I use Google’s Gmail because I think it is better than any email system I have ever used. Gmail is not perfect and it works differently in many ways from most other email systems but the benefits continue to provide additional value to me. I’ve already made my argument for using an Internet based email in a previous post: “cut the strings”.
I have used Microsoft Outlook, Hotmail, email.com (now out of business), and Lotus Notes systems. As a matter of fact I considered myself a Microsoft Outlook die hard. When I started using Gmail I was a little reluctant at first but have come to really appreciate the additional benefits. Gmail thinks of email very differently. For example, all other email systems put email in an “in-box”. Gmail uses an “in-box” label along with other labels (the star label, custom named labels, draft label, trash label, etc.).
Gmail increases my productivity. With one sign-on I have access to a myriad of additional functions, and systems run by Google. I would use these systems anyway and I easy to access within each other’s programs.
- World wide access. Because Gmail is Internet based, I can access it from anywhere in the world. I can also sign on from any smartphone, tablet, notebook, or personal computer. I can pretty much access from almost any device with an Internet connection.
- My email content is better organized.
- Gmail uses Google’s search engine, so searching for email using search terms is as efficient as you can get from an email system. Advanced search functions are also customized for searching email.
- Gmail organizes email in what it calls a conversation view. Conversations are grouped together like a feathered out stack of cards so all email that you reply to, forward, or receive back from someone else is grouped together. There is no need to try to find related email. They are all right there.
- Google labs. Google labs are additional features and functions that are not standard but complement Gmail. You have control if you want each of these labs turned on or off. Some of my favorite labs include:
- Google maps preview in mail. This lab finds any text that looks like an address in your email and provides a small window map at the bottom of the message.
- Google voice player. An additional system you can sign up for is Google Voice. If you receive a message with your Google Voice account, you can play it from within the your email notification (without having to open your Google Voice account).
- Inbox preview. While Google launches your Gmail it displays a preview list of your email on the screen that is otherwise blank.
- Send & Archive. After composing a reply or forwarded email, this additional button at the top of the message not only sends your email but also automatically removes the in-box label. A small time saver but a time saver.
- Undo Send. I don’t know why this isn’t a standard part of Gmail yet, but this lab lets you undo an email after you hit send. I can’t tell you how much clarity I get about an email I just after I hit send. You can adjust the delayed send time from 5 to 30 seconds after enabling this lab.
- With your Gmail account, you have automatic access to a variety of additional Google systems if you choose to use them. Google Calendar account is automatically created with your Gmail account. Did I mention that like Gmail these are also free. Some of my favorite Google systems include:
- Google Chat is a instant message system embedded in Gmail. Google Talk is a separate application that mostly increases functions available in Google Chat.
- Google Docs is an office publication suite. Included is a word processor, spreadsheet, presentations, and forms (which is a survey program). All these are organized in “collections” which is like an on-line file manager.
- Google Voice is a phone number that is assigned to you. People can call your Google Voice number to reach you. It can replace your home, office, and cell phone number because you can control where the phone rings. It also is a voice messaging system with advanced features like custom answering machine to contacts that you select.
- iGoogle is a personalized custom search engine that can deliver your custom content to your search screen. Many of the other Google systems can be displayed in your iGoogle page in a small window. This is designed for at-a-glance views of the information most interesting to you.
- There are several other systems available. Google plus is coming and is supposed to be a social network/Facebook killer. Google history is another system that can help you find previous Google searches
If you are looking for ways to become more productive on-line and are not already using Gmail, why not give it a try. If you have trouble or questions, let me know. If you already have everything you need on-line, you probably haven’t made it to this paragraph.
If you are not using Gmail, what is it that you like about your current email provider? If you already use Gmail or any of the other Google system, what is your favorite feature of function?
Chris – Like you I’ve come to love the flexibility of Gmail. I use it for personal email as well as work email. I did feel somewhat vulnerable about being dependent on one “cloud-based” system and that if it were to be hacked or some error occurred, my work emails could be at risk. So to lessen the risk while keeping the flexibility, once a month I sync all of my email accounts with Windows Live Mail which operates just like Gmail only run by Microsoft. This redundancy helps me feel more secure without losing any flexibility.
You know Gmail has a lot of behind the scenes protection programs running in the background to help prevent hacking. Of course it isn’t 100% but it is better than probably any other cloud based email system out there. That is quite a system you used to back up your email. I’ll have to get a demo of your process some day.
While I still use Outlook for work (because I have to), I love Gmail for everything else. They have the best chat feature around, in my opinion. Outlook does now allow you to group your mail in conversations like Gmail, but I actually find it non-user friendly and I was overlooking emails (though probably more human error that anything else).
I didn’t know Outlook did email grouping. It has been a while since I used Outlook. With any system you have to think like the system. Human error should be expected. I am really good at human error.
I agree. Gmail is the best email system I’ve ever used. It’s more user-friendly than any other email system, including Outlook.
Of course I totally agree with you. But you probably knew I would. Thanks for your comment.
I am a Yahoo girl myself. Tried Gmail but went back to Ymail in a couple of months. Maybe I like Yahoo because it was the first email I used and it is comfortable.
I can definitely relate. I went from Outlook to Lotus Notes in a job change. I used Outlook for 10 years before having to use Lotus Notes. I could never get used to Lotus Notes. I never used Yahoo so I can’t compare. Thanks for your comment.
If you like Outlook, you can still use it with Gmail. You can use Outlook as a Pop3 or Imap client and simply download the mail from Gmail. It will all still be available from gmail.com, but you can work with it locally.
I’m a Linux user, so I use Evolution rather than Outlook, but that’s how I work with gmail. I download my mail and work with it on my laptop. That way I can read and write email when I’m not connected to the ‘net, and then sync up when I am. If I’m not on my computer, I can still go to gmail.com and use it that way.
To me, the one downside of gmail is that google reads all your mail (notice how the ads it serves up are related to the topics discussed in your mail). I don’t have any exciting emails, but that’s something to think about if privacy is a big concern.
I access my email from a variety of locations, so for me it is much more convenient to keep my email available online. I prefer Gmail online to Outlook (even though I am a self professed Outlook fan). You have a good point about Google scanning your email content to provide ads, but like you I am not very exciting. I guess I will worry about that when I am famous some day. Thanks for your comment.
[...] Why I use Google Mail [...]
An AICPA discussion on LinkedIn was about using a system for collaboration and there were several mentions of going to Google. I put a link out there back to your post.
Nancy
http://www.dogear6.com
Thanks Nancy. There was an increase in traffic to the blog site on the evening of 9/1/11. Thanks. Where can I see the link?
What a compassionate person you must be Elcei…………..no, not really.Report this comment as spam or abuse