Yahoo is moving forward with its subsidiary businesses amid speculation about Microsoft’s hostile bid for the Internet pioneer. But observers wonder what will become of Zimbra if Microsoft acquires Yahoo.
On Tuesday, Zimbra, an open-source e-mail provider, launched Zimbra Collaboration Suite 5.0. Yahoo Vice President Satish Dharmaraj, a Zimbra co-founder, said the release incorporates feedback from 13,500 members of the open-source communty, and he promised innovation at a more rapid pace.
The latest version aims to set a standard for Web-based business productivity with hundreds of enhancements across desktops and devices. Yahoo said Zimbra’s partners include universities, Internet service providers and small businesses.
New Features
One of the key enhancements in Zimbra 5.0 is added support for Microsoft Outlook 2007. It also supports BlackBerry Enterprise Server, J2ME-enabled handsets such as the Motorola RAZR, and a new version of ZCS for mobile Web browsers.
Zimbra 5.0 also offers new features in its AJAX web client, including instant messaging, a briefcase, task applications and Zimbra Desktop, an offline-capable Web 2.0 collaboration tool.
Yahoo hopes to make Zimbra more practical with tools like Zimbra Tasks that monitor task start and due dates, priority, progress and percent complete. Web-based IM is now built into the collaboration suite to support multiple conversations and group chats.
The offline aspect is a major focus for Zimbra. The new platform lets users store any file from an e-mail in Zimbra Briefcase instead of as an e-mail attachment and work online or offline with Zimbra Desktop. The desktop is an AJAX environment for Zimbra users and users of existing POP and IMAP e-mail servers.
Yahoo is also integrating services from some of its properties, including Flickr, Yahoo Local, Yahoo Finance and Yahoo Search. Later this year, Zimbra’s technologies will be incorporated into properties including Yahoo Mail and Calendar.
What Would Microsoft Do?
Yahoo has been a leader in…