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Google Brings E-Mail Client Access to Gmail

malebolgia   on 10 November 2004 - 20:26 · 106 comments & 23206 views

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In what it is billing as "e-mail portability," Google Inc. is opening access to its Gmail e-mail service from desktop clients and mobile devices. On Wednesday, the company began providing free POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) access on Gmail accounts. The rollout is expected to reach all users over the next two weeks, said George Harik, director of Googlettes, the name of the Google group overseeing its startup services.

"This [access] is an important part of e-mail because of all the things not enabled by Web-based e-mail," Harik said. POP3 access, for example, allows users to read Gmail messages while they are offline and on mobile devices that support the standard, Harik said. POP3 is a standard protocol for receiving e-mail and communicating between an e-mail server and client. Most major e-mail clients, such as Microsoft Outlook, support the standard, as do competing Web-based e-mail services such as Yahoo Inc.'s mail.

News source: eWeek


Other
Ben Goodger has updated his Blog with some interesting stuff concerning the 1.0 release. Read the whole entry here.

This day has come a lot later than any of us originally planned, but that's the way software goes. I've learned a lot about a huge number of things in the process, have had the opportunity to talk to a lot of different people about their experiences with the software, etc. It's been a long road but we're finally here. No software is perfect, we did not fix every bug, implement every feature, but what we did do was create what we believe to be the best browser around. I want to thank you all again for the support over the past few years.

We also asked Ben what the progress was after 1.0 :

"After 1.0 we plan to resync our development work with the Mozilla trunk so that we can immediately pick up the great work that's been going on with Gecko since we've been away, continue our HIG compliance efforts for MacOS X, improve existing systems and plan for the next major release. The first interim release will be 1.1 in or around March 2005. ".


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#1 cardboardbox on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:30
good deal... requested this awhile ago.
#2 speedy_kevin on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:30
As long it's free. It's good with me.

Hope it works good. Not as Spymac or most other 1gig mails.
#3 Jack31081 on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:30
Nice. Now I don't have to screw around with buggy 'G-Mail checkers' or any other doodad to check my Gmail for me.
(10 replies) #4 deadmonkey on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:32
Sod POP I want IMAP!
#4.1 lare2 on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:55
That would be great. but at least we got something
#4.2 M2Ys4U on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:57
whats teh benefits of using IMAP over POP3?
#4.3 vetDazzla on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:09
Yeah ditto, I'm not too sure of the advantages.

Is it something like you have access to the mail in a client such as Outlook yet still have access to all the mail kept on Googles servers. E.g. if you format, set up the IMAP settings in Outlook you can see all your Gmail?

I've not really got a clue to be honest.
#4.4 fjv on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:11
with imap you can have your emails synched between the client and gmail

yes... i know you can configure pop3 to leave the messages in the server... but its still not synchronizing


fjv.
#4.5 M2Ys4U on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:44
gmail has an option "keep emails in gmail" or something to that effect...
#4.6 Oneill on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:04
yes but with pop if you delete an email from your inbox in outlook or thunderbird it wont sync and delete from your server, also it says nothing about smtp, so you can download your email but not send via your email client.

Roll on imap
#4.7 DeepThought on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:13
Regarding SMTP, if you check their tutorial you can configure the SMTP address and use your login info for incoming mail.
#4.8 deadmonkey on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:20
IMAP is basically mirroring what your email server has.

You have the default folders which are normally Inbox, Sent, Drafts and Trash. These server side folders and linked to the folders in your client, Outlook for example. Any extra folders you make in the client are also made on the server and if you move a message on the client it also moves it on the server, etc.

Like I said it is basically a mirror of the email server. You can save a copy of the emails locally so you don't need to be online to read them and compose new ones, etc. so it has the benefits of a local client however it can also be accessed and be in exactly the same state via another client in a different location or via a web interface so it has the benefits of a web/non-local system.

It was designed for more business users/users who move around and use multiple computers however it is really helpful for when you format etc.

Until recently IMAP was not all that amazing as you had to archive off (remove from the server but store locally) old email as you had limited space (normally 100MB MAX, which if you are storing EVERY email on the server that can disappear quickly!).

As Gmail is offering 1GB space isn't really an issue. IMAP for Gmail would be an excellent email service. I hope Google offer a paid service for Gmail without them reading, sorry scanning, your email to display relevant ads.

£30 a year for an ad free service with IMAP and Gmail would rock the socks off all other email services. Right now all it is is an email service with a lot of space, a clever but not amazing design and privacy issues! I like the threaded message style but it screws up with messages from forums, etc. It needs a lot of work but it is in beta so I won't write it off yet
#4.9 kurros on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:37
QUOTE
£30 a year for an ad free service with IMAP and Gmail would rock the socks off all other email services.


How about Fastmail? US$19.95/year for 600 MB or $39.95/year for 2 GB.
#4.10 deadmonkey on 11 Nov 2004 - 19:57
I have had issues from fastmail.fm being blocked by alot of companies. Also I prefer the Gmail interface over fastmail.
(2 replies) #5 sin™ on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:32
Great news! This is what puts Gmail over the comp for me!
#5.1 Siebe on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:34
*Cough* The rollout is expected to reach all users over the next two weeks
Edit: Post editor
#5.2 sin™ on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:37
Hah

Yea, I just checked my accnt again and it's all good-to-go.
(3 replies) #6 Klassik on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:38
#6.1 sin™ on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:20
Yea, just to remind everyone, you have to login via http first, and ENABLE POP Access, before being able to use your mail clients.
I can imagine how many people are actually configurating their clients all for nothing right now. hehe
#6.2 Bobster on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:50
How do you ENABLE POP access?
#6.3 ibetheone on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:26
In the mail settings where it says Forwarding and POP, my guess is that they are just updating all the accounts as we speak, so they prolly havent updated everybody yet, but thats where it will be, remember gmail help button is your friend
(1 reply) #7 dolimite35 on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:41
damn Att worldnet....cant use other POP3 accounts only atts'.........
#7.1 AntiSane on 11 Nov 2004 - 07:58
Actually there is no way AT&T would even be able to tell that it is POP/SMTP.

Google is using non-standard ports for the incoming and outgoing mail, coupled with SSL.

IMO this makes Google/Gmail even classier than most freebies!

You can see the port setup here
#8 rossco_2004 on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:41
Wickid
#9 Mav Phoenix on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:42
YES!
#10 NyaR on 10 Nov 2004 - 20:56
Thats great, now i dont have to use FreePOPs anymore!
now just gotta wait for myway to do the same and i wont have to resort to webmail at all.
#11 rbet on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:21
This is GREAT news!
#12 tahoma on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:30
not avaible for me yet, but i can wait.
what im wondering i wether gmail via pop has to be html so that google can display their ads, or will plain text be possible?
#13 Fredde87 on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:32
nice, this will probebly be my new email address now that it supports pop3
#14 rrezende on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:32
This is just great! Mine is already working.
(7 replies) #15 creamhackered on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:33
V.good, hopefully this will force hotmail to do the same
#15.1 justin_9733 on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:50
um......hotmail has always let you do this
#15.2 neotoad on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:15
... only if you have the pay service for Hotmail.

(Actually it used to let you with the free in the past, but they changed that policy awhile ago.)
#15.3 phiberoptik on 11 Nov 2004 - 01:08
I've never paid for hotmail, and I am still using IMAP thru Outlook.. Is IMAP effected, or just POP?
#15.4 Hankyone on 11 Nov 2004 - 04:27
HAHAH! msn premium rules!!
#15.5 The Burning Rom on 11 Nov 2004 - 05:36
If you were using hotmail's service before the policy change, you will still be able to use it through March of 2005. After that they will cut you off as well. Then you will have to buy the premium service in order to use POP/IMAP access. I will be switching strictly to GMAIL at that point in time.
#15.6 smartgamer on 11 Nov 2004 - 05:56
There is an address to let you use hotmail through HTTP acess in Outlook Express for free, I'm using it.
#15.7 Darkinspiration on 11 Nov 2004 - 14:56
yes but i might add only outlook express . no other email client can acess hotmail easely.
(1 reply) #16 Wolvereen on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:34
Where does one enable POP3 access? Or is it not available to all yet?
#16.1 Netaku on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:50
How to enable pop, when it becomes availible to you:
http://gmail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=13273

How to configure your e-mail client for Gmail:
http://gmail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=12103&query=thunderbird&topic=0&type=f
#17 moua on 10 Nov 2004 - 21:35
Great
But, it's for mobile device ?
For the moment, with my phone and pda i use pop3 from yahoo,
but i try to not have more than 100 messages in my inbox or i put them in an other folders.
Otherwise it's very slow over GPRS.

But with GMAIL i have thousands mails in INBOX... i will be very slow on a mobile connection, or even with adsl if i never delete mails...
#18 lare2 on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:00
Greeat
(3 replies) #19 BGEstrada on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:04
what's the point in having 1gb of storage if you're just going to pop it onto your local hardrive anyways. IMAP all the way
#19.1 fjv on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:13
my thoughts exactly

fjv.
#19.2 M2Ys4U on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:45
you can configure gmail to keep emails on gmail using a drop-down box.
#19.3 fjv on 11 Nov 2004 - 02:36
ugh... i know... but still imap goes WAY beyond simply keeping the email in the server

fjv.
#20 Mongrel on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:07
Sorry, but would someone please post those directions (ie cut & paste) that are linked above? For some reason, Google says I don't have ActiveX installed, thus I've never been able to use it. Now I finally can, but not until I know the incoming/outgoing servers & other info. Thanks!

P.S. yes ActiveX really is installed, I've run all sorts of tests.
#21 nw_raptor on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:14
wow.... i hope it stays free
#22 beardly on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:21
Nice, I don't have mine yet, but I'm willing to wait for it.
(8 replies) #23 jpack on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:34
great... anyone willing and nice enough to give me an invite... I am still out of the gmail loop... I can trade for an invite to mywallop.com :-)
#23.1 Log0 on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:00
http://gmail.google.com/gmail/a-8e41d9750b-da718fcbd4-24504e7a76

there u go...
#23.2 jpack on 11 Nov 2004 - 00:54
The link you followed to create a Gmail account has already been used to create an account for jackmortis@gmail.com. Now, its account creating powers are all gone. To create another Gmail account, you'll need a shiny new account creation link. We apologize for the inconvenience.

thank you jackmortis@gmail.com for stealing my link... A@@

So there goes my invite... anyone else want to send me a PM with a link so that other people don't steal it before I get to use it.
#23.3 DeepThought on 11 Nov 2004 - 03:59
If you still need one, PM me... I'll get back ASAP.
#23.4 Jugalator on 11 Nov 2004 - 07:52
QUOTE
thank you jackmortis@gmail.com for stealing my link... A@@

At least you now know who to sign up for a bazillion of porn site newsletters and stuff.
Or better yet, other newsletters so the spam filter won't get triggered. *evil*
#23.5 bush on 11 Nov 2004 - 08:47
what an asshole. spam'em
#23.6 fekimoki on 11 Nov 2004 - 09:38
SPAM EM!
#23.7 spiritualarmy on 11 Nov 2004 - 14:51
there goes his 1 gig haha
#23.8 jpack on 12 Nov 2004 - 23:44
hehe my thoughts exactly... thanks everyone for offering the invites. I have an account now (finally) and am loving it!!!

no thanks to jackmortis@gmail.com
#24 Matt500 on 10 Nov 2004 - 22:53
brilliant, I hate using third party software
#25 brianshapiro on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:00
right as Hotmail is removing POP support
#26 kainashi on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:08
this is great news. you rock, google.
#27 WishX on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:30
QUOTE
Gmail has gained attention for placing sponsored-link ads alongside e-mail, but those ads will not be included in POP3 messages.


Wheeeeeee!
#28 pixel26 on 10 Nov 2004 - 23:31
Heck yeah!
#29 allfive6 on 11 Nov 2004 - 00:11
pop3 is ok with me
#30 petrolxl on 11 Nov 2004 - 00:33
I've got 4 invites...First four people to PM me will get them. Good Luck!
#31 dark kyuubi on 11 Nov 2004 - 01:11
don't seem to work with me.....the messags in Gmail inbox do not show up on outlook express...
(2 replies) #32 fjv on 11 Nov 2004 - 02:39
ive been thinking about the imap thing and its really not that simple... i mean, how is it going to manage the fact that i have 20 different labels and some email has two or even three labels


hmmm...*hint*... google mail client


fjv.
#32.1 Sir Gawain on 11 Nov 2004 - 03:00
Or gmail support could be added to thunderbird
#32.2 cappuchok on 11 Nov 2004 - 11:23
Modern IMAP clients (Thunderbird, Pine and a few others) can handle 'IMAP keywords' (what GMail calls 'labels'). Pine is, AFAIK, the most powerful at the moment and has no trouble handling tons of keywords and messages with multiple keywords attached. Thunderbird can currently only show the first keyword of a message.
#33 jester1x on 11 Nov 2004 - 03:55
I can't get it to work either. I used the settings Google displayed in their help page. I did enable POP forwarding in my settings too.
#34 Soviet on 11 Nov 2004 - 04:03
crap. I just deleted thunderbird.
(2 replies) #35 dannymp3 on 11 Nov 2004 - 04:11
How come I can't see the settings for POP in my Gmail Settings?

I went to Settings and it's supposed to be settings for "Forwardings And POP Settings" but mine only saying "Forwarding."

Is there any instructions I need to do before I can get the settings to appear?
#35.1 xinok on 11 Nov 2004 - 04:22
Not everyone has POP access yet. If you read it:
The rollout is expected to reach all users over the next two weeks
#35.2 dannymp3 on 11 Nov 2004 - 06:14
Oh ok, thanks for the heads-up.
#36 creamhackered on 11 Nov 2004 - 05:25
Can't wait for my account to be updated
#37 jester1x on 11 Nov 2004 - 06:49
Alright...I got it to work.
#38 Bobster on 11 Nov 2004 - 07:13
Can't wait for my account to be upgraded either! It'll be goodbye for Hotmail and hello to GMail
#39 welshkid on 11 Nov 2004 - 07:25
awesome stuff will have to try this
#40 cappuchok on 11 Nov 2004 - 08:16
Nice. Wish they'd introduce IMAP access, though. Pine doesn't exactly make for a great POP3 client...
#41 Philip Hristov on 11 Nov 2004 - 08:29
I love to have POP3 access!!! I never liked the web interfaces for e-mail.
#42 bush on 11 Nov 2004 - 08:46
great! can't wati for it. have your mail here, there, everywhere
(1 reply) #43 fekimoki on 11 Nov 2004 - 09:30
but i love the conversation feature! who neds OE / TB n e way!
#43.1 R1CK13 on 11 Nov 2004 - 13:42
Noone! Outlook pwnz j00
#44 allfive6 on 11 Nov 2004 - 09:30
when does this start to work?
#45 greg098 on 11 Nov 2004 - 10:35
am looking forward to this. Since gmail came along, i am soooooooo over hotmail!
(2 replies) #46 geektragedy on 11 Nov 2004 - 13:00
hey neowin, just keep trying to feed me obnoxious popup ads by changing your intellitxt servers and i'll just keep blocking them with my HOSTS file.

#46.1 R1CK13 on 11 Nov 2004 - 13:41
and....

Anyways, great news! Hopefully it wont take too long for my account to be updated .
#46.2 rbet on 13 Nov 2004 - 21:10
a site's gotta earn revenue...