Sparrow is a new gmail application that allows you to read your e-mail beautifully. It manages your e-mail offline, creates threads just as we love them in Gmail and even deals happily with labels etc.

The benefit over using the web version of Gmail? Well, to start with Sparrow is absolutely stunning. Secondly, it works offline (so no worries if you're on a train and want to catch up on some e-mail or find that old conversation). Finally - it integrates much better with everything else on your Mac, you can drag and drop files to create new mail message or to attach a new file to a mail message.You can click on an e-mail address in Contacts or anywhere else and have it easily open up as a new mail and so on and so on. 

Tip: If you want to be able to mail a PDF document in Sparrow from any other software on your Mac you can do that easily. Just click "Print" (in Word for example), then choose the PDF button, click "Edit menu", then choose "+" and find the Sparrow app. Click "OK", and now you'll have Sparrow always available in your list of places to Send PDFs to under the "PDF" menu in the print dialogue.

Tip #2: If you want to have access to your Gmail addressbook just as in Gmail but in Sparrow: Open up the "Address Book" application, select "Address Book" > Preferences in the menu, click "Accounts", click "On my mac", and then select the box "Synchronize with Google" and enter your username and password. Now Mac will download all your Gmail contacts to Address Book locally. Additional benefit: You can now edit your address book on your Mac and it will automatically synchronize with your Gmail!