Poll: Are you interested in using Google's Gmail service?

[MacRumors]

Vote: Poll: Are you interested in using Google's Gmail service? (http://www.macpolls.com/?poll_id=405)

[thecow]

I already have a good email service. I don't need gmail.

[Mudbug]

It depends to me on whether or not I can use my own email client (POP3) with it, or if I have to use the web interface. If my own, sure, I'm in. If not, no thanks. Web interfaced email to me is too slow and clunky, even though it offers retrieval anywhere.

[Dippo]

I already have about 5 account names that I want to snatch up.
I still wonder what the largest attachment size wll be...

[slowtreme]

I voted yes, but only if it turns out to be useful. I use hotmail now for web mail, because I can use many email clients (mac and windows) to check/send mail, and I can use the hotmail site from anywhere. It's free, and as long as I don't need to send more than 1mb emails it works fine. But there are limitations and free is free.

If gmail is free, and I doesn't have any pitfalls, it seems like a good idea. for what it's worth, I singed up for the free spymac account but it's so slow, I can barely login, much less use it to send 1Gig of email.

[the_mole1314]

Yes, I need an email that's

-searchable
-1 gig of space

So yes.

[lokey]

I could always use another place to send those pieces of mail you want to see but don't want in your primary inbox... a.k.a. junk mail. :rolleyes:

[medea]

not really, i am quite happy with my .mac email.

[AmigoMac]

:cool:

[1macker1]

Why not, it's free.

[imaswitcheryeah]

Nope. I'm not interested because I already have a free 1 GB email account at Spymac. 2 actually, because I didn't want my original screen name to be my email address.

[Awimoway]

It will never be my primary email account (I use .Mac for that), but I could envision using it as my backup free account—the one I give out to sites I don't trust not to spam me or sell my addy to spammers.

But it depends on whether I'd like it or not. So I checked Undecided.

[AmigoMac]

Why not, it's free.

I'm really happy with my .mac account, I can control the flow of E-mails, Junk filter works great for me, I never have more than 10 MB of E-mail on the server, what I need just gets backed-up, @mac.com looks COOL!, iSync features work great and hosting service is easy (Like apple stuff), 100 MB for a homepage is right now enough for me... and some free software with my account... and ... and ... Just works! (NO, I'M NOT A ZEALOT) ... just a kind of GEEK! :cool:

[Blue Moon]

And that's about it...

[verloren]

Already using it. The storage is great, the admin (using labels instead of folders, for example) works well, and the search and conversation-mode features are pretty close to essential :)

Cheers, Paul

[Bunzi2k4]

I'll use it if i can get pop3, but if not, i'll just use my roadrunner...

[MacFan25]

I'm not sure if I will sign up for an account, but I am nevertheless still interested. I assume the addresses will be @gmail.com, but it would be cool if they just used @google.com. :cool:

[wordmunger]

*if* I could use my existing .com e-mail address, and *if* I could upload all my current e-mail to have it *all* searchable online, and *if* I could download backups to my computer in case the service ends up being less than advertised, I'd consider it.

Since all three of these are unlikely, my answer was no.

[fixyourthinking]

Nope. I'm not interested because I already have a free 1 GB email account at Spymac. 2 actually, because I didn't want my original screen name to be my email address.

When this topic came up at slashdot I posted this:

Gmail (legit) vs. Spymac (illegit) (Score:5, Informative)

by adzoox (615327) * on Sunday April 25, @03:34PM (#8966676)
(http://www.adzoox.com/

SpyMac is an embarassment of flim flam artistry. It is one of the greatest rabbit tricks ever pulled out of a Mac hat.

People think there's concerns with Gmail and privacy - yet YOU would trust your email to a site that HAS NEVER backed away from the iWalk PDA being a fake, that consistently breaks MUG rules (they claim to be a MUG, yet moderators post rumors - a no no), and that remains consistent with traits of snake oil salesman = all show & caters to the wierd fanatical mac hypochondriacs and most vitriolic people on the net.

THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD TRUST SPYMAC with any password, email address, home address or any other information

SpyMac is just the shiniest car in the parking lot. Be careful though, there may be flood damage under the hood.

The other thing that bothers me about SpyMac is that their moderators troll the web and forums looking for ANYONE that says something bad about the site.

Funny that they have often pointed to O'Grady's PowerPage and previously MacWhispers as credible rumors. May I remind readers of a quality rumors site that neither has been right (or was right in the case of MacWhispers) EVER!

[ipacmm]

sure...its free.

[ChrisH3677]

I'm an email account addict! I have heaps. I have already applied for Gmail. At the end of the day, I have 3 main email accounts.

- A mail.com account for giving out when I think the risk of spam is high
- a Fastmail account for most of my online registrations (where I consider the risk of spam low, but promotional mail medium)
- A .mac account for only for friends

I will probably phase in a gmail account to replace my mail.com account as it gets too much spam now.

[the_mole1314]

Just got my GMail account, time to test! I'm liking it so far....

[Fuchal]

When this topic came up at slashdot I posted this:

Gmail (legit) vs. Spymac (illegit) (Score:5, Informative)

by adzoox (615327) * on Sunday April 25, @03:34PM (#8966676)
(http://www.adzoox.com/

SpyMac is an embarassment of flim flam artistry. It is one of the greatest rabbit tricks ever pulled out of a Mac hat.

People think there's concerns with Gmail and privacy - yet YOU would trust your email to a site that HAS NEVER backed away from the iWalk PDA being a fake, that consistently breaks MUG rules (they claim to be a MUG, yet moderators post rumors - a no no), and that remains consistent with traits of snake oil salesman = all show & caters to the wierd fanatical mac hypochondriacs and most vitriolic people on the net.

THERE IS NO WAY I WOULD TRUST SPYMAC with any password, email address, home address or any other information

SpyMac is just the shiniest car in the parking lot. Be careful though, there may be flood damage under the hood.

The other thing that bothers me about SpyMac is that their moderators troll the web and forums looking for ANYONE that says something bad about the site.

Funny that they have often pointed to O'Grady's PowerPage and previously MacWhispers as credible rumors. May I remind readers of a quality rumors site that neither has been right (or was right in the case of MacWhispers) EVER!


Yes.

I concur.

[Epidem1c]

how come ive never heard of this till now and how do i get an account i dont see it on the site

[wdlove]

At this time no! I'm happy with using Entourage.

[michaelrjohnson]

yes. i need a large inbox, and i really dont care if google were to read my junkmail ;)

[zellin]

As many have already said, I like my .Mac account. It is tightly integrated with OS X, and switching emails is somewhat inconvenient. I already have my email address engraved on the back of my iPod mini. Too many people already know my e-mail address.
I doubt you will be able to use a client, as that would kill the ads by your email that keeps the mail free.

[jzieske]

I voted yes, I will sign up when but will not use it as my main e-mail address. Unless of course you can use it with entourage or mail.

[King Cobra]

Yes...but, damn. a six-month beta-testing period is a long wait. Couldn't google just ask for more beta testers? http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_eek.gif http://www.thetechpub.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif

I refuse to use SpyMac for other reasons...

So, until then, I'll stick with my combined 206MB+ of free webmail over 7 or so accounts. Actually, it's 8 until I let my Hotmail.com account expire...and then riddens to Hotmail!

[sjk]

Gmail will be handy for managing mailing list archives since (so far) I prefer its searching and threading/conversations interface to what's currently used for archives of various lists I subscribe to. And since that's (semi-)public correspondence anyway I don't have concerning about the content filtering.

I use IMAP/SMTP services on my local net, a friend's server, .Mac, and FastMail with dozens of e-mail addresses for several domains in different accounts. I prefer making the distinction between accounts and addresses since it's possible to use the same address with different accounts, with cooperating mail apps/services. A Gmail account currently supports only the main ...@gmail and Reply-To addresses, which limits its usability for me.

[mms]

My friend is a beta tester for Gmail and I've had an opportunity to play around with his account. All I can say is that it is fabulous and very impressive for a beta and that I can't wait for it to become public. Google has been awesome in mostly everything it has done, and this is no exception.

Although there are accessibility concerns, the interface for Gmail is great. Using Javascript, Google has created a webmail interface that looks and acts just like a desktop mail client. I don't care about it having POP/IMAP support because the interface works just as well as Apple's Mail.app, maybe even better, because it can be accessed from any web browser. Almost everything can be done from the keyboard, and the response is lightning fast, just as fast as on a desktop client. The new threading (versus folders) works really well, and there is the useful option for collapsing the quoted part of a message (good for reading messages from those people who don't know how to quote well), and the searching, naturally, works very well.

I feel that the concerns over privacy are useless, since most major email services do scan your messages. Even better is that Gmail has text-based ads that are nonobtrusive and are related to the topic. Unlike flashing banner ads that are annoying and take time to load, the text ads are easy to ignore and do not slow down the process. The one thing that I haven't tried is the spam filter, but I am sure that it be fine, judging from the other great features.

[mms]

Yes...but, damn. a six-month beta-testing period is a long wait. Couldn't google just ask for more beta testers?

Are you sure about this information? AFAIK, Google has not publicly stated a release date for the public. On the Gmail website, it says "We're currently only offering Gmail as part of a preview release and limited test. We don't have details on when Gmail will be made more widely available, as that depends in part on the results of the test."

[~Shard~]

Voted no - I have no need for it, although I'm sure Google will make a decent service available... I'd definitely use it over Microsoft if I had to choose between ther 2, but thank God I don't! ;)

[howard]

definitely going to get one

i'll use it extensively if i can check it with mail.app otherwise i'll use it for filesending and things like that

[taylaner]

i voted NO but iam not sure now ..... it could be nice to have a 1 gb place....

[dukemeiser]

When this topic came up at slashdot I posted this:
May I remind readers of a quality rumors site that neither has been right (or was right in the case of MacWhispers) EVER!

Actually your wrong. While MacWhispers was not very accurate for the most part, they were the first and only rumor site to mention a cable with both firewire and USB connections. This cable turned out to be for the iPod and you can buy one right now at the Apple store. I'm sure there are other instances where they were accurate, but that is the first one that comes to mind. So you really can't say that they were never right.

[wrldwzrd89]

No - I have no need for Gmail or SpyMac mail; my .Mac account suits me just fine. I think 1GB email is just overkill - I'll never use that much space, and when I need to send myself files, I can just put them on my iDisk.

[fixyourthinking]

Actually your wrong. While MacWhispers was not very accurate for the most part, they were the first and only rumor site to mention a cable with both firewire and USB connections. This cable turned out to be for the iPod and you can buy one right now at the Apple store. I'm sure there are other instances where they were accurate, but that is the first one that comes to mind. So you really can't say that they were never right.

Concerning MacWhispers: I won't dig up the past about this site because I have made a pact with Jack Campbell. And just to note, the MacWhispers domain name redirects to me now at JackWhispers - also as part of an agreement.

The MacWhispers website was essentially shut down due to this rumor and the means that were used to acquire it. Plus, the rumor was coming from a hardware developer = MacMice = a double no no.

You are correct that "the iPod connector" was a "semi-accurate" rumor posted on MacWhispers - BUT there were SERIOUS issues over the acquisition of that information. I'll let you Google to find that information out.

I believe Jack Campbell to be a changed man in most regards. Shawn King, Macintouch, and myself forced the change. Since January, Jack has turned a new leaf and has distributed original products and/or offered more accurate descriptions of his products. He also seems to have more originality to come in the months ahead. He also is much less vocal in forums - a good thing for him.

As for the Powerpage - the ONLY time they have been accurate is in prediction - some things they say would happen eventually ANYWAY, others - they just jumped on a bandwagon. Jason O'Grady CLEARLY posts rumors to get hits - with no other reason.

[Savage Henry]

If I was forced by powers of nothing less than Biblical proportions then, Yes, I may consider using it.

But I am currently more than happy with what I've got.

[dubbz]

I'm happy with what I'm using currently, so I don't see any reason to change.

Like many other, I'll probably get a Gmail account just to check it out, and to use it as a backup address. Or for use on sites I don't trust. It's free, so why not?

[edesignuk]

It will make the mother-of-all spam box for me :D so yeah, why not!

[numediaman]

It will make the mother-of-all spam box for me :D so yeah, why not!

Exactly. Just what I need, another mail box full of spam.

[Billicus]

I voted no, because I'm not keen on the idea of having ads tailored to my e-mail habits...:eek: :mad:

[pyrotoaster]

I think it's a neat idea, and I've already got my account. I signed up for the beta just for the hell of it (it was offered to me and I thought "sure, why not?").

The interface is incredibly slick - on Firebird. I still prefer Safari, so that's a bit of a pain. But it does look really good, and while 1 GB probably is overkill, it drives me nuts when I get "Your .Mac Email Account is Almost Full" emails (I don't delete emails. Who knows, I might need that "simpson quote" from 2/24/02 someday!).

As for the "reading the email" thing, I'm not a fan of it, but as long as they're honest up front, I don't have a real problem with it. I'll be sure to send all of my dirty emails to another account! :D

[mms]

I just got a beta account today too and love it. I will use it as my primary account as soon as it works well in Safari; currently, it works but isn't that great. Works fine in Firefox though.

[macka]

Aww...I want a beta account too. :p
How do they choose who gets one? Do you have to be somebody of importance?

In relation to the poll...I dunno. Sounds good to me.

[Raid]

:mad:
No regardless of disk space I wouldn't be getting a Gmail account. Why? I don't want google reading my emails (http://www.google-watch.org/email.html) regardless of how "helpfull" and "benign" they say it is.

[mms]

Aww...I want a beta account too. :p
How do they choose who gets one? Do you have to be somebody of importance?
No... I'm not anyone that important. Many people that get an account get invited by a Google engineer/designer person. Also, active users of Blogger were invited to become beta testers (prob since Blogger became part of Google). But there's no easy way to get an account, unfortunately.

[evilcalvin]

yes I am.
but this post is just to test my new account here and the avatar

[~Shard~]

yes I am.
but this post is just to test my new account here and the avatar

Avatar? Sorry my friend, but you need a few more posts - 498 to be exact - before you are worthy of an avatar. ;) :cool:

[mms]

lol. yup that's a long way to go.

[King Cobra]

Are you sure about this information? AFAIK, Google has not publicly stated a release date for the public. On the Gmail website, it says "We're currently only offering Gmail as part of a preview release and limited test. We don't have details on when Gmail will be made more widely available, as that depends in part on the results of the test."

And, according to the Wildblue site, Wildblue's Satellite service is expected to be out in the second half of 2004, while, according to other sites, the Wildblue-1 satellite will be launched into space via an Aerian 5 shuttle in 2005...the moral being: Not all the information you want to know is stated right on a corporation's website.

But, yes, Gmail's beta-testing period will more than likely last six months (http://slashdot.org/articles/04/04/24/154216.shtml?tid=126&tid=137&tid=215&tid=95).

[mac4drew]

:mad:
No regardless of disk space I wouldn't be getting a Gmail account. Why? I don't want google reading my emails (http://www.google-watch.org/email.html) regardless of how "helpfull" and "benign" they say it is.

A. Google is not "reading your emails." A computer with one purpose, to find keywords avaliable for a small text advertisment on the side of your screen, scans emails. They explicitly state that "no humans read your email" in their privacy policy. In addition, Google doesn't keep the keywords it collects about your emails for any other purpose than to show you that one text ad on the side of your screen. And most of the time, it doesn't even show a text ad.

Google-watch (the site you link to in your original post) is a site that I have seen before, by the way, and it is set up by a guy with self-motivated interests. Check out www.google-watch-watch.org to see what exactly those interests are. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you want to start conspiracy theories about a company trying to impede on our privacy, perhaps you should choose one whose motto is something other than, "Don't be evil."

B. In addition, I hope you don't have any delusions that the e-mail you currently use is in any way private, or protected from the eyes of advertisers, the U.S. Government, a neighbor, a friend, or anyone else who wishes to see it.

If you don't encrypt your e-mail, it is NOT private. Don't send anything you wouldn't send through the mail in a postcard, over the internet in an email. I don't know how many people I have to tell this, but it kind of puts this whole Google keyword sifting thing into perspective, doesn't it?

UPDATE: I looked for and found the site that uncovers Google-watch for what it really is, the idiotic rants of someone who doesn't understand technology. Perhaps those who are willing to look can find the truth here:
Google-Watch-Watch (http://www.google-watch-watch.org/)
In other words, Brandt recognizes that there has to be some order to Google's results, and that some sites might deserve to come up before others. He just disagrees with the way Google does it. In Brandt's ideal world, if you searched for "United Airlines," you would see untied.com -- a site critical of United -- before you see United's page. And if you searched for Rumsfeld, you'd see NameBase's dossier on him before the Defense Department's site on the "The Honorable Donald Rumsfeld."

In truth, Brandt's problem is not Google, it is that his views are not the views of the public at large.