If your email provider is approaching their application as a commoditized tool without any differentiation, then maybe you need to turn to a provider who understands that email is the core of business communications with the ability to significantly enhance productivity.
Times Co. began trying to sell its stake in the Red Sox and related properties in late 2008 when steep declines in revenue at its core newspaper business were threatening the company's ability to manage its debt.
McNamee sees other great Google products with high profit potential like YouTube and Gmail, but none with the ability to replace the loss of their core search business.
In the past they have tended to treat these as part of its odd-ball culture and its ability to ride market reaction to what appear to be diversions from the corebusiness.