Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Windows 8/RT mail, calendar and people apps are getting an update tomorrow according to Brendan LeBlanc on the Windows Blog

I read earlier in the month the Windows 8 Mail, Calendar and People apps are being updated this month but felt this could slip into April. According to the post on the Windows Blog by Brendan LeBlanc.

The Mail, Calendar and People apps are getting better!... Read More

I don’t currently use the Calendar and People apps but have been trialling the Mail app. Unfortunately at this stage I find the Mail app isn’t good enough to become my main email client or a client that I’d recommend to others.

I continue to read in the online press people stating they can’t use the Mail app for POP and IMAP. I’ve been testing the Mail app with IMAP under Windows 8 for some time and it does work. So don’t take what you read in the online press, or even comments on Brendan’s blog as correct. Test things for yourself.

The issues I have so far with the Mail app are:

1. You can’t programmatically attach a file or other attachment to an email as you can with Outlook or Live Mail. This is a very common requirement in most of the businesses I’ve dealt with.

2. The signature is only plain text. No ability to add links. Again very common in business.

3. No ability to see the actual link address behind a text link. This is plain dangerous for users. Nearly all malware software can’t detect the latest malware so ultimately the last line of defence is people checking things such as where the link they are about to click on will take them. If you can’t check the link you risk infecting your computer. Until people can see the link as they can in other email clients the Mail app is simply too dangerous to use.
 
NOTE I'd like to correct point 3. You can now hover over the link and the underlying web address is displayed.

I’m sure there are other issues with the Mail app, but to me these are roadblocks that until removed means the Mail app is a no go for general use. I use the Mail app intermittently to quickly check a new email when the notification appears and that is quite handy. Given the Mail app is the main email app for Windows RT this is one of the show stoppers with regards to using Windows RT. Actually there are many show stoppers with Windows RT.

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.