Barbara Ballard of Little Springs Design in Lawrence, Kansas writes a comparison review of BlackBerry email vs. the Gmail client.
And it isn't the BlackBerry email that comes out the winner.
"The problem was that I have discussion and news lists on my main email account, and the Blackberry doesn't (that I know of) have a filtering function," she writes. "Further, the generic BlackBerry client doesn't preserve some of the unique Gmail features, such as 'conversations', which created a good deal of cognitive dissonance."
Cognitive dissonance ain't cool, I might add.
"I've worked hard to keep a measure of work-life balance, so I investigated other options," she adds. "The Blackberry version of the Gmail client is quite good - it doesn't have some of the lesser known keyboard shortcuts (please may I use the standard shortcut to get to the next and previous item in the list?), but maintains many shortcuts."
Barbara adds that she's put the Gmail client on her BlackBerry's center convenience key. She wishes it would refresh itself, but it fetches mail so fast, it doesn't bother her.
The following thoughts from her review are my favorite.
"And I only check it when I have a specific desire to check it, not out of fidgeting," she says of her Gmail on her BlackBerry. "I can look at my Blackberry screen without having to look at email.
"Work-life balance is restored," she maintains, "with the added bonus that I'm carrying my laptop less frequently."
Hmm, Barbara.
"Work-life balance?" What's that?
1. well, a good client, i'm using it too
Posted at 11:03AM on Dec 6th 2006 by kalp