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TUAW's Daily Mac App: MailTab

by Megan Lavey-Heaton Jun 10th 2011 at 3:00PM

Even with the upcoming overhaul to Mail in Lion, there are still plenty of alternatives for accessing your Gmail in OS X without going through the default Mail.app. Several TUAW bloggers are ardent fans of Mailplane, a US$24.99 app that turns Gmail's web interface into a dedicated email client.

Then there's MailTab, which comes in two flavors: Free and a $1.99 pro version. MailTab sits in the menu bar and allows you to access Gmail's mobile interface without needing to access a web browser. It works fairly well and brought in my Gmail information automatically from where I had been signed in with Safari. If you're familiar with Gmail's mobile interface, it's easy to use. The only difference between the free and the pro version is that Gmail chat is added to the pro version. It also lacks switching between linked accounts. You have to completely sign out of MailTab to sign into another account.

If you don't care to constantly fiddle with a web browser or have a single Gmail account, check out MailTab. But, if you have more than one Gmail account and want a more robust features that integrate with OS X, Mailplane is the better choice.



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Even with the upcoming overhaul to Mail in Lion, there are still plenty of alternatives for accessing your Gmail in OS X without going...
 

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Boastboy

I've been using the "pro" version of Sparrow. I just really dislike the gmail GUI. Sparrow just works, it's crisp, fast and efficient. If you don't want to pay the 9,99 use the free option, it works just as well.

June 13 2011 at 1:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Vertigo

Do people still use mail applications? What is this, 2001?

Seriously though, I switched to Gmail a few years back and have never looked back. No matter where I log on I'm always looking at the same interface, and archiving has absolutely changed my life.

I couldn't go back to an application if I wanted to.

June 10 2011 at 6:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Vertigo's comment
Tribal Plague

Mailplane is not an application. Its a dedicated "browser" for Mailplane and it actually enchances the GMAIL Experience. I bought it back when it was $12.99 and it rocks. For people like me that have multiple Gmail or Google Apps Mail accounts its a Godsend. Mailplane offers an extra level of integration that takes Gmail to the next level. When I am on my mac, I use Mailplane all the way... When I am in windows, I miss Mailplane (They were supposed to release a windows client but they haven't yet). You should try it.

June 11 2011 at 9:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Meem Resh Perio

I've used sparrow until they started charging $9.99 for the premium version in Mac App Store. Mail tab looks ok. I'll wait until Lion comes out with their newly upgraded Mail app. Judging from the keynote it seems to be much more durable with more options, and it's FREE.

June 10 2011 at 4:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Meem Resh Perio's comment
Tribal Plague

Sparrow had a good idea... then they got greedy and started bloating it. Since I wont be able to upgrade to Lion just yet, I will be stuck at Mailplane. If I could get Lion though, the new client looks much better than the "original" Mail.app, I wouldnt hesitate to give it a whirl.

June 11 2011 at 9:42 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
JH

What about Sparrow?

June 10 2011 at 3:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Antonino Urbano

Mailplane at $25 = I think I'll figure something else out.
I've used the standard Google Notifier for a long time, but MailTab might be exactly what I need.

June 10 2011 at 3:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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