Inbox
Life today revolves around your email and Gmail has also evolved to offer more and more useful features and functionalities. The new Inbox from Gmail is a popular update that allows users to reduce the clutter in their Inbox. Sometimes, the mails keep piling up and it is difficult to clear it. Google tried to fix this problem by using tabs, such as Social, Promotions and Primary, so the Primary Inbox is less cluttered. The latest in the offering is Inbox from Google and it offers an excellent experience.
How does Inbox Work?
Inbox was first offered only as an invite, but now you can download the app on your smartphone or tablet.
Bundles
The Bundles feature is an extension of the concept of Tabs started in Gmail. Specific types of emails are put in the same bundle. Google is now offering bundles named, Travel, Finance and Promos along with Updates, Purchases and Social in Inbox. In addition to these default bundles, users can also create their bundles and name them with the names of their contacts or friends or any other title, so that mail from that person goes into that specific bundle. Bundles are almost similar to a filter or a label in the previous Gmail, but you can do a lot of additional actions with them.
Using Bundles
For instance, you can now delete all the mails in a bundle with a single click. You can swipe the emails in a bundle as Done or just send it to trash, so that there is no necessity of clicking them one by one or even selecting them all, as in the old Gmail.
There is a dotted line on the top of the bundle and you can click on it. The drop down menu offers several options that you can choose for that mail. You can also shift mail from one bundle and place them in another bundle. Bundles also offer a feature known as Highlights. If the email has a PDF attachment or a picture, you can view these upfront and need not open the email.
Pins and Reminders
You can now convert your email into a ‘to do list’ as well by using the Pin feature. With the Pin option, you can select a particular email and then pin it. There is a Pin Mode view that is offered in the mobile application as well as the desktop site, where you can view the important pinned emails, showing the emails that you have selected for pinning. This is an excellent means of highlighting particular chosen mails that are important to you.
Creating a Reminder
You can also create a reminder using Inbox, for instance, by saying ‘Call this Restaurant’ or by saving a specific date for a meeting or an important event. When you save ‘Call this person’ or place, the app saves the number of the person or store as well in the reminder. This works very effectively, if the shop or place that you have mentioned is a well-listed one. You can also find a similar feature known as Tasks in Gmail, as it allows you to make a list of daily tasks. However, in case of Inbox, the Reminders features is offered in the Pinned Mode, so it brings in better visibility and is more useful.
Other Features
In addition, you have a Snooze option, where you can click on Snooze so that it reminds you to deal with the email later on, at a specific time or date.
Verdict
Inbox is a good complement to Gmail and it is a standalone app offering intelligent and useful features. It is quite easy to adapt to the features of Inbox. You will also feel safe while swiping a mail, as it is available in the ‘Done tab’ and you can always access it and bring it back to Inbox. No mail goes to the trash automatically. Once you get the hang of using Inbox, you might even stop using the Gmail app on your phone.
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