Best IMAP email?

[Le Big Mac]

So I love IMAP (been stuck with POP for a while, but it has too many limitations). I like using an email client at home, but want webmail for when I'm away. I've been using Entourage, but thinking about a shift to Mail. I have my own domain for email (i.e., le@bigmac.com)

I'm trying to figure out which IMAP service to go with. 3 obvious options are AOL, Gmail, and .Mac/MobileMe. I see the following benefits/costs. anything I'm missing? My criteria are (1) good integration with entourage and/or mail (2) ability to set "reply to" address as something other than the host's domain, both in webmail and when using client (3) cost. Thoughts?

AOL: Free. Standard IMAP configuration. Can't set reply to to anything other than aol (e.g., no "personal" domain).

Gmail: Free. Oddball IMAP configuration (labels and folders don't play well together) that comes out oddly in Mail and entourage. Can set all kinds of reply-to options.

.Mac: Not free. Standard IMAP configuration. Reply-to options can be set(?)

 

[blodwyn]

I'm trying to figure out which IMAP service to go with.

I've been using FastMail for several years. I've set up the email addresses that I control to forward to my FastMail account, and I've set up FastMail to regularly pull emails from the accounts I don't control (like my ISP email account). There are many setup options and service levels, including setting up 'personalities' for various 'reply-to' addresses, and I've been really happy with the service.

 

[GGJstudios]

I like Gmail for its generous storage (6+GB and growing), powerful search capabilities, thread-tracking mode, and ability to track and reply to/from multiple addresses. For those who don't like the threading mode, using Gmail with Apple Mail allows you to turn it off. Not to mention the stability of knowing Gmail isn't going out of business any time soon, like other email providers in the past. It's also a well-respected domain for business, unlike Yahoo, AOL or Hotmail, which have traditionally been viewed by the business world as "not serious", since they are usually used for personal, rather than business purposes. Hotmail has long been infested with spammers, as has AOL, which is also restricted by its proprietary approach.

 

[cosmokanga2]

I like Gmail for its generous storage (6+GB and growing), powerful search capabilities, thread-tracking mode, and ability to track and reply to/from multiple addresses. For those who don't like the threading mode, using Gmail with Apple Mail allows you to turn it off. Not to mention the stability of knowing Gmail isn't going out of business any time soon, like other email providers in the past. It's also a well-respected domain for business, unlike Yahoo, AOL or Hotmail, which have traditionally been viewed by the business world as "not serious", since they are usually used for personal, rather than business purposes. Hotmail has long been infested with spammers, as has AOL, which is also restricted by its proprietary approach.

Second all of that. I use Gmail and couldn't be happier. And putting emails in folders, what's that? Searching is a lot easier to find messages. Also the ability to read multiple email accounts from one is helpful.