Tablet Computers: Offline E-mail Apps?

[Joe]

Are there offline e-mail apps for tablet computers? Like Eudora or Outlook (or other comparable client programs) for desktop computers?

I have a friend who has a GMail account but no internet service at home. Also no computer at home. He wants to be able to work on his e-mail whenever he wants (usually like 1 AM) at home. One way to accomplish this would be to go to a wifi spot (like the library or a restaurant) and use an offline app/client to download and upload e-mail, while actually reading and writing the e-mail offline at home.

But I know very little about tablets and whether they have such capabilities.

If tablet computers lack this capability, then maybe he should get a laptop instead.

 

[nigel1]

This is a good question. I'd like to know, also.

 

[beancounter]

I thought all email programs have an offline mode?

 

[Joe]

This is a good question. I'd like to know, also.

FWIW, I e-mailed a recently retired Vanderbilt U. math professor, who knows a great deal about computers, and his "educated guess" was that tablet computers do not possess this capability. He seemed to think there was virtually no (current) demand for such a capability.

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I used an offline e-mail program (Eudora) with my desktop computers for about 12 years before switching to just using GMail online.
But the switch had nothing to do with the belief that I could never go back to using an offline program. I'm surprised that people would not want this as an option.

 

[Joe]

I thought all email programs have an offline mode?

Strictly speaking, tablet computers have "apps," not programs. How these apps compare to traditional programs for desktop computers is something beyond my knowledge.

 

[Pirate]

Hmmmmm good one. It sounds like a handy thing for him to do.

In the name of science I stole my Mum's Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (Android) and switched off the wifi. You can still view the e-mails and open them/type out replies just using the default mail client. (BTW if any emails need printing she makes me do it on my laptop so she is happy with me accessing them!). I think he should double check it in a shop - ie try a demo model - but I dont see it being an issue.

the other option would be to get a tablet with a sim card in it? TBH if he is going to be typing a lot of emails he'd be better off with a laptop anyway. Typing emails on a touchscreen is fiddly!

 

[Second Summer]

^^ Likewise, I was curious too ...

We just got ourselves our first tablet, a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3. I just tested this now, and I can confirm that the default email app will download the emails so they are available offline, and also allow you to write emails offline and allow you to save them as drafts that can be opened later when you're somewhere with wi-fi. (I actually tested this with my email server here on VV, so not sure whether it will work with GMail specifically though, but feel pretty confident it will.)

 

[nigel1]

^^ Likewise, I was curious too ...

We just got ourselves our first tablet, a Samsung Galaxy Tab 3. I just tested this now, and I can confirm that the default email app will download the emails so they are available offline, and also allow you to write emails offline and allow you to save them as drafts that can be opened later when you're somewhere with wi-fi. (I actually tested this with my email server here on VV, so not sure whether it will work with GMail specifically though, but feel pretty confident it will.)

What's the default app?

Yeah, I just realized the Android mail app does allow writing drafts while offline.

 

[Second Summer]

Strictly speaking, tablet computers have "apps," not programs. How these apps compare to traditional programs for desktop computers is something beyond my knowledge.

One difference is that the program code must be more rigidly structured. Also, at least on Android, the installer process will list the permissions the app needs, and the user will have to specifically allow these before it can be used.

What's the default app?

Yeah, I just realized the Android mail app does allow writing drafts while offline.

As far as I can tell it's called "Mail" Well, that's what the button/icon is called. It may have a more official name ...

 

[beancounter]

I don't know if this helps or not, but you can download the gmail app onto an Android device. You don't need to use the default peogram.

 

[Joe]

Thanks very much to Liz and Indian Summer for your amazing (to me) replies.

These tend to suggest that a tablet would be a better choice for my friend than a laptop.

Liz said:

TBH if he is going to be typing a lot of emails he'd be better off with a laptop anyway. Typing emails on a touchscreen is fiddly!

Well, the plan would be to use an external, wireless Bluetooth keyboard. They sell such a full-sized keyboard here in the US for about $20 to $25 (which is fairly inexpensive). Presumably, he would leave the keyboard at home to write replies to his mail offline.

See the operating manual PDF below for the one I bought.

(I have to confess, however stupid this sounds, that I bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 on sale, but have not used it yet. I need to set aside some time to read the manual, etc. But I do have the tablet and the keyboard.)

 

[ledboots]

Joe just charge it up and turn it on, those aren't hard to use. And there a quick 10 minute video tutorial here: