The OS X version of Sparrow, a popular alternative mail application, has been updated to version 1.5. The update brings bug fixes and 3 new features:

- Dropbox integration. Drag, drop, send (and sync). Sending a mail with attachment has never been simpler.
- Improved search with tokens and suggestions.
- Remote image blocking for a better Spam control.

sparrow
MacStories writes of the update:

New to Sparrow is Dropbox integration, which uploads large attachments to Dropbox as an alternative to CloudApp. If you’d prefer to use Dropbox over CloudApp (or haven’t yet connected to one of these optional services), you can visit the Services tab in the preferences to choose your option. You’ll have to log out of CloudApp first if you plan on using Dropbox (you have to restart the app to see the new login buttons). If you upload an attachment that’s bigger than 25 megabytes in size, Sparrow will choose Dropbox as the alternative host for the attachment and continue to send your message.

Sparrow is available in two flavors, a free, ad-supported version, and a $9.99 fully-featured version.

Sparrow Free is available from the Sparrow website. Sparrow is available for $9.99 from the Mac App Store [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

achtung! Avatar
177 months ago
sparrow is beautiful, is clean and it's fast! sure it's doesn't have all the bells and whistles like outlook or entourage, but for me it's just perfect. since lion, the apple mail is too confusing while handling multiple accounts. i have 4 mail accounts simultaneously on Sparrow and its just works. i haven't had any trouble with configurations or compatibilities. they have a solid costumer support and Facebook staff, so you can post doubts and expect replies and tips from their teams really quick. i've tested a lot mail apps before buying Sparrow, and it was love at the first sight. do yourself a favor and grab a copy of Sparrow,and be prepare for the iPhone version too! ;) cheers
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Floris Avatar
173 months ago
I want mail to be one solution. Regardless what device or computer I am on.
Gmail has provided this in the past, by simply allowing me to add an account to any mail client, secured imap, or access via any browser.

Sparrow is a great mail app replacement, but not yet on every device.

Sparrow does not (yet) have push, does not (yet) have landscape mode support, and does not yet make use of the iPad resolution as a universal app (and probably have to pay for it yet again).

While looks are nice, they're certainly not everything, nor the solution in my opinion.

Sorry to be so negative, and I hope Sparrow isn't going to be like Instagram where it takes 2+ years before they support another device, and probably another two before they support landscape/ipad.

[edit] - Tweeted Co-founder of Sparrow and got some positive news from him:

https://twitter.com/#!/domleca/status/187810418440404992
"@Floris Push is coming, composing in landscape too. And iPad is in the works.", @domleca
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KALLT Avatar
177 months ago
I've had a mac for about 3 years but only started using the stock Mail.app about a year ago and I like it. How is Sparrow better?
I used Mail ever since I switched to a Mac. I just love the simple and elegant look, it is much more convenient than any web app. However, since Lion I actually hate it a lot. The long-awaited third column is glitchy and cannot be properly customised. The conversation view does not work with most e-mail providers including, to my astonishment, Gmail, whereas the much more useful ‘view by thread’ function is gone. Furthermore, the ‘simplified’ e-mail header is an impairment; it shows not enough in compact mode and too much in extended mode, while the save-attachment button is only viewable in the extended mode. For me, Mail for Lion feels like an unfinished product and I would love to get the old version back.

I think that Sparrow becomes more and more a solid alternative to Mail. It has some refreshing ideas, like the Facebook and Dropbox integration which seem very useful to me. The interface is much cleaner and the overall structure of the program is much more simple. However, I cannot use it as it does not properly support my university and work e-mail accounts. It works well with iCloud, Gmail and Yahoo, but not very well with other accounts. Also, I think Sparrow offers not enough customisation options, e.g. to remove the pictures in the mail list and to view all your folders at once, not only the folders per account (at least the last time I used it).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jpbl1976 Avatar
171 months ago
#1 - This is about the Mac app, not the iOS app, which already has push.

#2 - The current iOS version doesn't have push, so why would you quit using it when they go to a subscription push (which you can choose to opt out of)?

On the IOS tangent -- if you jailbreak, you can download Sparrow Push or Sparrow + and it enables push for Sparrow. I hope Sparrow doesn't close-off that functionality when they launch their subscription service.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
enklined Avatar
177 months ago
I must have been left behind when this 'popular' mail application was announced. I've never heard of it. Cant beat a good Safari window with gmail.com loaded inside it ;)

Oh, but you can. IIRC, Sparrow was made FOR Gmail; it's their specialty. Give the free version a look; I bought the app, and LOVE it. I have 5 gmail (and Google Apps) accounts and Sparrow works wonderfully with them.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lymanicempire Avatar
177 months ago
I've had a mac for about 3 years but only started using the stock Mail.app about a year ago and I like it. How is Sparrow better?

I don't think it's fair to say whether or not it's "better" than another mail app, per se; it's just particularly geared for—though not exclusive to—Gmail users. A few features especially worthy to note are:

• Supports using DropBox and CloudApp for attachments that exceed sending limits on most email hosts
• Has pretty comprehensive Gmail label support (unlike Mail.app's folder system)
• Supports Priority Inbox (a popular Gmail feature)
• Supports Facebook connectivity if the user prefers to link FB friends' images with email contacts (with live updating)

Perhaps development of Lion's Mail.app had been progressing for a while when Sparrow burst onto the scene, but for the uninitiated, many might claim that Lion's Mail stole most (all?) of its key features from Sparrow. In short, it's a rather top-notch program with incredibly helpful and consistent customer support, as well as solid and frequent feature updates.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Early Prime Day Deals on Apple Products

Saturday July 5, 2025 7:22 am PDT by
Amazon is soon to be back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront, and there are already many deals you can get on sale ahead of the event. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a ...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...