—AL.SSS Liven Up Your E-Mail, Avoid E-Misunderstandings (NAPSA)—Most people rely on e-mail as a mode of communication in their work and personal lives, but e-mails are often misunderstood because, unlike speaking, e-mail has no “tone.” Something that’s intended as a joke can be taken seriously and vice versa. Observing e-mail etiquette can help avoid misunderstandings and can noticeably improvethe quality of your communication. The next e-mail you send can be moreclear and memorable for whoever you’re “talking” with if you keep in mind a few simple guidelines: Include a short, relevant, easily understood subject line. Keep your message simple and to the point. Don’t ramble. Answer any and all questions from the message you’re responding to. Use proper spelling, gram- mar and punctuation, just as you would in a letter. Don’t misuse the “high-priority” button. * Don’t write in CAPITALS— it’s the equivalent of shouting. Read your messagebefore hitting the “Send” button. Type the recipient’s e-mail addressin last so you don’t inadvertently send something off beforeit’s ready. Try to avoid “flaming”—obviously angry e-mails. What you write can’t be taken back. Before venting in an e-mail, ask yourself, “Would I say this to this person’s face? Will he or she understand the point I’m trying to get across?” Try just sending the e-mail back to yourself to rereadit. Avoid potential miscommunications by using emoticons (emotional icons) to help get your point across. Emoticons can give your email a “tone,” just like speaking. A “wink” or a “laughing” emoticon, \—o ey \"* = e Lively emoticons can make your e-mails more attractive and easier to understand. for example, can get a point across much quicker and moreeffectively than the subtleties of the written word. Everyone knows just what you mean when you use an emoticon, especially if you have a lot to choose from. You can access a hugegallery filled with thousands of emoticons, as well as attractive backgrounds, all of which are free, at www.incredimail.com. E-mail noti- fiers—characters that appear on your screen to tell you that new mail has arrived—andcool sounds to accompany your e-mail messages are also available there for free. In addition, users can down- load unique desktop wallpapers and screensavers with a new product called Magentic, also available at www.incredimail.com. Other add-ons available at www.incredimail.com that turn Plain Old E-mail (POE) into a multimedia experience include 3-D effects, movie themes and handwritten signatures. IncrediMail Ltd. is the global leader in e-mail solutions, offering products that create an entertaining and memorable e-mail experience. Its popular namesake e-mail program has logged over 80 million downloads. Visit www.incredimail.com and www.incredimail-corp.com for more information on how you can jazz up your e-mail communications.
