Mailplane for Gmail
Posted on May 8, 2007
Filed Under web 2.0 |
Mailplane is a very cool Mac OSX app for Gmail. So why does anyone need a dedicated application to serve as a client app for Gmail when you can use any mail client to access Gmail as a POP/SMTP server? The answer, and I’ve thought about it for a while now, is that Mailplane adds enough stuff to Gmail to make it more useful, while at the same time being more gmail-centric than a generic mail client application.
There is one glaring shortcoming to Mailplane at the moment, the lack of offline access. I am hoping that eventually the developer will add this but it doesn’t do offline now and that means I still run Mail.app in the background to grab a copy of all my email in the event I need it while offline.
The two features I like about this application above all others is the printing function and the ability to add a screenshot to any mail message with a simple toolbar icon. The iPhoto integration is nice, but I’ve never had much of an issue with the way it is in iPhoto. Attaching files to a new message couldn’t be easier, just drag the file over the application icon in the toolbar and a new message will be created with the attached file, and that is definitely a lot easier than how Gmail does it.
The Google Talk integration is nice, but I use Adium for IM so I’m covered. Integration with Keychain is welcome, but I do miss the ability to have multiple mail accounts in the same client app. Also, I can’t use Greasemonkey scripts to enhance the Gmail UI… bummer.
I am not convinced I would pay for Mailplane, although if it had offline access I would be much more inclined to, however I could see a potential for offering a branded version to support google@yourdomain users who want a company specific brand applied to Gmail for their captive users.
Lastly, integration of additional Google services, like Calendar and Notebook, into the Mailplane application would significantly enhance the appeal of the product in the market. Currently, Google’s strategy of loosely coupling application leaves a lot to be desired in terms of service integration.
Technorati Tags: Mailplane
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About
My name is Jeff Nolan and I write Venture Chronicles. These are my thoughts on technology, innovation, management, public policy and pretty much anything else that I find interesting.
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