I’m looking for more advice from you Mac users out there.
I’ve been using the plain vanilla Apple Mail application for years, ever since I abandoned Eudora. There’s been an occasional glitch, but mostly it works, and works pretty well.
The problem has come as “platforms” have multiplied. Now I’ve got an iPad and iPhone in addition to my main MacBook Pro, and occasional use of a MacBook Air. The multiple computers complicates the process of getting, reading, and storing mail.
My initial approach was to designate the MacBook Pro as my “main” mail computer where old messages were archived. I would leave emails on the server for several days, so that they would be available from the iPhone and iPad during that time. Then they would be deleted from the server.
Not the perfect solution.
Now gmail has been beckoning with the promise of lots of remote mail storage, with access to all mail from all the different computers. I can use my existing email accounts and have mail forwarded to gmail as a central depository, accessible from wherever.
It sounds good, but I wonder if there are any less-than-obvious problems that would scare me away from gmail.
I would love to hear your experience.
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Ian,
I have been using gmail since ~2005. Somewhere along the way, they offered an ” imap ” option. Imap servers are great for people who swap around checking email on iPhones, Ipads, and mac laptops. I assume it works just as well on PC equipment, but don’t have any personal experience there.
Unlike the POP servers of yore, if you read an email on one device, it will show it was a read on all your devices. Likewise, your replies will appear on all your devices too. Gmail has a web interface too that has a complete archive of all your email.
Their spam filters are superb, and I can’t recommend them highly enough. The only caution that I have is that they are in the process of opening up their google cookies to advertisers. I probably misphrased that, but be sure and read their updated privacy policy carefully.
Ian –
I gave up on traditional email clients several years ago and use only the Gmail web client. Except that I do use the iphone email apps to access gmail (excellent sync capability with gmail by setting it up as an “exchange” service account).
I find it very good overall and have no regrets. I use it for my contacts, calendar as well as mail. I can access any of these from any platform and any browser anywhere there is internet access. And my iphone syncs automatically with the contacts and calendar.
One option you might look into is an add-in for Gmail called “active inbox”. There’s a free version and a plus paid version for about $50 a year. It adds a lot of options to handle gmail better, flag messages as “waiting on” or “action required”. It does this all through labels it creates. Very nice add-in and well integrated into the gmail web app.
You can use the built in “priority” or “stars” in gmail but they are pretty unsophisticated and I found I dropped many follow ups from relying on them.
Personally I have vowed to NEVER go back to a dedicated email client. It’s just too convenient to use a web based client and too INconvenient to have all my email on the computer I don’t have with me at the moment.
Hope this helps.
– Kevin
One more thing…. I agree their spam filter is EXCELLENT. I don’t even think about spam anymore as it’s so rare to slip past their filters. And the “false negative” rate of real email being put in your spam folder I find is very, very low.
Gmail also does a great job of blocking “phishing” emails and others that are not really from who they say they are.
– Kevin
Hi Ian,
I am also a Mac guy, with a laptop, desktop and iPhone. (No iPad yet–waiting for my ship to come in. I think it may have been lost at sea….)
I also use gmail for most of my mail. I have an old Yahoo account for an ancient nom de plume account and am still officially using my roadrunner account. But my RR email gets routed through my gMail account now, so I am almost unaware which email address the mail was sent to.
I know Google has just changed its privacy policy. I BELIEVE it is a change for the worse, but have been unable to understand the details.
Fortunately, the US intelligence services no longer need to have “an agent behind each mailbox,” as they own shares in the leading social network software companies and can track us through our online activities.
Wow- I haven’t used Eudora for years- but I loved their literary charm.
I am now using gmail as well as a few other servers that are based abroad and of course there are encryption and mirror sites if you really want to be anonymous, but these days one really doesn’t know if one’s innocent words might be used against one…
Iain, I too am a Gmail user. Love the service. The fact that you don’t have to worry about how many emails you have and that you never really need to erase them and they are always searchable is incredibly useful. That and the spam filters are amazing.
I am a Mac guy, have been since the mid 80’s. That is eighties, kids. And used eudora for years. Now I swear by Yahoo mail. sooo easy. check it from my home pompuker or my phone, wherever I am. Chance um!
I use Apple mail & have an Htel account and also pay for an earthlink account ($5 a month for 4 email addresses). I get POP mail with earthlink (goes to my macbook pro) as well as webmail (which i can check anywhere) & can save, check, manage spam, etc. easily. I also have a yahoo account which i can check anywhere, anytime. I also use an iPad & find Yahoo the most flexible for my needs. Of course, ymmv.
Ian, the Mac & Gmail were made for each other. Personally I use Chrome on the Mac but like others here, haven’t used an “email client” for years now.
It takes a little getting used to, but the Gmail web client is simply the bomb. Do it. Use it. Love it.
Thanks, Peter. I’m seeing a general consensus among users.
I do have an iPhone and an ancient Dell Desktop – cannot afford any updates until I figure out how to pay for them. When My ship comes in, I plan to switch to all-applemac stuff unless they don’t address their badapplebusinesspolicies.
However, I still use Eudora – started using it in the late 1980s and would never switch from it unless it goes out of business.
I have been using gmail since 2005 and rely upon it so much I occasionally worry about it, but not enough to change my habits. I never delete anything – although I used up my free storage and have to pay Google $20/year for more. Which seems quite reasonable. I have even gotten in the habit of scanning documents and emailing them to myself so I have access to them wherever I have an internet connection. I bought a car at a dealership last year and when they asked for a copy of my insurance card I just borrowed his keyboard, opened my gmail, did a search that took about 2 seconds, and said “print this.” So simple.
ps. I agree, gmail’s spam filter is superb.
Gmail, gmail, gmail.
That is all.