Gmail vs Plume

Since both the Gmail Android app and Gmail itself is made by Google, the app supports all features Gmail offers (like labeling/starring) and gets new features implemented early - usually as soon as they are announced.

Gmail brings much of the functionality and power of Google's search engine to the app's search. You can use operators such as label:, is:, OR, has: among others, define date ranges, limit search to specific groups and so on. And, you can do it all amazingly fast. The search will also try to predict what you're trying to search for before you've even finished your query and offer up those results.

The app allows inserting files from Drive straight to email or uploading attachments to Drive before sending them out. It will also notify if the person you're sending the file can open the file or if you should change the sharing settings for that file beforehand. Finally, you can choose which one of your Google accounts you want visible in the app.

Not only is the application free, it comes bundled with the Android OS by default so you don't even have to bother downloading it.

The app does not require a confirmation to show images as Google now hosts the images on their own servers making it safe. You can still disable the automatic displaying of images in the settings if you wish.

Gmail offers the ability to automatically organize your mail into specific categories:

• Primary
• Social
• Promotions
• Updates
• Priority

Each of the categories can be disabled and you can move your mail around from category to category or set your own rules which sender should be put in which category.

Allows easy switching of accounts withing the app.

Allows color-coded lists and users.

Hides a persons tweets from timeline without unfollowing them. Can also mute words and applications.

Plume has a built-in browser so you can view linked content without having to leave the application.

At the expense of more battery consumption you can tell Plume to "livestream" updates so you get notifications of events as they happen.

Embeds photo and video previews in timeline.

You can upload your picture to a selection of hosts. Among them Twitpic, Plixi, Posterous, and MyPict.me.

Embeds images in timeline.

Same application works on phones and tablets.