So you have joined the throngs of businesses moving over to IMAP Google Apps or Gmail. Which now begs the question, do you use the Gmail web interface or do you use an email client? I recently experimented with Gmail to determine if it would solve some interface consistency problems I was having with Apple mail (a client solution).

Key highlights of Gmail

• •  Consistency – Whatever computer I’m on, the status of my email is the same as when I left it. If I have read an email on any computer, it shows up as read the next time I access my email or mobile device. This feature has saved me a tremendous amount of time. Apple mail lacks this level of consistency.
• •  Grouping of emails with the same subject line – I frequently will go back and forth with a colleague on one subject. In Apple mail (and most other mail clients), each email is a separate line item. In Gmail, all my emails get grouped in a single line item. So when I want to go back in time, I just need to find the subject and the whole email chain is in one place.
• •  Multiple labels instead of single folders – Apple mail only allows me to put an email in a single folder. Gmail uses labels instead of folders. I can assign multiple labels to an email and then search any combination of labels to only see those emails that I’m really interested in.
• •  My inbox stays cleaner – Using filters and labels, I can designate select emails to be automatically filed without passing through my inbox. Google’s powerful search capabilities allow me to access multiple labels simultaneously, eliminating my fear of filing emails where I can’t find them. In Apple mail, if I did not remember which folder an email was in, I would not be able to access it.

Multiple Gmail labels and 10 grouped emails in one line.

Like any email solution, Google mail has room for improvement. I would like to see a more user-friendly interface and a more visually differentiated navigation system. In addition, some changes to minimize scrolling would greatly improve the user experience.

No email system can be all things to all people. When it all comes down to it, you need to decide which features are “must haves”. I have found Gmail’s consistency feature to be my “must have,” so I am going to stick with it. If it doesn’t work for you, there are lots of sites that compare email clients. You can start at Wikipedia and go from there.