United States
Very
good
 |
Kaiten Email – The best email app so far?
Tested version: 1.134
Latest version: 1.232
Requires Android: from 2.1
|
Summary
I don't know about you but my inboxes are often chaotic, and that's putting it mildly. I remember back in the day when I had only one address, and let me tell you that it was even more disorganised.
The way I see it there are two options for resolving this mess: comb through your inbox(es) by hand or find an app that allows you to manage more than one email addess.
Kaiten Email is an email app based on the infamous K9-Mail app, and it packs a mighty punch—but will it help you keep your emails in check? Find out more about our app of the week in today's review.
Features & Use
Section rating:
Test devices:
LG Optimus Speed / 2x
Android version: 2.3.5
Mods: MIUI
Acer Iconia Tab A500
Android version: 3.1
Mods: Root
Many of you will be familiar with K9-Mail, perhaps some of you are even using it, and if you are you will know that K9 has a LOT to offer. Well, rejoice, because the developers have added even more functionality to the already very generous app. In fact, there are so many functions and settings options that I'm a bit dazed & confused as to where to even begin.
So let me start with telling you what Kaiten started as: a simple setup assistant.
Most providers need an email address and password and Bob's you're uncle, you're logged in. The app susses out which settings a provider demands; it supports POP, IMAP(-Push) and Exchange 2003/2007 accounts.
The main menu displays folders for each of your accounts, as well as a folder that combines all of your inboxes. Don't get too nervous about this notion of a combined account—it's actually very well organised thanks to the margin on the left hand side in which indications as to which account an email was sent are listed.
Accessing emails takes no time at all—overall it's much faster than the Googlemail client that's installed on Android devices.
Speaking of Googlemail, I'm used to a little thing called threaded view, so when I first started using Kaiten I was all like 'Whoa, where are the threads?'. I had a look around the settings but wasn't able to find any information on as how to display conversations as threads. That's a big let-down.
Open an email in order to see the usual email-information: who sent it, the date of reception, etc.
There's a margin at the bottom of the screen that allows you to quick-access the following functions: delete, move to another folder, jump to the next email, jump back to the previous one.
There's a – somewhat hidden – option that allows you to reply to/forward an email—look for it int the upper margin. There's a button there which I mistook to being a mere 'Create New Email' button, but in fact two other key functions lurk beneath the surface.
I love that the small grey bar at the top can be pulled down in order to view a folder without having to close the email (similar to Thunderbird, if you are familiar with that). I found this to be especially cool on tablets in horizontal format. It works very nicely on my Acer Iconia Tab A500.
Hit the file name on the upper left corner in order to access the email account's list of folders .
Let's move on to the settings, and please hold on to your hats because there are a lot of them. That doesn't mean you have to use them all, but they are there if you want them. A lot of users will probably be quite content with the app's standard settings.
I will focus on general settings; there are settings for folders and/or accounts that are similar to the general settings on the whole.
There are seven different categories:
- Display
- Interact
- Messages
- Network
- Misc
- Data privacy
- Troubleshooting
The display settings let you pick a theme, though there are currently only two to choose from: a light one and a dark one.
You can also set a font size for the various lists (accounts, folders, messages and message display).
The date format can be changed; animations can be deactivated; a more compact display can be activated; splitscreen can be deactivated, change the number of sentences displayed per email preview; select to have email addresses displayed rather than the senders' names and activate your favourite font. There are lots more settings, I'm just highlighting the most important ones.
Use the interactive settings if you want to start off in the combined inbox every time you start up the app.
Kaiten supports gestures which can be activated.
You can also use the device's volume buttons to scroll through messages.
Go to message settings in order to set up a sort of 'time-out' during which you won't receive any messages. If that isn't precise enough, go to 'Messages' and de/activate vibration alerts for individual accounts.
Data privacy settings can be altered so as to display or hide the subject line in emails.
And lastly, well, there's not that much of interest to say regarding the miscellaneous and troubleshooting settings.
Bottom line:
I'm very tempted to give Kaiten Email a whopping five stars... but then there's the issue with the missing thread-view for conversations. Kaiten Email is nonetheless is a league of it's own—it may very well be the best alternative there is to the normal Android email app.
Screen & Controls
Section rating:
Kaiten Email does come across as messy and confusing at first glance—and I don't know that a certain air of chaos could be avoided with such a high volume of functionality.
It takes but a few minutes to figure the app out, however.
Kaiten's design is perfectly fine, though not mind-blowing. The red frame is nice and you can't really except that much more of an email app.
Speed & Stability
Section rating:
Kaiten Email is very, very fast. There are basically no loading times, unless you want to consult an email that hasn't been saved to the device and it has to be reloaded via a bad connection.
Kaiten Email didn't crash at all throughout our test runs.
Price/Performance Ratio
Section rating:
Kaiten Email usually costs €4,23 / US$6,13, which is admittedly quite a lot, but worth it if you are looking for an ultra efficient setup app. However, seeing as it is our app of the week you can download it for only €2,19 / US$3,17.
Developer
Top App:
Kaiten Email
Kaiten Mail is an advanced email client for Android. Based on the award-winning K-9, (...)
Kaiten Mail is an advanced email client for Android. Based on the award-winning K-9, (...)
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Kaiten Email
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Market Comments
Gordon, Apr 18, 2012
Almost there !! Best by a country mile of the 5 email clients for android I have tried, and the one I'll be using from now on. Only missing feature is conversation view - but only the otherwise crap gmailapp does have it so its probably googles fault
ILuv9mm, Apr 17, 2012
Changed my mind Task Crashes a lot, sometimes while running in BG. Scrolling not smooth when'd you start to get up close to 1000 messages which is normal for me. Can't create filtered folders,az it was aplliluded to. Almost ready for prime time when they get all that fixed. Just slights better than k9, but I can see several cosmetic impooewnents.
Bobby, Apr 16, 2012
Using Kaiten w/APG for PGP Encryption I am using K10 with the APG app for PGP encrypted email access. The process is not as straight forward as one would hope, but it does work. Some of the problem is with AGP. It would be nice to have the AGP feature built-in the K10. Reading encrypted email is not supported directly within K10, and I have to save the message else where, and decrypt with AGP. Sending encrypted messages is easier, being able to do that within K10.
Markie, Apr 13, 2012
Amended because I had 'Polling' enabled **Amended because I had 'Polling' enabled, works perfectly now**
Steve, Apr 10, 2012
Sold on this! (former k9 user) Nothing else to say but love the app. Feature Request: the option to change preview to show 'only' in landscape mode, difficult on phone.
Joyll, Apr 10, 2012
Suddenly STOPPED working! Haven't had access to my email in 5 days bc this app suddenly stopped polling claiming 'command sensitive response' There's no other decent email clients for android so what am I supposed to do. I changed nothing, it literally STOPPED working.
David, Apr 10, 2012
Awesome! I have been using this for a while now, it's the best E-mail app I can find for android!
mike, Apr 10, 2012
Best email app. The developer has a rolling out new changes which are very nice. The display is getting better and better good job.
anMoney Users, Apr 10, 2012
Brilliant! It does everything anyone would want from an email client. Tried many and this is by far the best.
Patrick, Apr 9, 2012
Not good I need to keep my 7 accounts seperate not "bundled" in one huge folder. Sorry but this app doesn't cut it.
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