[Brad Adrian]

Originally Posted by RogueSpear

This says a lot more about you than my @gmail.com says about me. Grow up already.

I agree with the point, though, that GMail addresses are generally viewed differently than, say, Yahoo addresses. Maybe it's because years ago a lot of spam producers did so through anonymous Yahoo accounts, and that stigma remains in some people's minds.

If a Web site's "Contact Us" page lists GMail accounts, I don't think anything of it; if it lists Yahoo accounts, my initial reaction is to be suspicious or to question the professionalism of the site.

[Brad Adrian]

Originally Posted by RogueSpear

This says a lot more about you than my @gmail.com says about me. Grow up already.

I agree with the point, though, that GMail addresses are generally viewed differently than, say, Yahoo addresses. Maybe it's because years ago a lot of spam producers did so through anonymous Yahoo accounts, and that stigma remains in some people's minds.

If a Web site's "Contact Us" page lists GMail accounts, I don't think anything of it; if it lists Yahoo accounts, my initial reaction is to be suspicious or to question the professionalism of the site.

[alpha0ero]

I don't know, maybe it's just me but no one ever seems to talk about security and privacy when it comes to free mail accounts, especially Google. Maybe folks don't care that Google rummages through every email sent to your gmail account for it's contents in order to support its ad network.

I am sorry but what I have in my email is no one's business but my own. Also, I am not naive enough to think that my email, even on my exchange account is totally private and secure but at least I am just not handing the information over.

Bear in mind, I have a Gmail account but I never use it for anything important.

[Gary.Lavin]

I made the switch away from WM to Gmail when the G1 came out and I am adjusting to it. While some of the basics are missing the cool new stuff does compensate. I still use Outlook but retrieve IMAP gmail into it which works well for me.

[racerx_]

Jon-

i've followed this site for years, but sad to say this is my first post I was so glad to see this article, as i haven't really seen a lot of useful ones regarding the G1. I've used windows mobile since the Ipaq 1940, and in the last few years been using windows mobile phones. However, i'm getting a bit frustrated with the limitations and was wondering about switching to the G1..

I do find windows mobile phones not very good at the phone part of things.. They're much stronger as pda's in my opinion. The main thing bothering me lately is the calendar limitations out outlook and outlook mobile. It's just unbelievable that we can only have one calendar on our devices. I currently have 3 google calendars set up all nice and color coded to keep me organized, and those sync just great with ical on my hackintosh laptop.. but i cant' do anything to get my 3 calendars on my device.

I had an iphone for a while and don't miss it too much but i'm basically down to going back to iphone for multiple calendars, a G1, or possibly a blackberry with google sync enabled (this is my least favorite of the options).. any ideas or any responses from others?

[Fitch]

Originally Posted by Rocco Augusto

One of the things I full on HATE about my Android device is that every single stinking person that emails you in Gmail gets added to your contacts. Now if you do not have a phone number associated with the email address or name it will not show up in your contact list when you go to dial a number. However, if you go to save a phone number you can clearly see every annoying email address you never intended to save or wanted in your contacts right there mocking you!

Protip, Rocco, on the settings for Contacts on Android, there's an option "Edit sync groups" that lets you only sync and view your "My Contacts" and not your "All Contacts". You may not remember, but they used to put all those "Suggested Contacts" in with all your other contacts. Yuck. This will also speed up your auto-sync.

Why would you ever want to see every single frikkin e-mail address of anyone who's ever mailed you? Once in a while, I meet someone that I've been corresponding with over e-mail and then get their number, or they call me. It lets me add it to their existing contact info without having duplicate entries, one for phone number and one for e-mail. That's the only use I see of it right now.

Now that that's fixed and buried, what's the next thing you hate about it?

[maxnix]

Originally Posted by Jon Westfall

OWhile some parts are very nice, the only reason I have stayed on Android for the last 2 weeks (and I've been an Android user for 3 weeks now) is the seemless E-mail, Contacts, & Calendar sync.

As in there "seems to be no email, contact, nor calendar synchronization"?

Or seamless as in there is not separation between my contacts, email, and calendar information?

Either way, good article, and I guess I'll have to get my Outlook file under 2GB to make it faster.

[Down8]

Actually, I just got a G1.

I have been an Outlook devotee since 1999/2000. While in school, I used a PDA synced w/Outlook to keep a schedule. Recently, I finally got a WinMo phone (used Hermes/Trion). It was very having a converged device (and if you search my posts here, you'll see that wasn't my opinion in the past). Also, the application-base in WinMo is extensive!

Now, I love my G1! It is no-where near as mature. But, it works in the device/OS's favor, as WinMo is so tied to the tried-and-true that companies are rushing to build their own shells en masse. After using a stylus for years, I can't believe WinMo didn't go finger-friendly from the beginning.

But, as far as services/user experience.... I don't feel I have gained or lost - or rather, there are trade-offs. Google has the annoying habit of adding e.v.e.r.y.l.a.s.t.p.e.r.s.o.n you e-mail to your contact list. And GMail/Contacts isn't smart enough to recognize duplicates, so I get 2 entries for my friends' work and personal addresses However, the 'cloud' services offered by Google outweigh those by MS or any 3rd part by about a million. I haven't used Exchange, except at work, where it is hosted on site, so no delays. But, having push services is pretty nice.

Anyhow, I've converted. It was pretty easy to install Google Calendar Sync - so items I add on my phone are synced back to Outlook. I still use Outlook to POP my GMail acct, so that doesn't change anything. Thought I haven't had very may problems, being rd of ActiveSync/WMDC is not the worst thing to ever happen to a person. Finding the applications I want to use isn' as easy as WinMo, but the ability to use a solid mobile web browser negates a lot of the special app use needed on WinMo.

I'm just waiting for more Android devices to hit the open market, so we can get the app-base there!

-bZj

[Phillip Dyson]

Jon,
Its been 7 months since your foray into Android. Where is the G1 now? Are you using a different Android device? Back to Windows Mobile? Or something else?