Zimbra released a new version of its eŽmail and collaboration software, with features for reading mail and creating documents offline from a Web browser. Zimbra Collaboration Suite 5.0 also adds support for BlackBerry clients and Java 2 mobile-equipped phones and now has integrated messaging.

The features were part of Zimbra' s product plans before Yahoo acquired it and its business plan remains largely the same, according to Satish Dharmaraj, Zimbra co-founder and now Yahoo Vice President.

While Yahoo Mail is aimed primarily at consumers, Zimbra sells its server software to universities, businesses, and Internet service providers. The company was founded on the notion that there should be better Web- based, cross-platform alternatives to Microsoft Office. Zlmbro ,Zimbra's technology is based Moil entirely on Ajax, the Web-programming model that allows people to use sophisticated features like mashups from a Web browser. Its Desktop application in the new version
lets people from a browser create and share text documents and embed spreadsheets within them. The offline capability of Desktop will allow someone to access different e-mail accounts, such as Gmail and corporate mail. This feature is in beta and is expected to be available later in the first quarter. Zimbra provides an open- source version of its server soft and charges for the higher-end commercial edition.