Will Gmail Ever Catch Up? A New App May Help Google, Hurt Microsoft (GOOG, MSFT) [Silicon Alley Insider]

Everyone we know uses Gmail. But we don't know that many people: Gmail trails both Yahoo and Microsoft's webmail offerings by a significant margin. But a new service that allows users to synchronize their calendar, e-mail and address books between Gmail (GOOG) and Outlook (MSFT) might change that.

Up until now, Google as well as third-party apps, have allowed users to synchronize pieces of the two systems, but there has been no program that has been able to do it all at once. But Cempahore systems says its MailShadow will allow users to easily check their Gmail from Outlook, their Outlook from Gmail and synchronize their calendars and address books.

Cemaphore Systems, the maker of MailShadow, is pitching the new Google App as a way to back up Microsoft's Outlook and Exchange. But the NYT points out that the real value here: In theory, the software will allow users to stop paying Microsoft for use of its Exchange servers, and run Outlook, more or less for free, from Google's servers.