@avdgriendt +1. It looks like it's a borderline scam. Sure, it's neat that they allow notifications and that dropdown, but it looks that that this is more of a scam than anything. 18 months is over the top for a project like this.
@avdgriendt FWIW I use the Radiant player for Google Music quite a bit, which is just a native wrapper I believe. But that was simply so I'd stop killing my music when I accidentally close all my tabs.
@avdgriendt Hi Andreas - As one of the guys behind Zive's Gmail for Mac, I thought I might chime in and maybe answer your concern. First, while there are a few apps out there that have made a quick buck by putting Gmail into a somewhat clunky stripped-down browser, calling it an app, and selling it, that's not what Gmail for Mac, by Zive is. In fact, we really dislike that approach — our frustration and disappointment with exactly those kinds of apps led us to make our own.
(1) Why are we calling it the first “true” email client for Gmail? Because our app actually _is_ a full email client like Sparrow or Mail, but with a browser component. Wrapped around the browser portion that you see (more on that below) is a desktop client, hidden away, that enables various critical pieces of the app’s functionality — (1) for email - account access, instant notifications & account updates, notifications for only important messages, aspects of messaging features, etc., and (2) for seamless desktop integration - this is critical. We’re deeply passionate about making a high-fidelity desktop experience for Gmail like has never been done before. This means windows to compose your messages, integration with the OS environment so you can interact with it like any other desktop application. This is very detailed work and no one’s ever done it before. It involves 100’s of small details that combine to create a fluid and seamless user experience — so you can do things like have compose windows to write messages, hide the inbox, drag attachments on your messages without a strange dialogue, use Gmail as your default email client and have it actually work reliably that way, use global shortcuts to do awesome things you can’t do on the web, have menubar access to things you do constantly, etc.
(2) Why do you still see the Gmail web interface inside the app? We did this deliberately. I promise that's not spin - there’s no way outside of the browser environment to give you full access to all of Gmail’s powerful features — google-powered search, keyboard shortcuts, plugins like boomerang and rapportive, labels (with correct nesting, colors, etc), google labs, correct threading, important flags, huge attachments, filters, and many more — are inaccessible through any Gmail API. Sparrow came closest to the maximum of what you could do using Google’s APIs without going to the web interface, and they basically just allowed you to access labels with randomly assigned colors beyond what Mail/Outlook do. Even their threading and unread counts didn’t match Gmail’s.
(3) Why is even that piece not just a vanilla browser? The slice of our app that has browser functionality is heavily and very thoroughly modified to specifically and powerfully support Gmail alone, in way you can’t do if you’re trying to serve the whole web. This is extensive, but one of the most obvious pieces is our ability to support Google Drive to attach huge files reliably, and our flawless way of enabling multiple accounts that are dramatically reliable to the point of you never having to worry about them working, like in the browser. Use Gmail in Fluid or Mailplane, and you’ll have lists of basic Gmail features that you’re advised to turn off for stability issues, themes break the UI, you get warnings about using the wrong inbox, sign-outs and crashing. With us, everything works - every detail, and legitimately better than in Chrome which has to serve every possible website and has legitimate technical limitations we don't.
The net result is a seamless and fluid experience for Gmail, on the desktop, which you can use just like Mail or Outlook, and with ALL of Gmail's power. It's something we've poured our hearts and souls into for some time, and we truly feel it can dramatically improve the Gmail experience in a way that hasn't been done by anyone before.
Hope that clarifies a bit - Eric Shashoua (Founder)
@nhbschr@avdgriendt Hi Noah - One of the makers of Gmail for Mac, by Zive here. Thanks for your note! I can assure you we're not a scam, nor in this to make a quick buck :) Take a look at my reply to @avdgriendt below, should explain much of the intricacy that went into crafting an app specifically for Gmail that is extremely robust, reliable, and extends it powerfully into the desktop environment as a full email client. It honestly takes a lot more than a browser to do that well. Promise we're not trying to rob you :)
@eshashoua if you're providing "full access to all of Gmail’s powerful features", does that include "seamless desktop integration" for Calendar, Contacts, and Google+ (specifically Hangouts)?
@kevinace If you're happy using Gmail in the browser, then that's fine. That's works for hundreds of millions of people. This is a desktop app to keep Gmail out of the browser, which is what some people want.
@kevinace Lots of people prefer a desktop experience over a browser experience. If you've ever used Outlook or similar, the desktop app is more powerful than the browser. Other people want to check their email without opening a browser. Others really want an icon in their dock or to be able to Alt+Tab to it as another application.
@paulgeller@chrismessina Full disclosure: I have been helping the Gmail for Mac team with their Kickstarter campaign.
With that said...
I've been using Mailplane for over a year now. I've been generally happy with it, but have found it to be unreliable and buggy at times (crashing, slow, plugins not working properly, ect.)
The Gmail for Mac team gave me a beta version of the app they've built so far and I've been using it for a few weeks now. In my (somewhat biased) opinion, it blows Mailplane out of the water.
The app is fast and reliable, but what really makes it great is how it perfectly mimics your Gmail experience in a browser. I prefer managing my email in a native desktop app rather than in a browser tab (which is why I've been using Mailplane) and I believe if Google decided to offer a desktop app for Gmail, this would be it.
@juliaroy it's hard to know how to evaluate your statements — since I'm an avid user of Mailplane, have experienced the crashes, but also appreciate that Ruben has been developing this app for years. It's not that I'm against competition, but rather *for* clear marketing claims.
The differences mentioned above seem slight; of course we all want faster, more stable apps. But is that really enough to differentiate this product? I'm not yet convinced.
@chrismessina@juliaroy +1. Seems like the only real features are the notifications. But you could just add a notifications app to mac and call it a day.
And it's not really "beautifully designed" because it wasn't really designed. They just embedded the Gmail site, and basically called it a day.
Lastly, whether they can actually do this is questionable. Gmail could easily shut them down and it'd be over.
@chrismessina@juliaroy First, as my friends, I love you both. Second, Julia I hope the app gets a chance to really showcase its abilities, but for now I agree with Chris.
I have long searched for the "perfect" gmail email client. After using a million of them, I have settled on Airmail. A native client which seems to work with Gmail well (except you can't use any of the plugins).
Mailplane is great. I am a big fan, except for how it handles offline and that its primarily a wrapper on gmail.
Mailbox has some great features, except its limited by design.
If Gmail for Mac (which I imagine is about to get a C&D from Google for the name) is significantly better, I will switch.
What I don't understand is the KS campaign. Just release it. Get users. Then charge. People love to pay for great software.
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