Do you think it can overthrow desktop email clients such as Outlook and Thunderbird and be used as a viable option as a desktop email client? I think yes. In fact, I have been using it like so for some time now.
Here are the steps and features I have enabled that take Gmail at par with desktop clients if not better!
Create a more desktop-like application
Make Gmail handle :mailto links
A click on a :mailto links opens up your default email client with the address field already filled in. The Gmail blog provides detailed instructions if you would like to make Gmail handle the :mailto links.Enable offline support
Configure multiple accounts
To configure multiple accounts, head over to the Settings page, inside the Accounts and Import tab you can configure “Send mail as” and “Check mail using POP3″ options to add multiple accounts. The settings you enter here in are just the same as you would enter in any email client.
With this much effort you will be able to check different accounts for new mail and using any configured email address.
Use filters and labels
Infact filters and labels combined together give you near magical powers that can greatly reduce your daily email workload. You can automatically sort incoming mail into labels (or folders as some people want to see them as), archive emails automatically, delete them if you know you can overlook some of them. You can even create custom replies that will be mailed to the sender if the mail fulfils a certain criteria mentioned in the filter. How awesome is that?
Enable keyboard shortcuts
Notifications
Almost every desktop email client offers notification when a new mail arrives. While Gmail doesn’t offer notifications natively just yet, you can use one of the many Gmail notifier applications. You have the choice to go with a barebones notification app or get a little more extravagant with animations and spiders!Surely, looking above at all the features that Gmail has to offer, it is hard to dismiss it as a email-client replacement. The only issue presently is the speed. It seems painfully slow at times and is specially frustrating when you hit a few key combinations secretly feeling upbeat about what you just did and then you have to wait for Gmail to respond. And all it can come up with is "Loading". That said, I still prefer it over desktop clients, I love the interface and the ability to get more out of an application if you are willing to put in some thoughts and time.
A lot of people however, think just the opposite, swear by their desktop clients and can’t stand the web based interface for a moment. Which side are you on? Would love to hear your thoughts about your preferred choice. As for me, come Chrome OS and I already have my email client sorted out!
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