Also known as webmail, online email service providers enable users to send, receive and review e-mail from their Web browsers. Email services offer easy access and storage of e-mail messages for users who are not connected to the Internet from their usual location.
When logging into an email service, users simply enter the Webmail Web site URL in their browser’s address or location field, and use their Webmail account by typing in a username and password. Instead of the e-mail being downloaded to the computer used for checking the e-mail account from, the messages will stay on the provider’s server, allowing the user to access all their e-mail messages regardless of what system or ISP is being used.
Email services offer many of the same features and functionality for managing e-mail as desktop email software counterparts like Microsoft Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird. Some of the more popular online email services are Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Hotmail and AOL Mail.
See POP (short for Post Office Protocol).
Also see webmail and email software.
