For those who would rather use a familiar email program instead, there are a number of options Outlook, Apple Mail and Mozilla Thunderbird (Mozilla is shifting gears away from Thunderbird development, but this client will still continue to work indefinitely). The Gmail web-based interface is one that requires some getting used to - even Google admits that. Here's the warning tale of one company's experience using Outlook 2011 with Google Apps. However, this benefit can come with an unexpected price tag in the form of complex problems. Several desktop email clients can be used to connect to Gmail.
