address, which acts similar to a real-life address for tangible mail to be delivered to. Since the inception of email, it has become a crucial tool in business and long-distance communication. The growing pace of globalization has also been partially attributed to the widespread adoption of email as a communication medium, as opposed to long-distance phone calls or even face-to-face contact and discussion. Companies now frequently use email because of its speed, flexibility, reliability, and unrivaled convenience. As email continues to grow and solidify its position as a tool critical to society, competition between email service-providers has skyrocketed, resulting in new features as each service attempts to win your choice. Also, email is typically free nowadays, giving it yet another advantage over postal mail. Though email has certainly gotten us one step closer to a paperless society, it also has one major drawback: spam. Sent in ridiculous amounts, spam is online junk mail sent by companies. It clutters your inboxes and gets in the way. Thankfully, spam filters have become increasingly effective, bringing email one step closer to the perfect medium of communication.
Setting Up An Email
If you are considering making an email, but haven't yet, keep in mind that most email services are very convenient, and free. Competition between email providers results in frequently updated features and reliable service. Currently, email services are seeing an increase in customizability, and even more options when it comes to making your email unique. All email service providers are different from one another, some built for business use, and others more geared towards the casual user. Here are the two most popular, and my two favorites, as well as how to sign up for them!
Gmail
Google's popular take on email. This features a smart spam filter as well as about 10 gigabytes of free accessible storage space. It is super-convenient and easy to setup and use. Gmail has a sleek, modern look and allows for customization options and unique themes. When you register a Google account you are also given the option to create a Google+, which is a social networking service that allows the creation of circles-- keeping you updated with what your friends share with you. Along with all this, Gmail includes chat options, allowing instant-messaging or video chats with one or more people around the globe. With all these features, its no wonder that Gmail is the largest email service provider around, with an estimated 350 million users worldwide.
Registering Your Own Google Account
1. Open to Google
2. Select the Sign In option in the upper righthand corner of the window
3. Click the Sign Up button in the upper righthand corner of the window
4. Accurately enter in all required personal information and select your desired email address
5. Follow the step-by-step guide to the features of a Google Account, including access to Gmail, Google Docs, and even YouTube
Registering Your Own Google Account
1. Open to Google
2. Select the Sign In option in the upper righthand corner of the window
3. Click the Sign Up button in the upper righthand corner of the window
4. Accurately enter in all required personal information and select your desired email address
5. Follow the step-by-step guide to the features of a Google Account, including access to Gmail, Google Docs, and even YouTube
Yahoo
With an estimated 310 million users, Yahoo is the second-most popular email service provider, only to Google's Gmail. It is the most popular provider in the US, and has been around since 1997. It offers unlimited email storage capacity and a generous 25 megabyte attachment limit, as well as a built-in "large attachment" feature which allows for attachments up to 100 megabytes. Keep in mind that accounts that are inactive for periods of four months will be deleted. Also available through the Yahoo registration site is the paid Yahoo! Mail Plus, which offers additional features and more options.
Registering Your Own Yahoo! Account
1. Navigate to the Yahoo! homepage
2. Just below the yellow search button in the top right-hand corner is a Mail link. Click this link.
3. You will be prompted to sign in to your Yahoo! Account, scroll down and find the "Create new account" button
4. Once here, enter your personal information (name, gender, birthday, country, language, postal code) as well as your desired Yahoo! Mail email address
5. Here you can also select your email address's domain name (the text after the @ sign). Choose between @yahoo.com, @ymail.com, or @rocketmail.com
6. Enter account recovery information such as alternate contact information and complete the account verification step at the bottom of the page
7. Your Account has been created! Explore the Yahoo! Site for email features as well as other perks of having a Yahoo! Account
Registering Your Own Yahoo! Account
1. Navigate to the Yahoo! homepage
2. Just below the yellow search button in the top right-hand corner is a Mail link. Click this link.
3. You will be prompted to sign in to your Yahoo! Account, scroll down and find the "Create new account" button
4. Once here, enter your personal information (name, gender, birthday, country, language, postal code) as well as your desired Yahoo! Mail email address
5. Here you can also select your email address's domain name (the text after the @ sign). Choose between @yahoo.com, @ymail.com, or @rocketmail.com
6. Enter account recovery information such as alternate contact information and complete the account verification step at the bottom of the page
7. Your Account has been created! Explore the Yahoo! Site for email features as well as other perks of having a Yahoo! Account
Though these are the two most popular options, with a combined 660 million accounts, there are other email options including:
-AOL mail (AIM Mail)
-Mail.com
-Zoho Mail
-iCloud Mail
-Windows Live Hotmail
-And many, many more.
Also, regular email users may find it beneficial to invest in a paid email service, as it eliminates some of the hassle of free services, such as ads. Paid services also usually offer increased storage space, higher attachment limits, additional contact options, and superior security features.
-AOL mail (AIM Mail)
-Mail.com
-Zoho Mail
-iCloud Mail
-Windows Live Hotmail
-And many, many more.
Also, regular email users may find it beneficial to invest in a paid email service, as it eliminates some of the hassle of free services, such as ads. Paid services also usually offer increased storage space, higher attachment limits, additional contact options, and superior security features.