Mozilla Thunderbird for Android is now available in beta, built upon the K-9 Mail app.

The beta includes core email features like account setup, email organization, and notifications, with feedback encouraged from users.

Thunderbird for Android will remain a separate app from K-9 Mail, requiring users to migrate if they previously used K-9.

  • pixelscript@lemm.ee
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    6 days ago

    For anyone who was using K-9 wondering why Thunderbird looks no different, it’s because they aren’t different.

    They build both apps from the exact same codebase. Only difference between the two are the default color scheme, the branding icons, and the text strings of the application’s name. It’s literally just a choice of which brand skin you prefer.

    Which, honestly, kinda cool. A virtually zero-cost way to keep a few K-9 stans happy.

    • Lucy :3@feddit.org
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      6 days ago

      As long as it’s compliant with Thunderbird, eg. using the same autoconfig at /mail/config-v1.1.xml, I’m happy.

      • Ephera@lemmy.ml
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        6 days ago

        I cannot imagine that it would support that. Android generally does not give its users root access…

        • Lucy :3@feddit.org
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          6 days ago

          No, autoconfig is a way for mail servers to tell clients the config they should use (ports, ssl/starttls, username, name/domain of the server, authentication for imap, pop and smtp). There are multiple standards by different mail client devs, eg. Thunderbird, K-9 Mail and some other check for autoconfig.<mailserverdomain>/mail/config-v1.1.xml and outlook etc. check for a “autodiscover” SRV record, or use autodiscover.<emaildomain> or check <emaildomain>/autodiscover/autodiscover.xml. As you see, it’s a mess. Well, only Outlooks “standard” is, as usually you wouldn’t care because M$ Winshit Crasher Server does that automatically, so they don’t care about good docs. Thunderbirds autoconfig is pretty well made and documented tho.

          • InFerNo@lemmy.ml
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            6 days ago

            Literally running into this problem. I have a microsoft account with shared calendar and just can’t seem to add it to the outlook app. It keeps trying to go to my domain. There’s a button to specify the provider, outlook, but it just won’t do it. Can’t tell what this closed source garbage is doing wrong, it shows the manual entry fields with my server’s info entered wrongfully.

  • scrion@lemmy.world
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    6 days ago

    Honestly, if you’re in the audience for Thunderbird on Android, you probably also want to have a look at FairMail instead.

    Edit: phrasing

    • ISOmorph@feddit.org
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      6 days ago

      Why? What does FairMail do better? The headline says it’s privacy oriented, but so is k-9.

      • johant@lemmy.ml
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        6 days ago

        I’d say customizability. Haven’t used k-9 since I found FairEmail so can’t really say anything about how it is now but it used to be pretty bare bones. At least compared to FairEmail.

      • d_k_bo@feddit.org
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        6 days ago

        I love FairEmail’s simplified mail viewer that doesn’t render HTML mails completely and they look more like an enhanced plain text mail instead.

      • m4m4m4m4@lemmy.world
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        6 days ago

        I agree, it’s kind of funny in their website claim they don’t put “bells and whistles” in their UI yet it looks way cluttered compared to K-9/Thunderbird.

        No doubt it can work better than the aforementioned but it’d be nice if their devs could be a bit humble and recognize its UI could get some love and it would be beneficial for FairEmail.

    • onlooker@lemmy.ml
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      6 days ago

      I’m sure it’s a very capable email client, but the UI just didn’t mesh well with me.

    • pedroapero@lemmy.ml
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      6 days ago

      I uninstalled it quickly after finding out it was trialware (missing features; popups to pay)

      • howler@lemmy.zip
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        6 days ago

        They have a desktop for Linux??? I’ve been using it for years and I only get to learn this now! I’m going to try it immediately lmao. Thank you!!

  • Don_alForno@feddit.org
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    6 days ago

    Noob question:

    Is there any advantage over my phone’s stock email client, considering 99% of my emails are confirmation emails from online shops and similar stuff and I hardly ever actually send an email to anyone or receive one from an actual person anymore?

    • hector@sh.itjust.works
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      6 days ago

      Not for you indeed ! But for me who works on code project through email this is exciting :)

      And for people who work in pokitics/administrative stuff, they use a SHIT TON of emails

      Not even mentioning people in university

    • Taylor@mstdn.social
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      6 days ago

      @Don_alForno @AnActOfCreation AFAIK, some clients can block external trackers and block images from loading (because images can have trackers)

      I don’t know if it’d benefit you tremendously, but it’s worth the shot imho. but that’s because I love trying out new apps lol

  • Jeena@piefed.jeena.net
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    6 days ago

    OK, I switched. I don’t know if it’s a placebo because it looks identical but ut feels smoother.

    • Cris@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      For me it definitely looks different, are you sure you have the new version…? They’ve updated a lot of the UI elements to material design 3, but kept all the same layout and whatnot

      I really like it so far! Feels like a really welcome refresh

  • timbuck2themoon@sh.itjust.works
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    5 days ago

    Seems slicker than k9 and a bit speedier.

    Downside is it appears using openkeychain is not working for encrypted emails. I fill in the settings but it still won’t show it, even after closing the app and reopening.

    Edit- it works now. No idea what I did it didn’t do.

    • Baggins@beehaw.org
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      6 days ago

      ‘You can download Thunderbird Beta on the Google Play Store, or get the latest pre-release version from the Github Releases page.’

    • gedaliyah@lemmy.world
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      6 days ago

      It’s just launched today in beta. I’d expect it to be there eventually, but you can grab it from GitHub if you want to try it.

      • Ephera@lemmy.ml
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        6 days ago

        Well, an unbranded build would be perfectly possible, like how “Fennec” is just a build of Firefox. In case they continue to release updates for K-9, that would be an unbranded app right there…

    • Melco@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      On the surface it looks the same as K9. Under the surface however Mozilla added spyware and their mozilla telemetry tracking code…

    • j4yt33@feddit.org
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      6 days ago

      I’m interested in Thunderbird but I’ve been very happy with aquamail, so no reason to switch