I use both, and I think a lot of people in my age group (30s) are the same way. Gmail is for low-importance things generally I don't need to read, like order co

I use both, and I think a lot of people in my age group (30s) are the same way. Gmail is for low-importance things generally I don't need to read, like order confirmations and the random lists I get on because I gave my address to some site. Apple Mail is for stuff I care about - work, personal projects, family relationships, and other serious topics that are worth investing time in. Gmail has top-notch spam detection, and there's no need to wait while thousands of emails download, which is great. As for negatives, I find the GMail interface to be cluttered and confusing, with its ads, the annoying black bar at the top, random hovering elements, and the occasional exhortation to Buzz / gchat / new Compose experience / whatever it is this week. The UI is unpleasant to spend extended periods in, which isn't conducive to thoughtfulness. Also, its search is bad ("1-20 of many"), so I am uncomfortable storing important data in it. It's part of a larger pattern. The web is for large quantities of stuff, with low signal to noise; desktop apps are for focusing. I read blog posts on the web, I read books with a native app. I watch cat videos on YouTube, I watch movies with native players. I think this separation is robust. Incidentally, YouTube does have a native iOS app, which I find to be much better than the web site on my iPad. The same is true for Hulu, NetFlix, and ABC's player. Oh, and Facebook!