Gmail is one of the (if not the) most advanced e-mail providers on the internet along with Yahoo Mail and Outlook.com. In Gmail there are many functions, but above all it has a bright user interface, fast to load, full page, with very little advertising on the sides, which is automatically updated when new messages arrive. The search functionality is the best ever and the large, almost infinite storage space allows you to save all the emails you receive in gmail, without practically ever having to delete them.
Gmail, like all e-mail accounts, can be configured on Mail reading and management programs such as Outlook and Thunderbird (see here the best E-mail clients similar to Microsoft Outlook) that allow you to read messages even offline, without the Internet.
But if you don't want any additional programs and if you don't use Chrome, the best thing is to use one of the small automatic notifiers for Gmail .
A notification program gives a warning on the PC about the arrival of new messages .
If in another article the programs to receive notifications and alerts on the desktop for new incoming messages from Webmail are reported, here we see those that work only for Gmail .
The best of these Gmail notification programs are all more or less similar, I have counted 10 so far that warn with an icon on the taskbar that shows unread messages:
1) The official Google notification program was Gmail Notifier which no longer exists because the Gmail site supports notifications in Chrome and Firefox. If desktop notifications don't work, open Gmail, go to General Settings and turn on desktop notifications .
To improve notifications on Chrome, you can install the Checker Plus extension to have the notification of unread messages on Firefox and Opera.
2) Gmail Notifier Pro is a very nice program like graphics, which allows you to receive notifications of new emails from Gmail on Windows, on the right corner of the screen. There are a lot of customization options and, with the free version, you can check a maximum of two Google Mail accounts.
3) The notification system for PC Growl, a universal notifier similar to Snarl, works with Gmail and any web application, even if some manual configuration is not very simple.
4) One of the best Gmail notification tools is perhaps Scott's Gmail Alert, very simple and beautiful to look at (although not updated since 2013). It allows you to monitor up to 5 different accounts, you can use the Windows 7-style Aero effect, you can choose where to show messages and it also allows you to reply on the fly, without going to the browser.
Notifications can also be stopped if you don't want to be disturbed.
READ ALSO: 10 Gmail programs on PC
The programs below are all not updated for at least two years if not more then not recommended, but still good to try if you want to experiment.
5) For Windows 7 only, Kwerty Gmail Notifier (the program is quite old and not updated) allows you to see a Gmail icon on the taskbar with the number of unread messages that automatically updates with each new incoming message. By moving the mouse over the icon, you can preview the last messages in a box.
6) Gdow I put it on the list as the most essential and light but it must be said that it is graphically very ugly to see. It checks for new messages, notifies them even with a sound, is highly configurable and allows you to read mail in preview, without looking like the browser on Gmail, com.
7) GWatchman warns you with a message when new messages arrive in Gmail.
The notification appears near the Windows clock and shows unread messages. The alert graphics can be changed graphically and it is possible to decide how often to check for new messages. Gwatchmen also works to receive notification of new unread items in Google Reader.
8) Googsystray is one of the best programs for receiving Gmail mail, perhaps the most appreciable. This is used to integrate notifications of new messages relating to some Google applications, including Gmail, Google Reader, Google Calendar and Google Wave, into the desktop. The notification is automatic and you receive a warning, also audible, at each reception. In the preferences you can configure the accounts to monitor, even more than one . This time the graphics are very pleasant to see, with a colorful pop-up effect, in transparency and allow the reading of the messages. It must be said that every now and then it crashes and closes itself.
9) Gmail Notifier is very light and basic, with the option to read received and unread messages, in preview. This only shows unread messages and does not allow you to read previous ones.
The good thing though is that you can add several accounts to check if you have a lot of Gmail email addresses.
10) Gtray is a small application written in C that notifies and warns on the desktop, in case of new messages in Gmail.
11) Who uses Franz, the chat program for Facebook and Whatsapp, has the possibility to integrate Gmail too.
In another article, the programs to receive Facebook notifications and messages
