Mail Client Coming Soon From PocketInformant!

[Brad Adrian]

<a href="http://www.pocketinformant.com/@mail/">http://www.pocketinformant.com/@mail/</a><br /><br />PocketInformant has just posted some screenshots of their upcoming mail client, @Mail. Details are still sparse, but it looks like this could be a solution to a lot of the things about Pocket Inbox that vex users. Here's all the site says:<br /><br />"Introducing @Mail - full featured email with a powerful easy to use interface. To be released in late 2002 for Pocket PC 2002. Some of the features include: HTML email support, Intuitive interface with an easy way of navigating hundreds of mailboxes, and of course, integration with Pocket Informant in some very unique and productive ways."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/@mail.jpg" /><br /><br />HTML e-mail! I don't know about you, but this is fantastic news for me! This is gonna do more than just make my spam look prettier...It's going to allow me to read virtually ALL the e-mail messages I get, not just the ones that can display well to the "least common text denominator" now allowed by Inbox.<br /><br />Detailed product description lacking, you can still discern features from the screen shots that should really get you excited! Multiple views, subfolders, Transcriber support and more. There are no fewer than 18 screenshots posted at the PocketInformant site, so you HAVE to go take a look and see what you think.

[Kemas]

I have to say one of my biggest gripes is that MS didn't put HTML support into the Pocket InBox app. Considering that they have pushed to have HTML support in all of their mail apps for some time now, it seems strange.

I use Pocket Informant's calander app and look forward to replacing the inbox with their solution. As long as it supports multiple folders like InBox nows dows with 3.5 and 3.6 of Active Sync, I will probably switch quickly.

Has anyone heard if there will be a discount for current Pocket Informat users? Also, will their be a beta program?

Kemas

[tj21]

I don't even care that much about HTML mail but if it really allows filters for different folders I'd buy it today. This has always been my biggest complaint about Pocket PC. Can't wait to see it.

Once this is released and if Textmaker finally lets me properly edit Word documents (hopefully next week) I think my laptop is going to be retired!

TJ

[Qman]

From the screen shots it really looks great! I wonder if it will support secure password authentication. A must have for MSN users.

[Mr. Anonymous]

Please, please, PLEASE let it have to specifiy nonstandard pop and smtp ports for both regular and ssl traffic. Both Inbox and npop don't support this, making checking my corporate and ISP email impossible.

[Ed Hansberry]

Please, please, PLEASE let it have to specifiy nonstandard pop and smtp ports for both regular and ssl traffic. Both Inbox and npop don't support this, making checking my corporate and ISP email impossible.
Agreed!

[RickP in AZ]

I assume that I can use this independently of Pocket Informant (which I don't have a need for.)

Obviously I don't know all of the details but I assume that it is a full email program so that it can directly download emails. What I would love to see is for it to include Yahoo! Mail and Hotmail support (like OneMail,) as one stop access to my 2 POP accounts plus my html accounts would be worth almost any price. (I'm too cheap to pay for POP access with either Yahoo or Hotmail.)

(Bear in mind tha this is coming from a sworn freeware junkie. For me to be this interested in a piece of commercial software is a *big* thing!)

So where does the line start?

[Pinnacle]

From the screen shots it really looks great! I wonder if it will support secure password authentication. A must have for MSN users.

Absolutely. This was my first thought as a MSN member. It seems the only portable Mail client that allows reading of MSN mail is Pocket Inbox. I'm an old-timer with MSN, so they allow me to use POP3 instead of the Hotmail interface, and I'd love it if @Mail would support MSN users.

[alex_kac]

I cannot divulge all the details since it is still in early beta now. But here are a few notes:

1) Discount for PI users - definately
2) It will not require PI - just that PI will be able to use some of its features to do some really unique, yet very powerful filtering
3) Cost is not yet determined, but I've always been a big fan of low cost, high volume.
4) It will use the current POP3/ActiveSync transports provided by the std Inbox app - and though it *may* not in v1.0 offer anything more transport wise, we do plan on SSL support for IMAP and POP3.

Our goal is to provide a solid 1.0 app. We hope to have it do everything it needs to do in 1.0. But you know - I fully expect that we'll miss something key just because with experience, you always seem to :)

[kaiden.1]

Right on Alex!!!! You guys are awesome. I'm a User of Informant, great App!

Kick some butt! :D

[heliod]

Quote:
Please, please, PLEASE let it have to specifiy nonstandard pop and smtp ports for both regular and ssl traffic. Both Inbox and npop don't support this, making checking my corporate and ISP email impossible.

I've heard in the Microsoft newsgroups that Inbox accepts nonstandard pop and smtp ports, if you specify your server name in the format

mail.myserver.com:port

Regarding the HTML mail, my only fear is with size of messages. When you get HTML mail you cannot truncate the message, and it is quite big comparing with the way we get messages today in the inbox. It will come out quite expensive in GPRS.

Your thoughts, please.

Helio

[hgwte]

I am user of Pocket Informant and I am looking forward to @mail. I currently use One Mail and this other add-on software to sync my "Yahoo" and "Hotmail" but it would be nice to have both integrate in one. And with the version of "One Mail" I have it doesn't support HTML. Alex and his team keep developing GREAT SOFTWARE.

[Ed Hansberry]

My gut is those asking for HTML support via Yahoo/Hotmail are going to be disappointed. MS and Yahoo don't want you getting that without either ads or money and getting it any other way is a cat/mouse game with developers. Major pain.

Doesn't mean Alex won't do it or isn't looking at it. I could be wrong. But I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you.

[marlof]

I don't need HTML mail, but I would love to see better integration between my contacts database and a more powerful email program than Inbox like nPOP. As for future features, I hope @mail in the end will be able to use all inbox functionality, including the SMS box in Phone Edition. But for the initial release, I'd settle for a good e-mail client that is as customisable in settings as nPOP is.

[dmkozak]

I'm not currently a Pocket PC user, altho with the prospective Palm OS5 units just released, it looks more and more like I'll be a Pocket PC owner in the near future. And, I'm not trying to cause problems, but I do have a question about the MS software. I have the feeling from reading various posts that PocketWord and the Pocket email program both leave a lot to be desired. It seems you're all overjoyed when a 3rd party app is announced to replace a MS product. If this is correct, then what's the advantage of MS including PocketWord and a Pocket email program with PPC 2002 if they don't work very well? If I have to go buy a 3rd party app, then aren't I in the same place as tho I was using Palm?

[marlof]

Some of my friends use Pocket PCs with zero third party applications. They sync all PIM info, and use the built in PIM and Pocket Word/Excel programs. And they're happy with that. On the other hand I love to tinker with things, and love to use Pocket Informant for my PIM stuff, and nPOP for my email so far. I could use the built in programs, but the additional ones just please me more.

As I'm a huge Pocket Informant fan, I'm very happy that that team is coming up with an e-mail client. On this subject: I think the current Inbox program leaves many things to be desired (one pass e-mail retrieving for multiple boxes; HTML message viewing; customisable SMTP-AUTH to name a few). I hope MS will address at least some shortcomings in new versions, but I'm happy third party developers step into the arena as well. Choice is good.

[Bob S]

:cry:

Darn

And I was so hoping for the Unsubstantiated rumor of project management tools

:beer:
But it does look like another outstanding product from alex

Gotta Love it :werenotworthy:

[Jerome Carney]

:cry: And I was so hoping for the Unsubstantiated rumor of project management tools

Same here... But I think the rumor has been more or less substantiated, and by Alex himself. He's obviously got something in the works for Project Management, based on what's he's said in the Developer forum on his site, but he's still holding off on the details.

Here's his actual quote, from about three weeks backs:

(Project Management will not be) ... our next product. Our next product is in final stages for Beta release. What we do for Project Management is currently in design stages; though a good portion of it has been mocked up and talked through.

So as I don't sound like Microsoft - its not even code yet. But I'm 99% sure it'll be done.

[Kemas]

Unless I am doing something wrong, Inbox doesn't support groups...Will @mail?

Kemas

[Brad Adrian]

Unless I am doing something wrong, Inbox doesn't support groups...Will @mail?
What do you mean by "groups?"

[JonnoB]

... then what's the advantage of MS including PocketWord and a Pocket email program with PPC 2002 if they don't work very well? If I have to go buy a 3rd party app, then aren't I in the same place as tho I was using Palm?

This is true for many of the apps. It is the core OS that makes Palm-based units pale in comparison to Pocket PC. There is just so much more potential and developers are just now really starting to take advantage of it.

[bblock]

Brad, I think "groups" refers to distribution lists - one name for multiple recipients.

[Brad Adrian]

Brad, I think "groups" refers to distribution lists - one name for multiple recipients.
I haven't yet tried this app, but I think distribution lists is more a function of a Contacts application than an e-mail one. It would be nice if it would somehow support distribution lists, but it may the the Pocket PC Contacts functionality which might make it impossible.

[lsbeller]

I could not tell from any of the screen shots, but I am hoping that the "integration with Pocket Informant in some very unique and productive ways" means tap and holding on an email message and getting a menu of items like copying the text of the email to a task or an appoinment.

Keep up the good work Alex! Pocket Informant is the first application I install after a hard reset and recommend to new Pocket PC users.

Steve