Email 'app' for Chromebook?
Discussion
Hello all.
I love my little Acer Chromebook in all respects, except one. Email.
The Gmail app is a slow/crashy pile of rubbish (though great on my phone) and it appears that the usual suspects like Thunderbird aren't really an option. I've searched of course but nothing has leapt out at me.
I know the OS is basically a web-browser, so maybe I have to just use Roundcube via my host. I'm just not keen on webmail, but maybe that's just what people do.
Comments welcome :-)
I love my little Acer Chromebook in all respects, except one. Email.
The Gmail app is a slow/crashy pile of rubbish (though great on my phone) and it appears that the usual suspects like Thunderbird aren't really an option. I've searched of course but nothing has leapt out at me.
I know the OS is basically a web-browser, so maybe I have to just use Roundcube via my host. I'm just not keen on webmail, but maybe that's just what people do.
Comments welcome :-)
Corso Marche said:
Most people will use a PWA or just browse webmail in the browser on Chrome OS.
What/who is your mail provider? Who's it hosted by?
Thanks. I wasn't really sure what a PWA was, but it seems connected to Outlook, and I don't think you can use Outlook these days with your own domain name.What/who is your mail provider? Who's it hosted by?
My email is hosted with Krystal. They do provide Roundcube, and it is fine, but I just wondered if there was an app better than Gmail.
It's not a big deal, but the PH collective often come up trumps :-)
Thanks
I suspect you're using the Android app of Gmail from the Play Store? Generally with Chrome OS the best options are PWA's, followed by web apps/online services, and as a last resort android apps.
Share your model of Chromebook so we can establish what the spec is.
If it's capable of it I'll suggest enabling the Linux environment in the Settings menu and then installing a full blown Linux desktop mail client.
Having said all that, it's still hard to believe a desktop client will offer much more to most users than Roundcube. Maybe it's just a case of readjusting?
Open your inbox in Roundcube in the browser. Ensure it's the only tab open.
In the browser menu find the option to Create Shortcut or whatever it's labelled as. This will create a standalone icon for your Roundcube email.
Find that icon and right-click on it. Then select New Tabbed Window.
You can pin the icon to the quick access bottom shelf if you want to, or just leave it in the app drawer.
You should now have Roundcube in what feels like a regular app window, saving vertical desktop real estate, and creating separation between apps/services. It's just something which helps people adjust to Chrome OS, as it's closer in feel and look to traditional desktop environments.
Share your model of Chromebook so we can establish what the spec is.
If it's capable of it I'll suggest enabling the Linux environment in the Settings menu and then installing a full blown Linux desktop mail client.
Having said all that, it's still hard to believe a desktop client will offer much more to most users than Roundcube. Maybe it's just a case of readjusting?
Open your inbox in Roundcube in the browser. Ensure it's the only tab open.
In the browser menu find the option to Create Shortcut or whatever it's labelled as. This will create a standalone icon for your Roundcube email.
Find that icon and right-click on it. Then select New Tabbed Window.
You can pin the icon to the quick access bottom shelf if you want to, or just leave it in the app drawer.
You should now have Roundcube in what feels like a regular app window, saving vertical desktop real estate, and creating separation between apps/services. It's just something which helps people adjust to Chrome OS, as it's closer in feel and look to traditional desktop environments.
Edited by Corso Marche on Sunday 11th September 20:47
Thanks again.
It's an Acer 314, fairly new but pretty low spec, I did only want a cheap device.
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9514016 (wow these have gone up, £170 less than a year ago).
Thunderbird seems to be not available/bit of a hack/poorly reviewed so I'll give that a miss. Used it on my desktop for years, but prefer Outlook now.
The problem with Roundcube is that I use three email addresses, which I can switch between in Gmail, but in a browser I'd have to log out or do multiple tabs (perhaps). I assume I would have to log in every time, which might get frustrating.
Will take a look though, help much appreciated.
It's an Acer 314, fairly new but pretty low spec, I did only want a cheap device.
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9514016 (wow these have gone up, £170 less than a year ago).
Thunderbird seems to be not available/bit of a hack/poorly reviewed so I'll give that a miss. Used it on my desktop for years, but prefer Outlook now.
The problem with Roundcube is that I use three email addresses, which I can switch between in Gmail, but in a browser I'd have to log out or do multiple tabs (perhaps). I assume I would have to log in every time, which might get frustrating.
Will take a look though, help much appreciated.
I'd contact support at Roundcube, as I think they do support multiple accounts/identities being logged in simultaneously these days, but I don't use it so can't test it.
I run 6 different emails simultaneously on my CB through the Gmail PWA, and just switch back and forth between each mail account on the fly. But I'm using all Google hosted accounts on it.
And yes, I wouldn't bother with activating the Linux environment on a 314. Not enough storage or processing power to viably use it daily.
I run 6 different emails simultaneously on my CB through the Gmail PWA, and just switch back and forth between each mail account on the fly. But I'm using all Google hosted accounts on it.
And yes, I wouldn't bother with activating the Linux environment on a 314. Not enough storage or processing power to viably use it daily.
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