I know this is confusing. There are few ways to access your email, POP3 or Webmail, and the not so common IMAP method.
To use POP3 method, you can use Outlook Express or Outlook. Yes, you need to do some setting before you can use. The emails are downloaded to your PC (through this setting can be overridden too).
Webmail method is easier. Gmail is one of them. In quick, your access to your mailbox is the same as like you are browsing a website.
Different methods use different port. What is port? Your broadband or Internet connection connects you and the servers via different port. We used to say a connection is down. But what users are not aware is, they didn’t mention what port is down.
In the case where your Webmail is down, you can try POP3. There is a convenient Web-based POP3 service which you can use when your Webmail is down, check out www.Mailreader.com
Just wonder whether you know of any free webmail reader similar to Mailreader but supports multiple accounts?
Also, since many people are surfing the web using mobile phone now, why is mobile webmail still not popular yet? I know there is Mailtrust but I just wonder why hosting providers still don’t include this in as a standard service.
Then we will be able to check our emails via multiple channels eg. pop, webmail, imap and also “mobile webmail” :-)
You can use Gmail, they support multiple POP account. Personally, it is hard to push that kind of product into mature stage. See, notebook getting smaller, or you can call it Netbook. Phone getting bigger in terms of technology and features. Connection is getting faster with Many G. Content provider can find it hard to develop one for all :)