There are numerous options when it comes to email on your Android phone. Google Mail is the obvious choice, but your phone may come with another general email app and there are dozens in the app store. Which is best?

The Mail app in IOS on the iPhone and iPad has a useful swipe function that enables you to quickly deal with email in your inbox. You probably were not aware of this, but you can actually configure the swipe options.

Microsoft recently released a new email app and it is more modern and in some ways has superior features to the old app. You should switch from the old Outlook.com to the new Outlook. It is a bit confusing having two apps with almost the same name that access the same email account, but there is really no need to keep the old app and it can be uninstalled.

Google seems to be duplicating apps these days and there are two email apps, Gmail and Inbox, and two messaging apps, Hangouts and Messenger. The big question is whether the company will eventually phase out the old apps and force people to use the new ones. For now though, you can choose to use either apps for email and messaging. Should you switch from Hangouts to Messenger?

Rooms is a sort of throwback to the early days of the internet, perhaps even to bulletin boards before the internet existed. It is an app for iOS devices like the iPhone that people can use to create chat rooms. Unlike modern social networking services like Facebook, Twitter and others, Rooms is anonymous and that could be a problem.

Today's smartphones mean you are never unreachable and people can call, send text messages, send instant messages, and email you. You can be on a beach lying in the sun and still be in touch with work contacts, friends and so on. A constant stream of emails, especial work messages, can ruin a holiday though, so before you set off you should set an automated vacation response in Gmail to tell everyone you are away and that you'll get back to them when you return. You'll have much more fun on your holiday without the distraction of work emails.

Everyone who has an iPhone will be familiar with the Messages app on the iPhone, but did you know that it can send instant messages over the internet, and SMS and MMS messages over the phone network? How do you know which typer of message you are sending? Will it cost money to send a message to someone? Here’s how to find out.