Posts in "Email providers"

What began as a cool place to sit…

Earlier this year, my teammates Marlee and Ric began an endeavor to reimagine a piece of the office that we were not using fully. A corner we used for desks and a little bit of clutter. Thus, the challenge began by manually disassembling the furniture, adding two couches and a rug, filling it with beanbags and plants, and forcing everyone to call it the chillout zone.

ShuttleCloud Office Space

The aim was a space designed to promote relaxation, creativity, and socialization among us. It’s where team members can take a break from their workday, recharge their batteries, and connect with others.

Kennedy Conspiracy Presentation

It’s been an excellent spot for impromptu meetings, brainstorming sessions and gather ups. Then came the idea of installing a projector (not a simple task), another great addition to the space. We use it to take a break from work and enjoy entertainment, showcase our ideas to our colleagues — or watch Real Madrid beat Chelsea in football.

The shelf with lots of plants is a great way to add some greenery. Plants improve air quality and have a calming effect on people (see Chelsea losing above). Add that to the abundance of natural light, making the room feel brighter and more inviting.

How I Started Selling Beer Presentation

So what began as a cool place to sit has become our favorite part of the office, and it is not for a lack of meeting rooms.

not us watching The Crown

Email spotlight series- #4 StartMail

Key Features

  • Unlimited aliases
  • Email encryption

  • Custom domain

  • Account access with 2FA

For the fourth spotlight series we introduce our partner – StartMail an email provider that emphasizes user privacy and offers a secure email experience. On this opportunity we interviewed Robert E.G. Beens, Co-Founder and CEO of StartMail 

1. Please describe the mission of StartMail as an email provider?

StartMail is on a mission to empower individuals by spreading email privacy and protecting our customers from advertisers, government surveillance and spam. We believe that privacy is a fundamental human right and that our personal data should never be collected without our knowledge and consent.

In today’s world, where our privacy is under constant threat, secure and ad-free email communication is essential. That’s why we built StartMail from the ground up with an unwavering commitment to privacy at its core. Our complete private email solution offers features like one-click encryption, extra-secure data storage and unlimited, disposable email addresses to ensure that your data and communication remains private. We are the easy-to-use alternative to Big Tech products like Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo Mail, and we are the choice of those who prioritize privacy above all else.

2. When and where was StartMail founded?

StartMail BV, the company behind StartMail’s secure email service, was founded in 2011 by the creators of Startpage, the world’s most private search engine. We launched our first StartMail beta version in 2013. To this day we remain headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. This ensures that StartMail users are protected by the stringent privacy laws of the European Union (GDPR).

3. When was the first email sent from StartMail?

The first email from StartMail would have been sent from the first account created on November 5th, 2013 at 14:53:33 +0100.

4. What is one unique thing about StartMail?

One of the unique things about StartMail is that it lets you generate an unlimited number of aliases – disposable email addresses that help keep your main address exclusive and prevent spam and phishing.

An alias can help protect your identity when you sign up for a new online service and ensures your real email address remains hidden from sketchy sites. Aliases also help you cut down on junk mail, protect your inbox from SPAM and help identify where your data has been leaked or sold. If your email address has been sold or exposed in a data breach, you can expect the amount of junk mail you receive to increase significantly. When that happens, you can identify where the breach occurred and simply delete the alias. Aliases can also be an incredibly helpful tool to organize your inbox. You can filter all emails that come through an alias directly into a separate folder to keep your inbox clean and organized.

Other email providers limit the number of aliases you can create, but with us you can generate as many as you want and need. This feature has become a must-have for our privacy-conscious customers when it comes to protecting their online identity. Many tell us they couldn’t imagine going back to a limited number of aliases.

5. What’s next for StartMail? (next big feature, roadmap or anything else)

Every time we make an improvement to our product, we make sure it’s customer inspired.

We just finished a big project to improve our alias feature, so our customers can now add notes to their custom aliases or create disposable ones with a simple click – and we’ve also made accessing them a whole lot easier. We’re always looking for ways to enhance the customer experience and make their lives easier, so we are now focusing on solidifying and improving our current operations and offerings for our customers in other areas too.

We’re also working on expanding our reach globally and are actively seeking new partnership opportunities and other potential areas for growth.

“The online world is increasingly turning to privacy-respecting e-mail providers, but no-one wants to start from scratch. Migrating your old email and contacts is an essential step. The genius people of ShuttleCloud have turned this into a super-easy experience, facilitating freedom of choice, and unlocking the chains of legacy Big Tech companies.”

Robert Beens, CEO of StartMail

Email spotlight series- #3 Fastmail

Key Features

  • Email, calendar & contacts 
  • Built on JMAP, the latest email standard

  • Masked Email with 1Password

  • Use 100+ domains with no extra charge (you@yourwebsite.com)

The ShuttleCloud Spotlight series highlights innovative email providers that are enhancing the user experience. For the third spotlight, we had the opportunity to speak with Helen Horstmann-Allen, who is the COO, and Bron Gondwana, the CEO of Fastmail

1. Please describe the mission of Fastmail as an email provider?

Fastmail is a human-focused email, designed to assist you in getting the most out of your email, with the least effort and time.

Fastmail-

2. When and where was Fastmail founded?

According to Helen, Fastmail was founded in 1999 in Melbourne, Australia. It was owned by Opera Software from 2010 to 2013 before being sold back to some of the staff. Fastmail purchased the assets of ICGroup in Philadelphia (including pobox.com) in 2015. Pobox was founded in 1995, making it one of the oldest email companies still in existence. Our longest serving employee just celebrated 26 years working on email — the first Pobox email she has is from 1995! We have offices in Melbourne and Philadelphia as well as some remote staff.

3. When was the first email sent from Fastmail?

The oldest active account on Fastmail was created on Feb 16, 2002 – but there would have been emails sent before then! The first email I personally sent on Fastmail was from my new work account to my personal account on October 29th, 2004. I moved my personal email (and all my family’s email) to Fastmail about a year later, having previously hosted it on my own server.

4. What is one unique thing about Fastmail?

It may sound surprising, but a good old fashioned “service in exchange for money” business model is surprisingly rare in this marketplace. Most email providers are trying to monetise something else in order to provide the email account for free. We don’t do that. The other thing that regular Fastmail users often become oblivious to is just how fast and easy to use our interface is compared to other products. It’s only when you try to use something else that you realize just how slick the Fastmail experience is – and it’s because we put a lot of work into making everything fast (it’s in the name) and predictable so you can process your emails with confidence.

Fastmail aps

5. What’s next for Fastmail?

There’s tons of things in the works. Without too many spoilers, a lot of the upcoming features that I’m particularly excited about are little tweaks to make things more useful for multiple people working together – from shared team calendars, to shared mailboxes that support workflows for a group of people collaborating on a role (e.g. sales or support) within a small business. It’s not “new features” as such, all the underlying infrastructure is there, but the right little bits of automatic behaviour and rules will make life easier for the millions of small businesses that currently have shared email addresses and have to manually keep track of messages sent to them. Little tweaks that unlock big benefits for our customers are one of the best ways to add value to our product.

6. What is your name, role and responsibilities at Fastmail?

My name is Bron Gondwana. I started with Fastmail as a developer and sysadmin in 2004, became a part owner in 2013, and have been CEO since 2017. As CEO I’m responsible for everything – the buck stops here. I still have a soft spot for low level programming (I was a key developer for the Cyrus IMAP server that stores all our customer data for many years) but these days my work is almost all conversations and relationship nurturing

Fastmail inbox

7. Is there another email provider you would like to see featured?

Not an email provider as much as some email products! Fastmail provide much of our work as open source, and are very strong proponents of open standards. We developed the JMAP standard which is now generally available from the IETF as RFC8620 and RFC8621. The Apache James server and Linagora (https://www.linagora.com/en/) – the company who do a lot of work to support it are very interesting. There’s also the very new Stalwart JMAP server (https://stalw.art/).

 

Keep an eye on Fastmail to stay informed about their advancements in email and privacy.Look out for our next email spotlight series to learn about other innovative companies in the email industry.

How To Export Your Contacts From Outlook [Updated: 2023]

Outlook is a well-known email app used by millions worldwide. It’s great at storing and managing contacts, which are essential for staying in touch with people. But what if you want to export your contacts from Outlook? This easy guide will walk you through the process step by step.

Why Should You Export Your Outlook Contacts?

Exporting contacts from Outlook is useful for several reasons, such as:

  • Backup: By exporting, you create a backup of your essential contacts. If something goes wrong with your account, you can always restore your contacts by importing them into a new account or email app.
  • Sharing: Exporting contacts makes it simple to share them with others. If you’re working on a project and someone needs your contacts, you can easily export and share the file.
  • Switching email apps: If you’re changing to a new email app or service, you can export your contacts from Outlook and import them into the new one, saving you the time of manually adding them.

How to Export Contacts from Outlook (PC or Mac):

  1. Open Outlook and click “File” in the top left corner.
  2. Choose “Open & Export” from the drop-down menu, then “Import/Export.”
  3. In the wizard, select “Export to a file” and click “Next.”
  4. Choose “Comma Separated Values” and select the Contacts folder under your account.
  5. Pick a folder to save your exported file, give it a name, and click “Next.”
  6. Review the export options and click “Finish” to start exporting your contacts.
  7. Find the new .csv file on your computer, open it with Excel, and check your contacts are there. Edit the file in Excel if needed before importing it to another email app.

How to Export Contacts from Outlook Web:

  1. Sign in to Outlook.com.
  2. Click “People” at the bottom left corner to visit the People page.
  3. On the toolbar’s far right, select “Manage” and then “Export contacts.”
  4. Choose to export all contacts or only those from a specific folder, and click “Export.”
  5. At the bottom, click “Save” to save “contacts.csv” in your default Downloads folder or click the arrow next to “Save” and choose “Save as” to pick a different location.

Once the export is complete, you can import the contacts into other email apps or Outlook versions by following their import instructions.

In Summary

Exporting your contacts from Outlook is helpful for creating backups, sharing contacts, or switching to a new email app. Follow these simple steps to quickly and efficiently export your contacts from Outlook and keep them safe.

FAQs

1. Can I export contacts from Outlook on a Mac?

Yes, you can export your contacts from Outlook on a Mac by following the same steps mentioned in this article. The process is similar to exporting contacts on a PC, and both systems allow you to save the contacts as a .csv or .pst file, which can be imported into other email clients or used as a backup.

2. What file format is used for exporting contacts from Outlook?

Outlook primarily uses the .pst (Personal Storage Table) file format for exporting contacts. However, when exporting contacts as a file, you have the option to save them as a .csv (Comma Separated Values) file, which is more universally compatible with other email clients and services.

3. Can I export only specific contacts from Outlook?

Yes, you can choose to export only specific contacts from Outlook. During the export process, you can apply filters to select the contacts you want to export. This can be helpful if you need to share only a subset of your contacts with a colleague or if you want to create a backup of specific contacts, such as work-related or personal ones.

4. How do I import contacts into a different email app?

The process of importing contacts into a different email client may vary depending on the client you are using. However, most email clients provide an option to import contacts from a .csv or .pst file. You can use the exported file from Outlook to import your contacts into the new email client. To do this, look for an “Import” or “Import Contacts” option within the settings or menu of your new email client, and follow the steps provided by the app.

5. How often should I export my Outlook contacts?

It is recommended to export your Outlook contacts regularly, especially if you make frequent changes to your contacts or use Outlook for professional purposes. This will ensure that you always have a backup of your important contacts in case something goes wrong with your account. The frequency of exporting your contacts may vary depending on your needs, but it is generally a good idea to perform this process at least once a month, or more frequently if you are updating contacts or adding new ones often.

Need A New Email? Top 8 Email Hosting Services In 2023

Email is an essential communication tool for businesses and individuals alike. It’s no wonder that email hosting services are in high demand, as they offer many benefits, such as a professional email address, reliable email delivery, and improved security. In this post, we will look at the top 8 email hosting services in 2023.

1. Google Workspace

Best use cases: Small to large businesses that need a suite of productivity tools.

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) is a cloud-based productivity suite that includes Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs, and more. It offers a robust set of tools that can help businesses of all sizes increase productivity and collaboration.

Google Workspace Features

  • Unlimited cloud storage,
  • advanced security features,
  • custom email addresses
  • Custom email addresses with your own domain name
  • 30GB of storage per user (or unlimited storage with the Business and Enterprise plans)
  • Collaborative tools such as Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides
  • Video and voice conferencing with Google Meet
  • Advanced security features such as two-factor authentication and data loss prevention
  • Integration with other Google apps such as Calendar and Drive
  • Mobile access through the Gmail app
“Google Workspace is an incredible suite of tools for modern businesses. It features a comprehensive set of productivity, communication, and collaboration tools that are easy to use and customizable to fit your needs”  – Srishti J. on Capterra

Google Workspace Pricing

  • Business Starter: $6/user/month when billed annually. Includes 30 GB storage per user, Gmail, Google Meet, and other features.
  • Business Standard: $12/user/month when billed annually. Includes 2 TB storage per user, advanced Gmail and Meet features, and other features.
  • Business Plus: $18/user/month when billed annually. Includes 5 TB storage per user, enhanced security features, and other features.
Enterprise: Custom pricing. Includes unlimited storage, advanced security and compliance features, and more.

Best use cases: Businesses that need a suite of productivity tools and use Microsoft Office software.

Microsoft 365 (formerly Office 365) is a cloud-based productivity suite that includes Outlook, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more. It’s a great choice for businesses that already use Microsoft software and want to transition to the cloud.

Microsoft 365 Features

  • Custom email addresses with your own domain name
  • 50GB of storage per user
  • Collaborative tools such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
  • Video and voice conferencing with Microsoft Teams
  • Advanced security features such as encryption and threat protection
  • Integration with other Microsoft apps such as OneDrive and SharePoint
“The comprehensive range of tools, including word processing, email management, video conferencing, and project management, have made it incredibly easy for me to switch between different tasks and work seamlessly across different devices.” – Rachel C. on G2

Microsoft 365 Pricing

  • Microsoft 365 Personal: $6.99/month or $69.99/year, includes premium Outlook.com features, Microsoft Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), 1 TB OneDrive cloud storage, and advanced security features
  • Microsoft 365 Family: $9.99/month or $99.99/year, includes all the features of Microsoft 365 Personal for up to 6 people
  • Microsoft 365 Business Basic: $6.00/user/month, includes Outlook.com, Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, and other business apps and services
  • Microsoft 365 Business Standard: $12.50/user/month, includes all the features of Business Basic plus desktop versions of Office apps and more advanced security features
  • Microsoft 365 Business Premium: $22.00/user/month, includes all the features of Business Standard plus advanced security and management features and Microsoft Intune mobile device management.

Best use cases: Small to medium-sized businesses that need a budget-friendly email hosting service.

Zoho Mail is an email hosting service that offers a range of features at an affordable price. It’s a great choice for small businesses that want a professional email address without breaking the bank.

Zoho Mail Features

  • Custom email addresses with your own domain name
  • 5GB of storage per user (or 30GB with the Professional plan)
  • Collaboration tools such as task management and notes
  • Advanced security features such as two-factor authentication and anti-spam filters
  • Integration with other Zoho apps such as CRM and Projects
  • Mobile access through the Zoho Mail app
Zoho mail is really cheap compared to other business mail hosting solutions such as Google Workspace. Additionally, Zoho mail offers free business mail plans with up to 5 users and 5GB of mail only storage all for free. This is a big plus for start up companies that may need a business email to start with. – Luke M. on G2

Zoho Mail Pricing

  • Mail Lite: $1/user/month when billed annually. Includes 5 GB storage per user.
  • Mail Premium: $4/user/month when billed annually. Includes 10 GB storage per user, email hosting with your own domain, 1GB attachments and other features.
Workplace: From $3/user/month when billed annually. Includes advanced access to apps.

Best use cases: Individuals or small businesses that need a simple and reliable email hosting service.

 

FastMail is an email hosting service that focuses on simplicity and reliability. It’s a great choice for individuals or small businesses that want a no-frills email hosting solution.

FastMail Features

  • Custom email addresses with your own domain name
  • 2GB of storage per user (or more with higher plans)
  • Advanced security features such as end-to-end encryption
  • Calendar integration with other popular calendar apps
  • Mobile sync with all devices
  • Customizable and ad-free webmail interface
“Fastmails service is a powerful, privacy focused alternative to other business email providers. Migration from GSuite was easy and support has been nothing but fantastic.” – Ben M. on G2

FastMail Pricing

  • Basic: $3/user/month when billed annually. Includes 2 GB storage, calendars, and contacts.
  • Standard: $5/user/month when billed annually. Includes 30 GB storage, custom domains, and other features.
Professional: $9/user/month when billed annually. Includes 100 GB storage, email rules, and other features.

Best use cases: Individuals or businesses that prioritize email security and privacy.

ProtonMail is an email hosting service that prioritizes security and privacy. It uses end-to-end encryption to protect user data, making it a great choice for individuals or businesses that value security.

ProtonMail Features

  • End-to-end encryption for all emails and attachments
  • Two-factor authentication and other security features
  • Custom domain support
  • Anonymous email addresses and message expiration options
  • User-friendly interface with customizable themes and templates
  • Mobile apps for iOS and Android
  • Integration with third-party services like ProtonVPN and Tutanota
“I love how it gives you the option to encrypt an email to someone who isn’t on Proton. The self-destruct option is also very cool. I also love the ability to unsubscribe from a mailing list without having to click anything in the email. But more than anything, the software doesn’t get in the way of your usual workflows.” – Jacques R. on G2

ProtonMail Pricing

  • Mail Essentials: $6.99/user/month when billed annually. Includes 15 GB storage, 3 custom domains, and other features.
  • Business: $11/user/month when billed annually. Includes 500 GB storage, 10 custom domains, unlimited Hide My Email aliases, and other features.
Enterprise: Pricing available upon request. Features included are customizable.

Best use cases: Small businesses that need web hosting and email hosting in one place.

Bluehost is a web hosting company that also offers email hosting as part of its services. It’s a great choice for small businesses that want an all-in-one solution for their website and email.

Bluehost Features

  • Unlimited email accounts with your own domain name
  • Email storage space ranging from 100 MB to unlimited, depending on your plan
  • Access to webmail and support for POP3 and IMAP protocols
  • Advanced email security features like SpamExperts and CodeGuard
  • Integration with Microsoft Office 365 for additional productivity tools
  • 24/7 support from Bluehost’s customer service team
“Beyond boarding process for setting up a WordPress website was very easy. transferring a domain name to bluehost name servers with straightforward and setting up an email address was equally easy.” – Darin S. on G2

Bluehost Pricing

  • Basic: $4.99/month when billed annually. Includes 100 MB storage per account, webmail, and other features.
  • Plus: $9.99/month when billed annually. Includes unlimited storage, Microsoft Office 365 integration, and other features.
Choice Plus: $14.99/user/month when billed annually. Includes unlimited websites, unlimited storage, and other features.

Best use cases: Small to medium-sized businesses that need a reliable email hosting solution with good customer support.

HostGator is primarily known for its web hosting services but also offers email hosting solutions for businesses. It offers affordable plans with features such as unlimited email accounts and webmail access.

HostGater Features

  • Custom email addresses with your own domain name
  • Unlimited email accounts
  • 99.9% uptime guarantee
  • Spam protection and virus scanning
  • Webmail access through cPanel or Horde
  • Mobile access through the Horde app
“I like that their plans are economical, from those who start their project to those who already receive a huge amount of visits on their website. The best thing is that it includes professional emails, SSL certificate and free domain for a year.” – Jose Daniel T. on G2

HostGator Pricing

  • Hatchling Plan: $2.75/month (with introductory offer), includes unlimited email accounts, 10 GB of storage, and a single website.
  • Baby Plan: $3.50/month (with introductory offer), includes up to unlimited email accounts, 40 GB of storage, and up to 5 websites.
Business Plan: $5.25/month (with introductory offer), includes up to 500 email accounts, unlimited storage, and unlimited websites.

Best use cases: Large businesses and enterprises that need a robust email hosting solution with advanced features and customization options.

Rackspace is an email hosting service that offers enterprise-level solutions for businesses of all sizes. It offers a range of features and customization options for businesses that need a high degree of control over their email environment.

Rackspace Features

  • Custom email addresses with your own domain name
  • Custom branding and advanced customization options
  • Advanced email security features such as threat protection and encryption
  • Mobile access through the Rackspace app
  • Collaboration tools such as shared calendars and contacts
  • Email archiving and compliance features
“Rackspace email hosting is a premium email hosting program, and also it is affordable. You can access it from any time and everywhere quickly. Therefore, it is a very good solution.” -User on G2

Rackspace Pricing

  • Basic: $2.99/user/month. Includes 25 GB storage, webmail, and other features.
  • Plus: $3/user/month. Includes 30 GB storage, Microsoft Exchange, mobile sync, and other features.
  • Advanced: $6.99/user/month. Includes advanced security features, unlimited email archiving, and more.

What to consider when choosing

Choosing the right email hosting service can be a crucial decision for your business or personal use. To help you make the right choice, here are some factors to consider:

  • Price: Consider your budget and choose a plan that fits your needs.
  • Features: Look for features that matter to you, such as custom email addresses, storage space, security, and collaboration tools.
  • User interface: Make sure the email hosting service you choose has an intuitive and user-friendly interface.
  • Customer support: Look for a service with reliable and responsive customer support. We hope this list has helped you narrow down your options and find the best email hosting service for your needs.

In conclusion, the email hosting services listed above offer a range of features and benefits to meet the needs of different businesses and individuals. Consider your priorities and choose a service that aligns with your needs and budget.

Email Hosting Services FAQ

1. What is email hosting?

Email hosting is a service that allows businesses and individuals to create and manage email accounts with their own domain name (e.g., yourname@yourbusiness.com). Email hosting services provide a range of features, such as storage, security, and collaboration tools.

2. Can I use my existing email address with an email hosting service?

Yes, most email hosting services allow you to use your existing email address with their service. However, you may need to set up email forwarding or migration to ensure a seamless transition.

3. Can I access my email from multiple devices with an email hosting service?

Yes, most email hosting services provide webmail access, which allows you to access your email from any device with an internet connection. You can also configure your email client (e.g., Microsoft Outlook, Apple Mail) to access your email.

4. Can I use an email hosting service with my own domain name?

Yes, most email hosting services allow you to use your own domain name for your email address. This gives your email a more professional and branded appearance.

5. What happens if I exceed my storage limit with an email hosting service?

If you exceed your storage limit, you may not be able to receive new emails or may have to delete older emails to make space. Some email hosting services offer additional storage as an add-on feature or allow you to upgrade to a higher plan with more storage.

6. How do I migrate my email to a new email hosting service?

Most email hosting services offer migration tools or support to help you transfer your email data (including messages, contacts, and calendars) to their service. You may also need to update your domain’s MX records to ensure that incoming emails are directed to your new email hosting service.

4 reasons email is still popular

Despite the rise of other forms of communication, such as social media and messaging apps, email remains a widely used and important tool for communication.

There are a few reasons why email has continued to be popular:

  1. Email is universal: Almost everyone with an internet connection has an email address, making it a widely accessible form of communication.
  2. Email is professional: Many people still view email as more formal and professional communication, especially in business settings.
  3. Email is flexible: Email can be used to send various messages and documents, including text, images, and attachments.
  4. Email is reliable: Emails are typically delivered quickly and reliably, making it a dependable way to communicate.

Overall, while other forms of communication may have gained popularity in recent years, email remains a vital tool for communication and is unlikely to go away anytime soon.

A History:

The first email was sent in 1971 by computer engineer Ray Tomlinson, who used the @ symbol to connect the sender’s name and the recipient’s address.

In the decades that followed, email became increasingly popular as more and more people gained access to the internet. Today, email is used by billions of people around the world for both personal and professional communication.

One of the main benefits of email is that it allows for quick and easy communication over long distances. Unlike traditional mail, which can take days or weeks to be delivered, emails can be sent and received almost instantly. This makes it a valuable tool for businesses, as it allows for the rapid exchange of information and documents.

Email has also played a role in shaping the way we work. Many people now use email as a primary means of communication with their colleagues, even when they are in the same office. This has led to the rise of remote work, as people can collaborate and communicate with each other from anywhere in the world.

The Data Transfer Project (DTP)

The Data Transfer Project (DTP) is an open-source initiative that aims to provide a common framework for transferring data between online service providers in a secure and user-friendly way. It was launched in 2017 by Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Twitter to make it easier for users to move their data between different online platforms.


One of the main goals of the DTP is to give users more control over their data and to make it easier for them to switch between different online service providers. With DTP, users can transfer their data directly from one service to another without going through the process of downloading and uploading files manually. This can be particularly useful for users who want to switch to a new service but don’t want to lose their data.

DTP is based on open standards and APIs, which means that any online service provider can use it to enable data transfer for their users. This allows users to quickly move their data between various platforms, including social media, email, cloud storage, etc.

DTP is an open-source project, meaning anyone can contribute to its development. If you’re interested in getting involved, you can learn more on the DTP website: https://datatransferproject.dev/

Why can JMAP be important?

JMAP (JSON Meta Application Protocol) is a protocol for synchronizing data between a client and a server. It is designed to be simple, efficient, and easy to use, providing a common, language-agnostic way for client applications to access and manipulate data stored on a server.

JMAP is designed to be an alternative to other protocols such as IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) for email, and CalDAV (Calendaring Extensions to WebDAV) and CardDAV (Address Data Access and Versioning) for calendar and contact data. It aims to substitute email-related standards that have existed for over 20+ years.

JMAP is potentially significant because it provides a more modern and efficient way to access and manipulate data stored on a server. It is also intended to be easier to use and more flexible than existing protocols, which might make it more appealing to developers and users.

Additionally, because JMAP is language-agnostic, it can be used with any programming language, making it easier for developers to build applications that interact with data stored on a server.

Ok, cool; so when? It’s up to the Gmail, Microsoft, Yahoo, and 🍏 s of the world. They control the email space and have invested heavily in their own APIs, such as the Gmail API (https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/guides).

JMAP will only get adoption IMO if there is buy-in from the email market giants. At this moment, I can’t pinpoint what that benefit would be for Gmail et al.

GDPR and SCC

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). It also addresses the export of personal data outside the EU and EEA.

Under the GDPR, there is a concept called the “data protection officer” (DPO), an individual or position responsible for overseeing the organization’s data protection strategy and compliance with the GDPR. The DPO is required for certain types of organizations, such as those that process large amounts of sensitive personal data or engage in regular and systematic monitoring of data subjects on a large scale.

In addition to the DPO, the GDPR also introduces the concept of a “supervisory authority,” which is an independent public authority responsible for ensuring the GDPR is applied and enforced in the member state where it is located.

The GDPR imposes significant fines for non-compliance and gives individuals the right to sue organizations for damages caused by a breach of their personal data. It is important for organizations to understand their obligations under the GDPR and to take steps to ensure compliance.

UPDATED Dec 22th (New SCC)

The new standard contract clauses for GDPR are a set of legally binding requirements that companies must adhere to when transferring personal data to a third party outside of the EEA. The new standard contract clauses include provisions on data protection, data security, data retention, and data rights. They also outline the responsibilities of both the data controller and the data processor, as well as the rights and obligations of individuals whose data is being processed.

The new standard contract clauses are intended to provide a consistent and reliable framework for data protection, ensuring that companies can continue to transfer personal data across borders while still upholding the principles of the GDPR.

How an email is sent:

Emails are sent using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). When you send an email, your email client (such as Microsoft Outlook or Gmail) sends the email to an SMTP server, which then sends the email to the recipient’s email server. The recipient’s email server then delivers the email to the recipient’s email client (such as Outlook or Gmail).

Here is a simplified overview of the process:

  • You compose and send an email from your email client.
  • Your email client connects to an SMTP server and sends the email to the server.
  • The SMTP server looks up the domain of the recipient’s email address and sends the email to the recipient’s email server.
  • The recipient’s email server receives the email and stores it in the recipient’s mailbox.
  • The recipient’s email client retrieves the email from the mailbox and displays it to the recipient.

This process happens quickly and automatically, so you don’t need to worry about the details. You just need an email client and an internet connection to send and receive emails.