<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/xhtml; charset=utf-8">
</head>
<body>
<div style="font-family:sans-serif"><div style="white-space:normal">
<p dir="auto">Fellow MailMate users,<br>
</p>
<p dir="auto">I apologize in advance for the length of this! However, there’s a lot to unpack here.</p>
<p dir="auto">A search of the list archives suggests that those of you seeking a MailMate-like experience on iOS have generally ended up with one of two apps, either AltaMail or Preside. I am trying both now—and, in the interests of full disclosure, wish to note that I plan to write a (totally unpaid-for) blog post about this subject—so I would appreciate knowing your feelings, if any, about each app <strong>and</strong> whether you’ve actually made either your go-to iOS mail app. <em>(Re the blog post: rest assured I would quote you by name</em> <strong><em>only</em></strong> <em>if you explicitly approve. I mainly just want to get a “sense of the room,” but would also appreciate some particularly cogent quotes if applicable.)</em></p>
<p dir="auto">To be sporting about it, I’ll go first—with the caveat that I’m not nearly as heavy a power user as I suspect the vast majority of you are, so I’m doubtless missing a <strong>lot</strong> of stuff; hence, my curiosity about <em>your</em> opinions. I will spare you multiple “IMHO” qualifiers, since this is <em>all</em> in my humble opinion . . .</p>
<h2 style="font-size:1.2em">AltaMail</h2>
<ul>
<li><p dir="auto">Pros</p>
<ul>
<li>Real-time, highly configurable notifications.</li>
<li>Ability to navigate folders at multiple levels.</li>
<li>Apparently thorough adherence to email standards.</li>
<li>Syncs many settings among multiple devices via iCloud (although this can be a gotcha if you’re not careful, such as with “Sent from my” signature lines that reference a specific device).</li>
<li>[Have nothing to say about the vendor’s responsiveness, since I haven’t yet requested help.]</li>
</ul></li>
<li><p dir="auto">Cons</p>
<ul>
<li>Menus’ on-screen structure and modalities make it difficult to navigate through folder levels, especially on iPhone-sized screen. (Its biggest flaw.)</li>
<li>Real-time notifications require keeping the app always running in background.</li>
<li>Sync with large IMAP folders can be slow on first access (apparently not done in background, which may be to save battery juice).</li>
<li>Some oddities with customizing received/sent emails’ appearances.</li>
<li>Doesn’t make efficient use of extra real estate on iPad, even when explicitly set for that device.</li>
<li>User docs appear to lack comprehensive details, are difficult to navigate, and lack screen captures.</li>
<li>Enforced subscription model after initial free trial.</li>
<li>Doesn’t use Markdown.</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<h2 style="font-size:1.2em">Preside</h2>
<ul>
<li><p dir="auto">Pros</p>
<ul>
<li>Ability to navigate folders, easily, at multiple levels.</li>
<li>Vast customization options for both functionality and look-and-feel, organized for easy config once you’ve had time to get used to it.</li>
<li>Makes good use of iPad screen size while keeping consistent look-and-feel with iPhone version.</li>
<li>Apparently thorough adherence to email standards.</li>
<li>Until you get the hang of the config options, “Profiles” let you get a head-start on setting things to look as you want, such as making it look remarkably like the Apple app if you’re initially more comfortable with its visual metaphor.</li>
<li>Vendor is highly responsive and helpful.</li>
<li>“Freemium” model—you get nearly all the features (and definitely all the <strong>important</strong> ones) for free, but can choose to pay a yearly subscription if you want to receive a few more (minor) features and, more to the point, support the vendor’s continuing efforts.</li>
</ul></li>
<li><p dir="auto">Cons</p>
<ul>
<li>Due to vendor’s admittedly well-argued opinions about notifications’ effect on productivity, app doesn’t provide them in real time. (Its biggest flaw. Suggested methods to resolve this involved considerable, potentially glitchy config which, for me at least, didn’t prove successful.)</li>
<li>Default per-email swipe behavior, as well as default ordering of icons intended for quick action on emails, seems oriented less toward dealing with emails and more toward getting them out of sight.</li>
<li>“Snippets” (drop-in variables, essentially) in signatures are glitchy.</li>
<li>User docs, while well-organized and apparently comprehensive, lack screen captures.</li>
<li>Doesn’t use Markdown.</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>
<p dir="auto">Finally: right now, I prefer Preside over AltaMail by a fairly wide margin <em>except</em> for the Preside notifications shortcomings, which really bug me. The only reliable way around it that I’ve found so far is to let Apple Mail—or, for now, AltaMail—provide real-time notifications and then go to Preside to view the emails themselves. It’s a kludgy, but workable solution; <strong>but</strong>, if your intent is to quit having Mail running in the background at all (although, remember, you can’t <strong>really</strong> delete Mail; it only “hides” if “deleted”), it’s a non-starter.</p>
<p dir="auto">So, any takers? Thanks for whatever info/opinions you may wish to share.<br>
</p>
<p dir="auto">Best wishes,<br>
</p>
<p dir="auto">Bryce Wray<br>
<a href="mailto:bwray@wraytx.com" style="color:#3983C4">bwray@wraytx.com</a><br>
<a href="https://brycewray.com" style="color:#3983C4">https://brycewray.com</a></p>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>