Which email app do you prefer for Gmail? Gmail app, or htc Mail app?

[bobby2478]

I'm trying to figure out which email app I want to have my Gmail configured in. Currently I have the Gmail app setup, and also have my email added into the HTC Mail app, however whenever I get an email I receive duplicate notifications.

Which email app do you prefer for your Gmail email account, and why?

Thanks for your feedback / opinions

 

[treven21]

I use K9 mail.

I'm trying to figure out which email app I want to have my Gmail configured in. Currently I have the Gmail app setup, and also have my email added into the HTC Mail app, however whenever I get an email I receive duplicate notifications.

Which email app do you prefer for your Gmail email account, and why?

Thanks for your feedback / opinions

 

[EarlyMon]

Gmail has come a long way, so the differences aren't as great as before.

I prefer to simply use HTC Mail for two reasons: one, I have all my mail accounts set up in one place, and two, I can configure the polling times in very flexible ways as I have no real need of Gmail's push mail.

If you're only using Gmail, then it's a toss-up, but if you're using more than one account, leave Gmail behind, use the HTC app. Tip-top text reflowing, good copy/paste, it just works.

The new HTC Mail on the 3vo finally features an integrated inbox (that came with Sense 2.1).

 

[Vanquished]

I've always used the gmail app in the past, but I saw somewhere else that the mail app shows all of the mail accounts at once and color codes them so you know which account it is from.

BUT, I too have noticed the dual notifications (one for gmail, one for the mail app). I have also noticed that the app itself doesn't update right away like the gmail one does. The notification bar tells you that there is a new message, but when you open the mail app you have to hit refresh for it to download it, which is kind of annoying. Is there a way to change that? I've been looking through the settings but it doesn't seem to show anything.

There is one setting that says "download mail when app is open" which is selected by default. That doesn't seem to be the case, because I always have to hit refresh for it to do it. Will it download the mail automatically when it is available if I deselect that?

 

[EarlyMon]

The instantaneous response of Gmail is because it's using push email - whereas HTC Mail is pulling to the phone when the user asks (and gathering new messages based on your specified polling rates). Yes, you can have it download mail automatically, but attachments require action from you.

You can turn off the notifications for Gmail if you decide to not use it - similar to having stock messaging and Handcent installed, same kinda deal.

And you can run Gmail for your Gmail accounts, and HTC Mail for all other - my wife prefers to do that, and it makes perfect sense.

There's no one way to skin the cat here.

 

[Mauddib]

Prefer the push mail with Gmail. It is my main account so I don't have to worry about my email app having to sync every hour or every 15 min. I get it almost immediately with out wasting battery power.

 

[ebolamonkey3]

Gmail has come a long way, so the differences aren't as great as before.

I prefer to simply use HTC Mail for two reasons: one, I have all my mail accounts set up in one place, and two, I can configure the polling times in very flexible ways as I have no real need of Gmail's push mail.

If you're only using Gmail, then it's a toss-up, but if you're using more than one account, leave Gmail behind, use the HTC app. Tip-top text reflowing, good copy/paste, it just works.

The new HTC Mail on the 3vo finally features an integrated inbox (that came with Sense 2.1).

Is there a way for the HTC mail app to show threaded emails? It's something I must have.

 

[brownhornet]

Prefer the push mail with Gmail. It is my main account so I don't have to worry about my email app having to sync every hour or every 15 min. I get it almost immediately with out wasting battery power.

Ditto

 

[EarlyMon]

Is there a way for the HTC mail app to show threaded emails? It's something I must have.

Yep. Menu, show conversation - you'll see it corresponds to the conversation bubbles with 3 dots, second to the left.

Prefer the push mail with Gmail. It is my main account so I don't have to worry about my email app having to sync every hour or every 15 min. I get it almost immediately with out wasting battery power.

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. Network transactions are going to use power, Gmail included.

Push Gmail takes power - we're still in dispute as to whether it uses Gtalk or not - but you can shut down Gtalk and tend to save power. People argue whether this breaks push email or not for Gtalk - I don't know the answer there.

With Mail accounts, you can set the polling frequency to whatever you like. I set my friends and family account to not bother me during the day, but increase polling at night - vice versa on my work account, for example.

 

[Vanquished]

With Mail accounts, you can set the polling frequency to whatever you like. I set my friends and family account to not bother me during the day, but increase polling at night - vice versa on my work account, for example.

What is the polling frequency and how do you change it?

 

[EarlyMon]

What is the polling frequency and how do you change it?

For EACH account separately (choose an account from the top bar of inbox) -

Menu, more, Settings, Send & Receive, Update schedule -> List peak days (as in, Mon~Fri), peak time start and end, polling frequency during peak times, polling frequency during off-peak times.

Way, way cool - way, way handy.

And you can just go to an account at any time and hit Menu->Refresh to force a manual update.

 

[EarlyMon]

PS - I just noticed that under settings, Accounts & sync, there's a new HTC Mail account-by-account sync setting that you can turn on/off to auto-update email whenever you open the client.

Nice.

 

[JSchu22]

I use the Gmail app (personal) and Enhanced Email (for work). Two accounts, two applications- I don't need my personal emails hanging out with work ones, and vice versa.

I don't particularly like some of the more minute details of HTC's application, especially since I tend to prefer a more "stock" experience, so that's basically why I choose those. That and the push mail option from Google. Regardless of whether I need personal emails that fast or not, I like it being there.

 

[DonB]

I use Gmail app for my personal account and I use K9 for my business, many more options.

 

[Mauddib]

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. Network transactions are going to use power, Gmail included.

Push Gmail takes power - we're still in dispute as to whether it uses Gtalk or not - but you can shut down Gtalk and tend to save power. People argue whether this breaks push email or not for Gtalk - I don't know the answer there.

With Mail accounts, you can set the polling frequency to whatever you like. I set my friends and family account to not bother me during the day, but increase polling at night - vice versa on my work account, for example.

I know it uses power but from what i have heard and experienced it doesn't use nearly the same amount of power as having something poll throughout the day. One day I might get 5-10 emails in a day at which point gmail only connected 5-10 times instead of 12 - 24 with polling. Granted I don't get a ton of emails so depending on how much email you get will depend on which one works best for you.

 

[EarlyMon]

Yep. I've had Gmail push eat my lunch in battery use with Gtalk - I get lots of mail from everywhere.

And if your mail is that infrequent and you do want to try polling - change it to match your low email rate.

 

[cobalt]

So this seems like a relevant place to ask this:

Is there any good homescreen widget for gmail?

I prefer the gmail app to the HTC one (one account, gmail only, like push, don't like HTC folders mucking with my gmail labels). But I don't like the non-specificity of the notifications, and a widget would be a big help.

(There's a nice mail widget or two that comes with the 3vo, but for those, and I'm worried for others, requires setting up my account with the whole other email program. I was just thinking of something simple that gave me a preview without having to start the real gmail app.)

 

[EarlyMon]

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.deselaers.gmailinboxwidget

 

[EarlyMon]

Just found that the Mail app has IP printing now, that's new.

 

[Lozer_Kid]

I don't like to use those kind of email apps. I hate when I delete an email from it and it looks like its been deleted but when when i check my email online, all those messages that I thought i deleted are still there, so I just go online to check my email instead...

 

[Doomstang]

I don't like to use those kind of email apps. I hate when I delete an email from it and it looks like its been deleted but when when i check my email online, all those messages that I thought i deleted are still there, so I just go online to check my email instead...

You just explained the difference between POP and IMAP
Using a POP server for your email will download a copy and any changes will not be reflected on the actual server. IMAP is more of a 2 way street where it should mirror any changes you made on your device to the web/mail server.

 

[Dooderino]

Overall I prefer the gmail app but I can't access it from the lock screen so I am using the mail app just so make it easier and keep it the same at all times

 

[Lozer_Kid]

You just explained the difference between POP and IMAP
Using a POP server for your email will download a copy and any changes will not be reflected on the actual server. IMAP is more of a 2 way street where it should mirror any changes you made on your device to the web/mail server.

hahaha well i didn't know that, but thanks for explaining!

 

[Putty]

K9 mail was the first app I always installed on my 4G. Mail was horrible. They did a great job fixing this app. No need for a 3rd party now.

 

[DonB]

K9 still has many more feature IMO

K9 mail was the first app I always installed on my 4G. Mail was horrible. They did a great job fixing this app. No need for a 3rd party now.