Daniel Pallett

If, like me, you have many email addresses, it is convenient to be able to use a single mail client to receive all your mail, and also reply from that same one. Google Mail (Gmail), Windows Live Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail all offer this. I’ll briefly outline how to do it with each, and then give a table at the end comparing their capabilities.

In Gmail you do it by clicking ‘Settings’ (top right of the page) and then click on the ‘Accounts’ tab. Then click ‘Add another email address’ and follow their instructions.

In the new Windows Live Hotmail, on the right hand side click ‘Options’, then choose ‘More Options…’ at the bottom (or just ‘Options’ in the classic version). Then under the ‘Manage Your Account’ heading click ‘Send and receive mail from other e-mail accounts’, then ‘Add an address to send mail from’.

In Yahoo! Mail click ‘Options’ then ‘Mail Options’. Then choose ‘Accounts’ from the menu on the left, then click ‘Add or edit an account’. (In the old classic version click ‘Options’ on the top right, then choose ‘Mail Addresses’). Now just choose ‘Add’ and follow the steps. When you get to the stage asking for POP mailbox details and you don’t want to give them you have the option ’skip this step’.

Gmail and Yahoo! Mail also allow you to retrieve emails from other POP mailboxes. Gmail and Yahoo! Mail Plus (that’s the version they charge for) also allow you to retrieve your emails via POP. Gmail also allow you to access your emails via IMAP.

I personally love the new Yahoo! Mail version!

	Gmail	Hotmail	Yahoo! Mail
Forward email	Yes	Only to a MSN or Hotmail address	Only in Yahoo! Mail Plus
Send emails from another address	Yes	Yes	Yes
Check other POP mail boxes	Yes	No	Yes
Access mail via POP	Yes	No	Only in Yahoo! Mail Plus
Access mail via IMAP	Yes	No	No