Gmail Review

www.gmail.com

Overall 4.61 of 5 view all 18 reviews

OldHippie
Saint Louis, MO

Use It With "Windows Live Mail"

Every day computer user

Pros

Able to set up with Windows Live Mail, Very good spam filter, Able to set up with Outlook Express

Cons

Just another web based email

NOV

2008

Gmail —

It never hurts to have a back-up email account. So, I signed up for a FREE Gmail account. They didn't ask for a credit card number or any other nonsense. After the initial set-up, I wondered how it would do sending photos. (I email a lot of photos.) In two words...IT SUCKS! Gmail, from what I can see on the web based version, only allows for sending the full sized photo. The recipient of your email also gets the full sized photo. Using a Kodak digital camera with 6 megapixels, that equates to about a 2.73 MB file to send & receive. What if the recipient of your email still uses dial-up? What if he and/or she prefers a smaller photo to both view & download? It's not possible using the web based version of Gmail. That's the bad.

Now the good... You can also set up Gmail with "Windows Live Mail". That's a program very similar to Outlook Express. In fact, according to the instructions I found, it will work with Outlook Express. Both Windows Live Mail & Outlook Express ARE NOT web based email, but rather a separate program in your Windows based PC. I don't know how, or if, it will work with a Mac...sorry. Therefore, using Windows Live Mail, you have many more choices. Not only can you send a "photo email" which allows the recipient to view smaller photos, he and/or she can also view & download the full sized photo, you can also choose a permanent font text & color. Using Outlook Express you can also send an email using the BCC (blind carbon copy) line for multiple recipients. I hate when someone sends me an email with my name and 10 others in the "To" line. That's a good way to put your friends on a spam list. Sending an email to more than one person? Be considerate...use the BCC line for everyone!

Bottom line...the web based version of Gmail is only so-so. Setting it up for use with either Outlook Express or Windows Live Mail is outstanding. Below is a rather lengthy 'copy & paste' I found on how to set up Gmail with either Outlook Express or Windows Live Mail. Hey...if I can do it, you can too. See link below...

http://email.about.com/od/outlookexpresstips/qt/et090605.htm

Access Gmail with Outlook Express Using IMAP
To set up IMAP access to a Gmail account in Outlook Express:
Make sure IMAP access is enabled in Gmail.
Select Tools | Accounts... from the menu in Outlook Express.
Click Add.
Choose Mail....
Enter your name.
Click Next>.
Enter your Gmail address (something like "qwer.qwer@gmail.com").
Click Next> again.
Make sure IMAP is selected under My incoming mail server is a __ server.
Type "imap.gmail.com" in the Incoming mail (POP3 or IMAP) server: field.
Enter "smtp.gmail.com" under Outgoing mail (SMTP) server:.
Click Next>.
Type your Gmail user name under Account name: ("qwer.qwer", for example).
Enter your Gmail password in the Password: field.
Click Next> again.
Click Finish.
Highlight imap.gmail.com in the Internet Accounts window.
Click Properties.
Go to the Servers tab.
Make sure My server requires authentication is checked under Outgoing Mail Server.
Go to the Advanced tab.
Make sure This server requires a secure connection (SSL) is checked under both Outgoing mail (SMTP): and Incoming mail (IMAP):.
Type "465" under Outgoing server (SMTP):.
If the number under Incoming server (IMAP): has not been changed to "993" automatically, enter "993" there.
Click OK.
Click Close in the Internet Accounts window.
Now, select Yes to download the list of Gmail folders to Outlook Express.
Click OK.
IMAP offers you access to all Gmail folders - and lets you label messages or mark them as spam, too.
Access Gmail with Outlook Express Using POP
To fetch mail from a Gmail account in Outlook Express and send through it, too:
›› Step by Step Screenshot Walkthrough
Make sure POP access is turned on for your Gmail account.
Select Tools | Accounts... from the menu in Outlook Express.
Click Add | Mail....
Type your name.
Click Next>.
Enter your Gmail address.
Click Next>.
Make sure POP3 is selected under My incoming mail server is a __ server..
Type "pop.gmail.com" under Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP or HTTP) server:.
Enter "smtp.gmail.com" under Outgoing mail (SMTP) server:.
Click Next>.
Type your full Gmail address under Account name:.
Enter your Gmail password under Password:.
Click Next>.
Click Finish.
Highlight the newly created pop.gmail.com account.
Click Properties.
Go to the Servers tab.
Make sure My server requires authentication is checked under Outgoing Mail Server.
Go to the Advanced tab.
Make sure This server requires a secure connection (SSL) is checked under both Outgoing mail (SMTP): and Incoming mail (POP3):.
Type "465" under Outgoing server (SMTP):.
If the number under Incoming server (POP3): has not been changed to "995" automatically, enter "995" there.
Click OK.
Click Close.

Last edited on Nov 30, 2008