Many who still don't have a test account for the Gmail webmail service but signed up for news updates regarding the development of Gmail and when they are suppose to be totally free for sign up got an Email from the Gmail team with a link to sign up for a Gmail account. Looks like their wish was finally granted.

This is what the emails reads:

"Hi there,

Thanks for signing up to be updated on the latest Gmail happenings. We hope it's been worth the wait, because we're excited to finally offer you an invitation to open a free Gmail account! Just click on this link to create your new account:

http://www.linktoinvite.....

Since last April, we've been working hard to create the best email service possible. It already comes with 1,000 megabytes of free storage, powerful Google search technology to find any message you want instantly, and a new way of organizing email that saves you time and helps you make sense of all the information in your inbox.

And here are just some of the things that we've added in the last few months:

- Free POP access: Take your messages with you. Download them, read them offline, access them using Outlook, your Blackberry or any other device that supports POP

- Gmail Notifier: Get new mail notifications and see the messages and their senders without having to open a browser

- Better contacts management: Import your contacts from Yahoo! Mail, Hotmail, Outlook, and others to Gmail in just a few clicks. Add phone numbers, notes and more. Even use search to keep better track of it all.

We also wanted to thank you for showing us your support and for being so patient. And to those who have already signed up for Gmail, thank you for giving it a try and for helping us make it better. Our users are what have made this product great. So whether you're just signing up for your account or you've been with us since the beginning, keep letting us know how we can build you the best email service around.

That's it for now. We hope you like Gmail and will share it with your friends. We've got lots of cool new stuff planned and we can't wait for you to see our work in your Gmail accounts! Stay tuned...

Thanks,
The Gmail Team"

Could this mean that Gmail is getting ready to launch the final version of its service?

Recent changes to Google's Gmail Web mail site roused speculation that its beta phase might be coming to an end. Interest in the service has always been high, but this is the first major attempt the company is making to attract more people. Despite privacy concerns over Gmail, the service has proved alluring; with eBay at one point offering as many as 2,000 listings for Gmail invitations. Google did not appreciate these offerings and has banned sales and swaps of Gmail invitations.

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