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Gmail is web-based
:Your messages are stored online, on Google
™
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
amessage, is visible in Gmail on the device.
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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.
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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.
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Gmail for the phone is optimized for mobile
:Some featuresareonly 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 tocreate 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.
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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 89).
Accounts and Messaging