Yahoo Invites Users to Try Mail Beta

Yahoo on Thursday rolled out the beta version of its Mail product to all users, inviting them to switch to the new AJAX interface that acts more like a desktop e-mail client than Web site. The Yahoo! Mail revision adds technologies that the company gained from its purchase of Oddpost, such as drag and drop organization, an instant preview pane, and upgraded search capabilities.

A built-in RSS reader has also been added to the service, along with an integrated calendar. Yahoo, which is the top provider of web based e-mail in the United States, counts some 255 million users according to research firm comScore. The company did not say when it would fully replace its traditional Mail interface.