Up until now, Gmail accounts were available by invitation only. Google let the service spread gradually and virally, giving each existing member a few additional invitations to extend. At one point, people were actually selling these invitations on eBay.
As of Monday, however, all that has changed. Now anyone can get a Gmail account — and can therefore use Google Talk. But to prevent spammers and other abusers from snapping up Gmail accounts by the thousands, Google has designed a clever safeguard: when you apply for a Gmail account, you must provide a cellphone number.
Google sends a code to your phone, which you use to complete the registration.
In a single week, then, Google, the software company, addressed deficiencies in Windows, tried to create a grand unified chat and voice network, and opened up its clean, capable, capacious e-mail system to all comers. All of this software is beautifully done, quick to download and fun to use — not to mention free and (apart from the Gmail service) entirely free of ads and come-ons.
