E-Mail Client

[GoogleCodeExporter]

We need a replacement for the GMail application. 

There may be options available to us already. 

If we use an existing system, we need permission from the owner of that
code to distribute it. Please have them email ttabbal a written notice.
They will be given access to Subversion to add their application. 

Open source is preferred but not required for this item. The source license
may also be different for this item if it's contributed from a third party.  

Original issue reported on code.google.com by ttab...@gmail.com on 26 Sep 2009 at 3:37

[GoogleCodeExporter]

If you folks are interested in using K-9 as your core client, please drop us a 
line.

-Jesse 

Original comment by jes...@gmail.com on 26 Sep 2009 at 8:20

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Using K-9 as a core email client is a good idea, for general email accounts. 
Everyone
agrees the default Email client is pretty skeletal.

There's still a huge benefit to creating a Gmail-focused app, that uses a
conversation-based interface and easy integration with labels.  I think an app 
can be
made that more or less replicates the Gmail app's UI using IMAP underneath. 
Sure,
IMAP is slow, but since we're using a background sync approach to both sending 
and
receiving, then the speed difference between IMAP and the undocumented direct 
Google
APIs shouldn't be that big of a deal.

I can contribute as a developer to an Android app project to do this.  I'm not 
sure
if I want to found it.

Original comment by kproject...@gmail.com on 27 Sep 2009 at 9:09

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@jessev Maybe you could develop a K-9 Gmail Edition, which implements features 
of
Gmail such as starring, labeling, etc. If this has to be donated project in 
order to
pay back your development time, think about it. 

Original comment by rayner...@gmail.com on 29 Sep 2009 at 2:52

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Before you guys spend too much time on an Email client, I'd suggest waiting a 
bit:  the 
stock Android Email client is getting a pretty good upgrade in Eclair.  It 
would suck to 
have redundant effort.

Original comment by morri...@gmail.com on 29 Sep 2009 at 4:53

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@morridl That's good to know, although Eclair could be delayed. I think the AOA
developers should concentrate on the core functionality first, such as the Setup
Wizard, service credential storage, Market (it can require a lot of work 
depending
how powerful they decide to develop it). Mail, YouTube apps and such should 
come late
in development, rather than spread development effort on multiple products at 
once. I
think the team should pen down a extended roadmap and development with 
consideration
of business plans even (such as preparing AOA pack for non-Google Experience 
phone
manufacturers who could even sponsor the development of alterlative to Google's
closed source apps).

Original comment by rayner...@gmail.com on 29 Sep 2009 at 5:44

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K-9 mail is the best!
No question about it!

Original comment by Dyachenk...@gmail.com on 2 Oct 2009 at 7:43

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"We need a replacement for the GMail application."
I don't think so. K-9 does a good job and i see no reason why we should treat 
gmail
accounts anyhow special.

Original comment by weiler.m...@gmail.com on 2 Oct 2009 at 4:38

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Weller, I disagree.
First of all, Labels, Stars and such are crucial experience Gmail powerusers 
need
over IMAP. Second, Gmail app could implement Gmail additional Gmail-based 
services
such as Google Tasks

In fact, a custom Gmail app by third party is a great opportunity to introduce
expanded support even for Lab features such as wide array of Stars, 
Online/Offline
icons if user is logged in Gtalk, Translation of emails (via Translate API),
Time-Zone availability icons, etc. 

While I do want all Gmail features, I do not think starting from scratch is the 
right
choice. Maybe the K-9 developer would like to step in and develop a Gmail 
version of
his K-9 client. One that is limited to (multiple) Gmail/Google Apps accounts, 
but
implements Gmail features to the maximum possible via API. I would even pay for 
such
app, so it could have a free version for AOA, and a paid version with future 
feature
support as a Commercial spin-off. 

Original comment by rayner...@gmail.com on 2 Oct 2009 at 4:44

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I thinka list of base features would be a good start:

1. Basic POP SMTP support
2. IMAP
3. Multiple Accounts
4. Proper Exchange support would kill googles own app)
5. Small memory footprint is a must ( maybe a service which starts and stops an 
sync
at intervals
6. up to you guys. K-9 does a good job and it's open source so maybe just work 
with
them to iron out the bugs and add new features.

Original comment by krutoile...@gmail.com on 3 Dec 2009 at 5:08

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@ktruoileshii - Google's actually opensourced their ActiveSync implementation 
for 2.0. 
We'd love to see someone step up and port it to K-9.

Original comment by jes...@gmail.com on 3 Dec 2009 at 2:30