Google Mail becoming Gmail again in the UK

Trademark dispute settled

4 May 2010 9:46 GMT / By Duncan Geere

Old-school users of Google's free webmail service in the UK might remember that in the first half of the 00s, the service shared a "Gmail" name with the rest of the world.

However, a trademark dispute meant that from 19 October, 2005, Gmail had to be renamed Google Mail in Britain.

The new name never really caught on, with @gmail.com addresses continuing to work, and now it doesn't matter anyway because Google's managed to settle the dispute with the owner of the trademark, and the Gmail name should soon be returning to Britain. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can keep the old googlemail.co.uk address.

Google says, in its own inimitable style: Since “gmail” is 50% fewer characters than “googlemail”, we estimate this name change will save approximately 60 million keystrokes a day. At about 217 microjoules per keystroke, that’s about the energy of 20 bonbons saved every day!"

Via: gmailblog.blogspot.com

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Software, Websites, Email, Gmail, Google, Trademarks, Webmail