And I really need to figure out a way to back up my mail.

I've been meaning to try out Gmail Backup from gmail-backup.com. It looks like they try to make it easy. Setting up a local client like Outlook or Thunderbird to download messages via IMAP would work too, but it can get complicated.

I set my Gmail for pop access, and have Thunderbird making a copy of all my Gmail, leaving a copy on the server. I set it and forget it, as long as I open Thunderbird with regularity, it gets downloaded. And Thunderbird opens a lot when I send links to friends from Firefox.

GMail to an offline archive.

I've heard very good things about Backupify, though I haven't tried them personally.

Does everyone have a tracker or something installed on their smartphone/tablet in case of loss or theft? I realised that with the way Android Market works, I can install something remotely on mine to do that after if it's been stolen, if I'm fast enough.

How Plan B found the Droid I was looking for

I'm using that backup-gmail.com application right now. Seems to be working great. I watched it download my messages until some of the subject lines from when I first got the account (in college) got embarrassing. Then I minimized it. But it seems to be backing up just fine.

ETA: It doesn't seem to come in a mac version, BTW, though the Linux version might work on a mac.

With the new Yahoo sucking, and the increasing desire to not use Google, anyone have a rec for free email?

How tied up in the Apple infrastructure are you? Apple will have free email later this fall.

Except for my iPod, not at all. Although (hang on to your hats), I was in the AT&T store yesterday contemplating smartphones. Apple might work.

And, of course, now they're a client.

Plan B is indeed the software I was looking for.

I use gmail a lot, but my primary email address will always be my own domain name. That hasn't had to change in a decade or more. I'm sure Apple will do something to suck soon. Every lets you down.