17 replies to this topic

[Yaz4Ever]

I'm not crazy about the default email application that came with my iMac (Snow Leopard), so I'm looking at alternatives. All of my email accounts are gmail-based.

Currently, I'm researching the following applications:

1. Sparrow
2. Postbox
3. Mailplane

Are there any others I should consider? I'd like to be able to view all of my inboxes at once (which I can do with the default email client) and I'd like them organized somewhat like gmail does - conversation view, for example.

I see some use social programs as well. I've got Facebook, but I've never tweeted anything in my life. Oddly, I've got over a dozen followers even though all I did was set up an account years ago when I first heard of it. I don't do linkedin or any of the others, so they're irrelevant to me.

Free is better, obviously, but if paying gets me features that are useful, I'm willing to open the wallet.

Thanks

[notfar]

I'm not crazy about the default email application that came with my iMac (Snow Leopard), so I'm looking at alternatives. All of my email accounts are gmail-based.

Currently, I'm researching the following applications:

1. Sparrow
2. Postbox
3. Mailplane

Are there any others I should consider? I'd like to be able to view all of my inboxes at once (which I can do with the default email client) and I'd like them organized somewhat like gmail does - conversation view, for example.

I see some use social programs as well. I've got Facebook, but I've never tweeted anything in my life. Oddly, I've got over a dozen followers even though all I did was set up an account years ago when I first heard of it. I don't do linkedin or any of the others, so they're irrelevant to me.

Free is better, obviously, but if paying gets me features that are useful, I'm willing to open the wallet.

Thanks

What about just using Gmail?

*edit* I guess that might sound snarky but I didn't mean it to be. You can have multiple inboxes for different email addresses attached to one Gmail account. I think. I have it set up to do that but I don't remember if this is how I did it, but I think it is:

http://www.techspot....n-3-easy-steps/

**edit** correct link

Edited by notfar, 24 April 2012 - 11:42 AM.

[phrenile]

Are there any others I should consider?

Also Thunderbird.

[soxhop411]

I'm not crazy about the default email application that came with my iMac (Snow Leopard), so I'm looking at alternatives. All of my email accounts are gmail-based. Currently, I'm researching the following applications: 1. Sparrow 2. Postbox 3. Mailplane Are there any others I should consider? I'd like to be able to view all of my inboxes at once (which I can do with the default email client) and I'd like them organized somewhat like gmail does - conversation view, for example. I see some use social programs as well. I've got Facebook, but I've never tweeted anything in my life. Oddly, I've got over a dozen followers even though all I did was set up an account years ago when I first heard of it. I don't do linkedin or any of the others, so they're irrelevant to me. Free is better, obviously, but if paying gets me features that are useful, I'm willing to open the wallet. Thanks

Postbox Is what I have been using and It is well worth the price.

On the topic of Social Media-If you are a heavy user of Facebook and are going to begin tweeting a lot I would recommend Rockmelt (which is a Modified Chrome) Which lets you browse Facebook (including timeline, Chat) and twitter feed without actually having the webpage open
http://www.rockmelt.com/

[Yaz4Ever]

phrenile - I thought Thunderbird was only for Mozilla browsers. I'll take a look at it now. My bad.

notfar - yes, I could just use gmail but I wasn't aware that you could have one inbox with all accounts in it at once. I hate doing the "change user" dance each time I want to check a different email account.

[Yaz4Ever]

Postbox Is what I have been using and It is well worth the price.

On the topic of Social Media-If you are a heavy user of Facebook and are going to begin tweeting a lot I would recommend Rockmelt (which is a Modified Chrome) Which lets you browse Facebook (including timeline, Chat) and twitter feed without actually having the webpage open
http://www.rockmelt.com/

If I average one post per day on Facebook, I'd be surprised. I appreciate the suggestion but I don't think I'm the target audience for that.

[Saints Rest]

In the default mail program you can organize your emails by thread. That may solve one of your issues

[johnmd20]

phrenile - I thought Thunderbird was only for Mozilla browsers. I'll take a look at it now. My bad.

notfar - yes, I could just use gmail but I wasn't aware that you could have one inbox with all accounts in it at once. I hate doing the "change user" dance each time I want to check a different email account.

I don't combine my two gmail accounts but I do keep them both open at the same time using two different browsers. So if you have one address open in safari, one open in mozilla, and even one more open in chrome, you can keep three Email accounts open and just swipe the mouse(old OS is 4 fingers down, new OS is three fingers up) to get from one account to another. I have been happy with how this works.

The reason I don't combine the addresses is because my personal Email goes to my phone but my other account is for stuff I purchase and other crap, so I don't want that going to my phone when I'm on the road because it's mostly junk. Keeping the browses open has been a great strategy for me.

[Yaz4Ever]

I don't combine my two gmail accounts but I do keep them both open at the same time using two different browsers. So if you have one address open in safari, one open in mozilla, and even one more open in chrome, you can keep three Email accounts open and just swipe the mouse(old OS is 4 fingers down, new OS is three fingers up) to get from one account to another. I have been happy with how this works.

The reason I don't combine the addresses is because my personal Email goes to my phone but my other account is for stuff I purchase and other crap, so I don't want that going to my phone when I'm on the road because it's mostly junk. Keeping the browses open has been a great strategy for me.

I understand what you're saying and it may work for you, but I really don't like the idea of having multiple browsers open and all that just to check email.

[czar]

I don't combine my two gmail accounts but I do keep them both open at the same time using two different browsers. So if you have one address open in safari, one open in mozilla, and even one more open in chrome, you can keep three Email accounts open and just swipe the mouse(old OS is 4 fingers down, new OS is three fingers up) to get from one account to another. I have been happy with how this works.

This seems extraordinarily inefficient.

[deconstruction]

In the default mail program you can organize your emails by thread. That may solve one of your issues

Right.

So, Yaz, what are the other issues you have with Apple Mail?

[johnmd20]

This seems extraordinarily inefficient.

Maybe to you, but it works well for me. Switching screens takes 1 seconds to swipe the mouse pad and my 2nd Gmail account isn't really that important to me, I just monitor it to keep my inbox tended.

[JakeRae]

Thunderbird is a very good program. I'm very happy using Outlook, but I wouldn't recommend buying MS Office just so you could use Outlook as an email client. That's a waste of money.

I thought part of the Gmail redesign included the option to view multiple accounts at the same time. If you like Gmail and are only looking to view Gmail accounts, I would look into that. I only have one Google account so I am not sure if this is actually possible or how well it works if it is.

[geoffm33]

Maybe to you, but it works well for me. Switching screens takes 1 seconds to swipe the mouse pad and my 2nd Gmail account isn't really that important to me, I just monitor it to keep my inbox tended.

I do the same thing. I like to keep my work and personal email as separate as possible.

To the OP, try out the free Sparrow version (ad supported) then upgrade to the ad free version if you like it.

I've tried it but went back to gmail in the browser.

[dirtynine]

Another Gmail/browser user here. I have all my accounts pumped into Gmail and it seems to work well. I also tried Sparrow for Mac - love it on the iPhone - but for desktop email, I use search constantly and I felt like Sparrow was not very effective at that.

If you want to use Gmail as if it was a separate application, check out Fluid.app - it's a great way to make Gmail (or any website or dynamic web app) act like a standalone Mac app (with a dock icon, etc.)

[czar]

Maybe to you, but it works well for me. Switching screens takes 1 seconds to swipe the mouse pad and my 2nd Gmail account isn't really that important to me, I just monitor it to keep my inbox tended.

It's inefficient from a hardware standpoint.

You are dedicating large chunks of memory to keep browsers (including at least one with notorious memory leak issues) open to solely serve the purpose of keeping an eye on e-mail which a decent e-mail client could easily provide (instant access to multiple, segregated mailboxes) for a more uniform user experience and a significantly smaller computing footprint.

If it works for you, that's great. But I don't think it's something that should be recommended as best practice.

[johnmd20]

It's inefficient from a hardware standpoint.

You are dedicating large chunks of memory to keep browsers (including at least one with notorious memory leak issues) open to solely serve the purpose of keeping an eye on e-mail which a decent e-mail client could easily provide (instant access to multiple, segregated mailboxes) for a more uniform user experience and a significantly smaller computing footprint.

If it works for you, that's great. But I don't think it's something that should be recommended as best practice.

You're right, but my computers can handle it pretty easily. Frankly, two browsers being open isn't quite like editing videos in terms of a memory suck. When I'm working from home, I have my mobile office open, complete with live quotron, client software system, and outlook email client,(for work Email, I don't use my two Gmail addresses for work) and I have two browsers open with Gmail, Twitter's always open, Weewar's always open, SoSH is always open, youtube is usually open, and I have whatever else I'm reading on the internet open as well.

I've never had a single issue, problem, or slowdown with my MacBook Pro. It doesn't even get hot. Hardware isn't a problem. The way I do it might not be a best practice but it isn't a horrible idea because it works well. For me, at least.

[B H Kim]

I use Postbox, and highly recommend it. My wife used Thunderbird for years and when I recently convinced her to switch over to Postbox, and she much prefers it to Thunderbird or the native Mail app. One advantage to using a dedicated email client is Growl integration. Growl works with more than just email clients, but I don't think it provides incoming email notices for browsers.