This is a Guest Post by James Adams. He is an analyst and blogger working for Cartridge Save where he analyzes products such as the HP 339. He also helps to maintain their design blog.
Using Gmail doesn’t have to be a ‘given’ when choosing an email account. There are features that it doesn’t offer, or you may just not like the idea of going with a large company for your email needs.
Here are ten alternatives to using Gmail that may be right up your alley.
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- Thunderbird – Thunderbird’s easy installation process will have you up and running in no time. The program itself automatically updates, protects you against phishing attacks and strives hard to reduce any spam that may strike your email doorstep. The software is open source, so new add-ons and plug-ins are being created all the time.
- GMX – Gather all of your email accounts into one with a GMX account. Access your mail from your phone or web browser. You can store up to 5GB in your personal email account with 50MB allotted for any one message. GMX’s servers run on green electricity generated from renewable energy.
- FastMail – FastMail offers business email and free personal email. Some features of the free account include 25MB email storage and the ability to make instant photo galleries. You have plenty of domain names to choose from if you don’t like Fastmail.fm.
- Yahoo Mail – It is easy to see why Yahoo Mail has been a perennial favorite. You can attach files up to 25MB and check your mail on the go. Yahoo Mail’s best features are the functionality that you can find in your inbox. You can add and edit Flickr images, you can send files up to 100MB easily through drop.io, and you can even send money through Paypal within your Yahoo Mail account.
- Hotmail – Microsoft Hotmail includes plenty of features, including advanced spam protection and emailing on the go. You can check the email from any separate accounts that you have so everything is in one place.
- Zoho Mail – There free version of Zoho mail offers personalized email addresses, instant messaging with the popular IM accounts and no advertisements. Zoho is offered both remotely and offline, so you can compose your messages to perfection before sending them into the world.
- Lavabit – Lavabit’s basic account offers virus protection, 128MB of storage and up to 64MB in your outgoing message size. You can encrypt your files before sending them across the internet. Lavabit even offers antiviral protection.
- Bigstring – BigString lets you retrieve your emails before they get read, destroy emails, recall or change them. You have full control, including print control and storage control. You can set a limit on the number of times that your recipient looks at the email that you’ve set, or even prints it. Finally, you have full email control.
- Windows Live Mail – You can access all of your email accounts through Windows Live Mail and you are offered the security and protection of spam filtering on all of those accounts. This email system really shines with its event sharing features. You can access your calendars online or offline, even remotely. Your events can be shared with the rest of the world and you can synchronize your calendar with your friends.
- Hushmail – Hushmail adds PGP (pretty good protection) encryption to every email that goes out and still remains easy to use. The application works on the BlackBerry and IPhone as well as offering Optional Outlook Integration. You can keep your data and email safe from prying eyes with the world’s most secure web based free email service.
These email applications bring features to the table that Gmail doesn’t offer. If you are dissatisfied with your Gmail account, give one of these a try.
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Are you serious? live and hotmail and these shit against gmail?
come’on!
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i like yahoo mail it one of my favorites despite some bad services it is still my best
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I am also using yahoomail.
I feel best alternative is yahoo and In but as i ‘ve never tried all above listed email services before so can’t be sure
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No.1 on the list Thunderbird is a mail client. You need a mail account somewhere to use thunderbird.
I already use fastmail, but GMX looks like a great second option, has anyone used it?
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Hi there may I use some of the information here in this post if I provide a link back to your site?
Windows Live I believe is one good mailing service along with GMX.
Thanks for the share.
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I think the article was a satire–a joke. Gmail is about so much more than email–such as the alerts and the docs. I didn’t see anything in the 10 that Gmail doesn’t offer so that’s a clue he was trying to be funny.
Nice list. I like thunderbird as an alternative to microsoft outlook.
very interesting info. thanks for sharing
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Gmail is the best mail. nothing spam and easy for use
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Thunderbird does not provide email service. It is an application used for accessing your email service; such as Gmail.
As for the rest of the list, none of them come even close to offering what Gmail gives you.
I’m still using Gmail and Yahoomail, once i have tried fastmail about 4 years ago and they are still strong
I think thunderbird is a mail client, and i use it with gmail
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Hello,
I dont think anything can compare to the services of gmail. I prefer Gmail on all.
A good list! Thanks!
Change to an alternative email, we must consider two factor:
1 – Do my friend use it
2 – Is it easy to use (and power)
And almost people use gmail because of two factor.
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i think gmail is still the best one.
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A stage well put forward. I have just Tweeted about this blog
I like techemail because it is easy to use
I’d like an alternative to Gmail after the latest Net Neutrality news. Yahoo is fine, but doesn’t play well with Thunderbird or the iPhone.
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I WAS an avid user of gmail until recently. I can no longer download Gmail into Thunderbird and their tech support (if you can call it that), never answers their emails.. So I switched to GMX. Best move I ever made…
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To the, um, ignorant people suggesting that this is a joke or that gmail is simply the best thing ever, there are many reasons why people might like to leave gmail, by which I really mean google. Privacy concerns and political leanings are at the top of the list. They have a few great products and gmail is one of them, but there are people out there who are more interested in principle than whether their email works well with google docs.
Completely agree with you …
An alternative to Gmail is http://www.VXG.com – using the same platform, professional alternative with business cards, support, extended storage (it’s not for poor students)…
I switched to Gmail after two major nightmares using Outlook. I like gmail generally but, as has already been noted, if you have a problem and need a response from customer service, the best you can do is keep your fingers crossed, at best.
I am currently locked out of my account and this is quite devastating because my “life” is more or less contained within that account. I’ve emailed for “help” and hopefully gmail will come through for me. This is almost as bad as losing ones wallet. I am praying that I hear back soon!
Gmail knows EVERY detail about you including what you like and dislike, your browsing prefs and every mail or document you have ever sent via gmail. They are accumulating power and information much too aggressively to suit me. I like some privacy.
Slim
If you have nothing to say, you can do it here.
Check out at least the description of the book Search and Destroy by Cleland. Even if you are a honest, law abiding individual, this is still disturbing.
GMX is cool but the dang thing won’t send mail from Outlook Express. Cannot connect to server. Anyone have a fix for this? I’ve tried the alternate ports and disabling virus scan. ARGGG!!!
i’m just frustrated with gmail because all the decent usernames are taken, at least for my first & last. i use my personal email professionally, so it’s a pain when i constantly have to spell out my very long email address
I can not sign up with GMX i think they are cool I just want to create a free mail with them. Is GMX can configure as autoresponder?
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Gmail new look just sucks.
I am changing it right now!
I came here looking for an alternative to gmail since the new look is going to destroy it. Unfortunately I can’t take the article serious when it can’t tell the difference between a mail reader like Thunderbird and an email service like gmail or yahoo mail.
The new look Gmail is problematic. As I work with elderly people I find the interface causing a lot of problems. These include:
On a cheap, out of date computer the inbox is very difficult to see.
To check box to select and email almost invisible.
The themes do not allow you to change the background or the colour of the icons.
The icons are far more confusing than the old text buttons.
The fact they don’t appear until an email is selected puts older people off.
The slider on the conversations sidebar requires far greater control, bad for someone with arthritis, is irritating.
However, the worse thing is the obvious Google strategy of forcing the changes on everyone as there is no option to opt back to the old format.
Google, ‘the do no evil’ corporation is becoming something that Darth Vader would approve and as arrogant as Microsoft.
Thanks for the post it’s given me something to think about.
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I have to say that Paul’s comments are the most consise version I have seen yet in explaining the difficulties of older people in using Gmail. The last time I looked, the largest demographic is baby boomers – people who are primed to be Gmail users, but will now be searching for an alternative.
This means either Google has an opportunity to fix the changes and capture a huge audience, or another company can capture that audience and shift some of the ‘power’ of the ‘do no evil’ company around.