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Why use Mail rather than sticking to web-based Gmail?

J

jphealy

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 10, 2008
45
0
Dublin, Ireland
I very recently bought my first Mac (BlackBook) and am still enjoying finding my way around :)

For email on my PC, I always just used my Gmail account online. I am perfectly happy with my web based Gmail account, and its online user interface. What would be the advantages in setting up my Gmail account in Mail and using that, rather than through Firefox? :confused:

As I said, I've no problems at all using the web based Gmail, so I have a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. If, however, I'm missing out by not using Mail, please let me know!

Thanks!
 
The principle advantages, to me, are...

- Being able to simultaneously manage multiple (six or seven) e-mail accounts from different service providers inside the same interface, with the same signatures, being able to respond to an e-mail sent to one service from another service, etc.

- Some more sophisticated composition options like multiple signatures and so on

- Certain search / organize / locate functions are faster in a client app than on the web.

- Integration with other Apple tools like Address Book and iCal

But Gmail has a very nice web interface, too. I access my Gmail several different ways -- on my iPhone, in Mail, and via the web.
 
I use both the web interface and Mail - but I spend more time using the online interface because of work / etc.

You can have Gmail check other accounts, just as you can with Apple Mail. You can also reply to any message coming from any account - and even pick which account to reply from. There are all sorts of nifty things to check out in the settings.
 
Call me old fashioned, but I'm not have Google snaffling up my mail messages, thank you very much.

/tinhat
 
I prefer the web interface, actually. I only use Mail when I'm replying to a Craigs List ad because I click the e-mail address, and it just pops up.
 
I like the simple fact that Mail.app integrates with all the applications I use. I can send files, pictures, etc. as attachments with one click of the mouse and don't have to deal with the web-version of Gmail to upload the attachments. Sure, it only saves me a matter of seconds, but it's important to me to be able to send files with one click of the mouse.
 
The biggest advantage that I can think of is having all your emails stored in on your HD – If your connection goes down or you can't get one out and about with a laptop, you can still review all your messages.
 
mkrishnan said:
I don't think Google sniffs your mail any less if you use POP or IMAP anyway. :p
Click to expand...

I know, I avoid both. No Gmail for me. :)

OP: If you have a laptop and you're somewhere with no internet connection, Mail will let you go through your saved messages which you couldn't do with a browser.
 
Yep

I use Gmail, both via the web and on my laptop running Mail.

For me, the answer seems obvious...I want to be able to see my messages even if I don't have internet access. While this may not be critical for some, I really don't understand why. I often have directions or numbers emailed to me and I wouldn't want to be cut off from them if my internet went down.
 
I stick with Gmail because Mail doesn't use my Gmail contacts list. Far as I know, the two lists can't be synced, so I stick with Gmail's web interface.
 
There are shareware/freeware apps that will sync the two. I've used one to send my address book info to Gmail. Worked great.

Dimwhit said:
I stick with Gmail because Mail doesn't use my Gmail contacts list. Far as I know, the two lists can't be synced, so I stick with Gmail's web interface.
Click to expand...
 
It's just more pleasant to use a real application vs a web app. The only time I look at Gmail's web interface is when I have neither my laptop nor my iPhone handy.
 
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