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3B. Web and Data Services 145
Web and Data
ⅷ Gmail is web-based: Your messages are stored on-
line, on Google
TM
servers, but you can read, write, and
organize messages by using the Gmail application
on your device or a web browser on a computer.
Because your mail is stored on Google servers, you
can search your entire message history, backed by
the speed and power of Google search. Any actions
taken in the Gmail phone application are reflected on
the web browser. For example, if you read a
message in Gmail on your device, it will be marked
as read in a Web browser. And a message that you
send using a browser, or even a draft of a message,
is visible in Gmail on the device.
ⅷ Gmail is conversation-based: Every related message
is grouped in your Inbox as a single conversation
tread. In other email applications, replies to
messages are sent as individual messages, making
it difficult to keep track of related messages. Gmail
makes it easy to follow conversations with its
conversation threads.
ⅷ Gmail is organized by labels, not by folders: By tagging
messages with labels, you can organize your
conversations in many different ways. Whereas in
other email applications, each message can only be
stored in one folder. For example, with Gmail you can
label a conversation with your mother about your
brother's birthday present with both “Mom” and
“Dave.” Later, you can look for the all messages
containing either label. Using folders, you'd have to
store the message in the “Mom” folder or the “Dave”
folder, not both.
ⅷ Gmail for the phone is optimized for mobile: Some
features are only accessible on your computer
browser. The best place to organize and learn about
Gmail is the Web. For example, you can't use the
Gmail application on the device to create the labels
and filters that you use to organize your messages,
but you can label a message. Gmail on the Web
offers complete information about the service, so it's
the best place to learn about all of the features of
Gmail.
ⅷ Gmail is for Gmail: Of course you can use Gmail to
send email to any email address, and anyone can
send email to you at your Gmail address. But if you
want to read messages from another email service
provider (using your AOL, Yahoo!, or other email
account), you must use the Email application. (See
“Email” on page 143.)