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As a fully-functional Gmail client for Mac, this application adds a lot more convenience and features to the popular online e-mail service. MailPlane for Mac lets you easily access your Gmail account right from your desktop, with a lot more features packed into it.
MailPlane for Mac comes with a free 15-day trial. The full version is available for $24.95 and there's also a Family License available for $39.95. The installation is very straightforward. Once you launch the app, you'll be greeted by an extremely familiar and intuitive user interface. Unlike most mail clients available on the App Store, MailPlane offers a dedicated Web browser for Gmail; therefore, the user interface is just like the one you're used to. This app is fully packed with features, too. It allows you to set up more than one Gmail account, which you can access all at the same time--something the normal browser wouldn't allow you to do. Other than that, there's a lot of well-thought-out features such as a mail notifier on your menu bar, a custom folder for all the downloaded attachments, and more. If there's a downside, aside from the price, it's that the app will only work with Gmail. We'd love to have this type of tool for all of our Web-based e-mail accounts.
MailPlane for Mac offers the same functionality as Gmail. It is a really easy-to-use application. While it's not free, it's definitely worth the money if you use Gmail on a regular basis.
Editors' note: This is a review of the trial version of Mailplane for Mac 3.0.
Publisher's Description
From uncomplex:
Acting as a site specific web browser for Google's Gmail, Mailplane is a full fledged Mail client for the Desktop. It fully integrates the Gmail web interface into the Mac experience, offering you the best of both worlds. And since Mailplane doesn't change the way Gmail works, its unique features can still be enjoyed, including conversations, labels, global access, endless storage, spam protection, and the ever fast and powerful Google search.
Mailplane supports multiple Gmail and Google Apps accounts; the app allows you to easily switch between accounts without the need to sign in/sign out from the Gmail accounts.
With full iLife integration, you can also browse and attach files from your iPhoto and iTunes libraries too. Downloads can be directly imported into iPhoto as well. The integrated screenshot tool lets you capture and attach a window, screen or region.
You can Drag and Drop files and images on the dock application icon, or any Mailplane window to create and upload attachments. And with automatic photo optimization, image attachments can be converted and resized to make the message even smaller.
Mailplane can play a user defined sound, as well as show the number of unread messages in the application icon, account drawer and status menu item. As Mailplane monitors all Gmail accounts, unread message counters and message subjects are displayed for each account. More...
What's new in this version: In addition to the features of Mailplane 2, it supports Gmail's new compose mode, previews attachments in QuickLook, integrates with Mountain Lion's Notification Center and looks gorgeous on Retina screens. And with AwayFind and RightInbox, we have two new plugins on board. Both were kind enough to give Mailplane users a 30% discount until May 15th. Click here for AwayFind and here for RightInbox. We urge you to check them out! Last but not least, Mailplane 3 integrates Google Calendar and fea... See all new features
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All versions:
4.0 starsout of 15 votes
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"If GMail is your primary email, get this app"
Version: Mailplane 2.5.4
Pros
If you use GMail on the Mac you normally have two basic interfaces, Apple's Mail with all of its well known problems, and the browser, which limits the amount of Mac-ification of the experience.
A single example: clicking a mailto: link in a browser will normally launch Mail. If you use a browser to access your GMail, this is frustrating. If you do use Mail, it's slow.
Mailplane bridges those gaps, providing an application experience over GMail. mailto: links fire up a new message on GMail, spell checking works, you have your Address Book with no effort, etc.Cons
Has problems whenever GMail changes things. And it only works with GMail, so if you have multiple accounts on multiple providers, you may find Mail to be easier to use in the long run.
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"Disappointing"
Version: Mailplane 2.5.4
Pros
When it works...which isn't often...it's a good thing.
Cons
One of my two Gmail accounts will randomly log out, no matter how often I log back in. Frustrating.
Summary
I have had many issues with Mailplane not playing nicely with Gmail. Just this morning, I could not save a draft email and when I wanted to send it, I couldn't. I have two Gmail accounts, and usually only one will work -- when I switch accounts, the other one will continually log itself out, I continue to log in and it will continue to log me out. It is not just the one Gmail account consistently -- it's very random -- but I can't go back and forth between accounts at all. I wrote to Mailplane about this and they were good at getting back at me, but pointed the finger at Gmail.
I don't mind that it's still just a web-based application, but it's frustrating and annoying that I can't use it to full advantage. -
"Better Called a web browser than an email client!"
Version: Mailplane 2.2.1
Pros
There is nothing much special about this application other than being an individual web browser specifically designed for Gmail.
Cons
Disappointing user interface, no useful known functions that an email client usually has.
Summary
overall it's a waste of money, time and MB on your Hard drive.
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"Great App"
Version: Mailplane 2.1.6
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
Use it daily. Does exactly what it says. Makes my workflow that much simpler. -
"Just like GMAIL on the web, except in an application!"
Version: Mailplane 2.1.2
Pros
Just like using the website. Chat works. The best part is how easy switching accounts is. Once all the accounts are loaded and signed in, all you have to do is double click. Its super amazing. The notification in the menu bar is also great!
Cons
cost money
Summary
if you have $25 dollars (i think) and love GMAIL, it is an amazing purchase.
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"Best mailapp ever!"
Version: Mailplane 2.1.1
Pros
Easy connection, not dependent on browser, gets my links anyway.
Cons
Can't find fault yet. Will keep looking.
Summary
Just keep upgrading, so far so good.
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"Makes Perfect 'Gmail' Sense"
Version: Mailplane 2.1-beta
Pros
I am a big gmail user, and a big user of email in general, and I work with mulitple email addresses through the day - I this sounds like you, then I totally recommend Mailplane - this is the easily the best program I've ever found for those tasks.
Cons
Not cons so much as a couple suggestions for nice touches, I've added them in the summary instead.
The program doesn't seem to have many cons - but it has a lot of very interesting looking add-on functions that I've yet to play with properly.Summary
At our house we have around 7 or 8 email business and personal address between us - there tedium of having to check email by signing in and out has long seemed like a unneccessary, time wasing process, mostly due gmail's lack of ability to handle multiple logins across different browers tabs.
This program blends the login/logout handling with the familiar web browser access so you don't need to click on a notifier program to make another program open - it's all integrated as one.
Instead of stating these as cons, I have a couple of suggestions (but I'm not a programmer so...)
1. In the menu bar there is a Mailplane logo and total for unread emails. It would great if there were a way to display a breakdown of the unread email different email addresses - then you create an 'at-a-glance' interface, for different people wanting to see if it's them who has recieved a new email.
2. This is purely GUI pickyness on my part - the 'sliding out from underneath' accounts tab could do with being an on-top thing instead like a regular preferences box. It's a cool trick, but when the window is maximised, it means your workspace suddenly gets shrunk to accomodate the tab. I just prefer choose window sizing for myself, rather than having the program make those choices. Yes - it's picky :)
3. There's this thing in the preferences called 'Growl' just would have like to know what Grown was before clicking on the bottom - a link to their site.
Just little things - It's such a great program.
Our other laptop is a PC so we're encouraged that Mailplane are talking registrations of interest for a PC version - here's hoping they get the interest they need. The 'Family' licensing option means we'll be first through the door if/when they release it. Fingers crossed.
I work as a screenwriter (excuse the 'pitch') and this has really helped get me get some much needed writing time back, and my wife liked it the first time she used it.
There's a yardstick of sorts. :) -
"Very well implemented..."
Version: Mailplane 2.0.7
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
A surprisingly useful little app. It's easy to assume that a web browser is the best way of accessing a web-based mail service, but MailPlane adds a lot of extra functionality and is a whole lot easier than trying to manage a gmail account via Mail.app.
I wasn't entirely sure MailPlane was for me when I first started using it, but now I find that I miss the extra functionality whenever I'm reduced to accessing GMail via Safari.
A great little app for the Gmail power user. Maybe just a tad on the expensive side, but useful enough to warrant it, imho. -
"A nice surprise."
Version: Mailplane 2.0.7
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
The developer has been responsive and now MailPlane is working as advertised. It turns out that this application is very well designed and complete. MailPlane makes all the features of GMail readily accessible and easy to use. A really handy application for the heavy GMail user who wants to use this excellent Google service in an true mail-client setting on the desktop. Kudos to MailPlane's authoring team for a developing this a really useful GMail client! An excellent value for the serious GMail user. -
"What is the point of this program?"
Version: Mailplane 2.0.7
Summary
This review was originally posted on VersionTracker.com.
What is the point of downloading and installing a program that is absolutely nothing more than a browser that accesses only one page?
That's all this program is. It's a browser (just like Safari, Firefox, IE etc.) but all it accesses is gmail. In otherwords, what you see in Mailplane is the *exact same thing* you see when you access gmail from your web browser.
There are one, MAYBE two interesting features, but everything else you can already do right in gmail... in your web browser... what is the point of having a second program running that does the EXACT same thing as another program??? I don't get it.
It gets 5 stars for being slick, stable and well made. But it serves no purpose. it's just a mini brower, that's it. Why bother? Just open a new tab in your web browser, log into your gmail account and... you have the exact same thing.
