Surface RT specific - Outlook 2013RT, Mail App related

[kristalsoldier]

Hi all,

So, with Win 8.1 (RT) scheduled for a release in late August, I am guessing that it will also come with Outlook 2013RT.

Currently, I use the Mail app and while it is not the best of apps, it works - I have my work account, Gmail and Outlook.com accounts tied to it. I use the Calendar app on the RT and that works OK too. I do this on both the Surface and my Win 8 desktop machine.

Recently, for my desktop machine, I bought Office 365, which includes Outlook, but I have not set it up yet. I am waiting for Outlook RT to arrive and in the interim I am thinking on whether it makes sense to set it up - both on the RT and my desktop.

My workplace has no MS Exchange stuff so that is not a consideration. So, what do you folks recommend? Should I abandon the Mail/ Calendar app and plunge into Outlook? Or, should I just ignore it. Btw, I also have a Win 8 phone - though I don't know whether that makes any difference to my making a decision on this matter.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jnjroach]

During the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference Keynote this morning they Demo'd the new Mail App that will ship with 8.1 RTM and it is much improved some very cool features that aren't in Outlook 2013, such as Newsletter View and Social Media View (the client sweeps for Newsletter Emails and Social Media Emails and places them into special folders that you control).

With that said, I use both Outlook and Mail for all my accounts. I use Mail as a lite weight client in the Modern UI and use Outlook while working especially for OneNote integration. If you want Live Tile and Start Screen integration you still need to use the built in apps but they do sync correctly.

 

[kristalsoldier]

During the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference Keynote this morning they Demo'd the new Mail App that will ship with 8.1 RTM and it is much improved some very cool features that aren't in Outlook 2013, such as Newsletter View and Social Media View (the client sweeps for Newsletter Emails and Social Media Emails and places them into special folders that you control).

With that said, I use both Outlook and Mail for all my accounts. I use Mail as a lite weight client in the Modern UI and use Outlook while working especially for OneNote integration. If you want Live Tile and Start Screen integration you still need to use the built in apps but they do sync correctly.

Thanks. One question: So, for example, I receive a mail into my work account. I access this in Outlook. So, it is marked "read" in Outlook. Will that same mail be marked "unread" in the Mail app?

 

[tonyz3]

During the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference Keynote this morning they Demo'd the new Mail App that will ship with 8.1 RTM and it is much improved some very cool features that aren't in Outlook 2013, such as Newsletter View and Social Media View (the client sweeps for Newsletter Emails and Social Media Emails and places them into special folders that you control).

With that said, I use both Outlook and Mail for all my accounts. I use Mail as a lite weight client in the Modern UI and use Outlook while working especially for OneNote integration. If you want Live Tile and Start Screen integration you still need to use the built in apps but they do sync correctly.

ditto me too

 

[jnjroach]

If you open the mail in Outlook, it will be marked as read in Mail and Vice Versa...

 

[kristalsoldier]

Thanks very much. That's good to know. I think I'll set up Outlook on both the desktop and the RT when its released with 8.1. Till then I'll plod along with the Mail and Calendar app on both machines.

 

[ArnoldC]

Outlook 2013 RT gave my Surface RT a much needed boost for use in my workplace. The Modern Mail app that I learned to love has one glaring deficiency- it can't read appointments sent to me. So prior to Outlook 2013 RT, I use my Windows Phone 8 to read the appointments and do accept/decline/tentative as I please. It then goes to the Modern Calendar app and my Outlook 2013 calendar on the Acer S3. I am pleased by WP being the glue, but now it'll just a backup.

 

[hotphil]

If you open the mail in Outlook, it will be marked as read in Mail and Vice Versa...

I think that might depend on the server type. As you've no Exchange server for your work account you'll be connecting via IMAP or SMTP I guess. If marking-as-read happens currently across devices when you use the Mail app, I guess you're using IMAP. So as long as you set Outlook to connect to your work account with IMAP, it should be the same.

 

[ArnoldC]

I would agree to that. I use IMAP on Mail app then, as there was no choice. But use POP3 now with Outlook 2013 RT and have my .PST files on the SD card. I still use IMAP on my Windows Phone 8 and Android though.

 

[jnjroach]

This is true, if your provider is still using the legacy protocol of PoP3 each client is handled independently....

 

[kristalsoldier]

I would agree to that. I use IMAP on Mail app then, as there was no choice. But use POP3 now with Outlook 2013 RT and have my .PST files on the SD card. I still use IMAP on my Windows Phone 8 and Android though.

That's another things - those PST files. Over time, if I remember correctly, they get huge. How much space do those PST files take up on your card currently? And how did you get them to be defaulted to the SD card? THanks.

 

[ArnoldC]

1. During setup of the account, it will ask you where to save the PST file, so it's good.
2. I keep an annual storage of the current PST files.
3. I keep an archive strategy where year-old emails are moved to an archive PST.
4. Archive PST files moved to NAS and DVD.
5. Using Outlook Rules, I am able to keep the current PST to less than 1GB.
6. I have two PST files, one for work and one for personal.