Thursday, January 15, 2009

5 Super Easy Email Apps You Should Check



 
 

Sent to you by Hemi via Google Reader:

 
 

via MakeUseOf.com by Joel Reyes on 1/14/09

Here is a compiled list containing 5 free clever email applications that will save you time, work, and the possibility of you smashing your computer to bits.

Choose which of these applications benefits you the most and begin to simplify your email usage.

 

(1) SimpleMail (Firefox Extension)

The first email application is called SimpleMail. It's a Firefox extension that will simplify your POP3, IMAP and SMTP emailing needs all through the use of Firefox. You'll be able to turn Firefox into a simple yet handy email client.

Managing Email

Once you've installed it, you'll be able to manage your mailbox as if it were another tab in Firefox. This extension can be used with POP3, SMTP and IMAP email accounts. You won't have email assistance as other email clients may have. However, the fact that you're able to check your webmail with the click of a button (literally) supersedes what SimpleMail lacks in that department.

Added Features & Usability

SimpleMail allows you to set up as many email accounts as you'd like. You're able to check your messages, reply to them, view any attached files or images, and you can send emails using its rich text editor.

Although you can add an address book, this program was meant to be a straightforward email client therefore it lacks the option to insert signatures and spam filters.

OS Compatibility: Win98/98SE/Me/2000/XP/Vista

(2) Gmail Notifier Beta (Desktop App)

With Gmail Notifier you can check your messages without having to open your browser to the Gmail webpage. You're able to check email from the system tray, eliminating a visit to Gmail's webpage.

This application is quite useful. However it falls short of expectancy in some areas such as you're only able to check one account at a time, and the notifier only checks for new messages when you tell it to.

Gmail Notifier shows you a snippet of every email that enters your mailbox. That way you can decide if it would be worth opening your browser to read it.

This is the Gmail Notifier Button with the options listed:

The notifier takes you to your Gmail account once you've clicked on the specified snippet of the email.

OS Compatibility: Win2000, NT, XP, Vista

(3) GmailAssistant (Desktop App)

This is a very useful app because unlike Gmail Notifier, you're able to automatically check various email accounts at one time. With GmailAssistant you don't have to constantly log into your Gmail accounts just to check and see if there's new mail, because this program checks emails automatically for you and briefly displays a snippet of them right above your windows tool bar.

Travis wrote an in-depth review of GmailAssistant here.

Features & Configuration

GmailAssistant can be easily configured and it connects to your Gmail account using IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) for a safe connection. You must have IMAP access enabled in order for this application to check for new messages. This is how you enable IMAP access once you've logged into your Gmail account: Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP > IMAP Access.

Adding a New Gmail Account:

OS Compatibility: Win200/XP/2003/Vista

(4) Gmail Backup (Desktop App)

Backing up your email may not be at the top of your priority list but it can sure save you lots of headaches in the future if something bad and unforeseen were to happen to your email account.

Dreadful possibilities for backing up your email include being locked out of your Gmail account or even accidentally deleting emails yourself. Gmail Backup can be used for any reason you'd like, even though it only has one purpose; to backup your Gmail messages.

Karl did a write-up of Gmail Backup here.

You're going to be asked to enter your Gmail details.

Then the app immediately backs up and downloads your Gmail email onto your computer once you've directed it too.

Downloaded Emails

The email that has been backed up and downloaded to your computer will show in the folder you specified. You will be able to open the emails in the default email client you have installed onto your pc (i.e. Outlook, Windows Mail and more), in my case it's Windows Email therefore it appears as this:

Gmail Backup is very easy and simple to use because it allows you to specify dates you want it to back up your email. You can choose any destination folder within your directory and, as stated above, emails can be read through Outlook, Windows Email, or any sort of text reader as well.

OS Compatibility: Win XP/Vista

(5) eCipher (Secure Emails) (Desktop App)

eCipher is a tool that encrypts email messages which can be sent through an easy-to-use desktop interface and shown to be originating from the email client of your choice (i.e. Gmail, Yahoo!, MSN, Outlook, Windows Mail and more).   This ensures the privacy of the content your email messages contains.

This app works as an independent email tool that utilizes your email server settings to send messages through the SMTP port.

Compose

You can choose to compose an email once you've clicked on the settings button and added an email account.

Protection

Your emails are protected and encrypted with a 256-bit AES and 2048-bit RSA encryption algorithms. The recipient must also have eCipher in order to read your emails; otherwise they will not be able to open them.

Sent encrypted email received by a recipient who does not have eCipher and/or the correct de-ciphering key

Same email received downloaded and opened with eCipher by the correct recipient

Compatibility

eCipher is compatible with several email clients such as Outlook and Thunderbird.

OS Compatibility: Win 2000/XP/2003/Vista

Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions!  Do you use any of these?  Do you know of any better ones?

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