Facebook's recent purchase' (it isn't really confirmed as to whether it was recent or not, but the change to the domain is very recent) of fb.com should bring some shivers to their competitors.
Typing fb.com into your browser now takes you straight to facebook.com, meaning you only have to press 5 keys and enter' to get to Facebook instead of the traditional 13 and enter' but that isn't the big news.
The big news is this: type mail.facebook.com and you'll see a portal to Outlook online. Outlook, being a Microsoft product and their partnership with Facebook means only one thing Facebook is out to get Google's Gmail under the Project name Titan. There are expectations that people will flock to this new launch given the wide user base of Facebook and its popularity in the digital world.
The news that is doing rounds is that there will be full POP/IMAP support in this initiative. Today people identify themselves with their emails and email accounts. Facebook is far ahead of everybody in the identity game through their facebook connect.
Now, both Facebook and Microsoft will have to work hard to catch the popularity and intuitiveness of Gmail, but gimmicks aside, could the @facebook.com domain push its 500million-strong audience away from Gmail?
The Project title Titan has been so rightly chosen as Google, Facebook and Microsoft "the titans" of the web world will be involved and affected directly with this launch. The thing that is to be observed in the future is what strategies does Facebook employ to taste success and what measures does Google take to protect its terrain.
One Thing is for sure at the end of the day it will be the users who will be deciding the fate of the Titans and who will be benefited the most out of all this. The market share of both the Titans will be at stake and defending it would become priority in coming times.
The full announcement of Facebook's "Project Titan" may come anytime, where Facebook's first real blow against Gmail will be understood.