Google's Inbox gets 'smart replies' on the web
Here's an easier way to blast through your overflowing inbox.
With "smart replies," Google's Inbox app gave us an easy way to respond to emails on our phones without typing. Now, that feature is headed to Inbox on the web. For the most part, it works the same way: When viewing an email, you can choose from three common responses at the bottom of your window. Tapping one instantly fills out a reply message, which you can edit if need be. Google says 10 percent of Inbox mobile users are already using smart replies, but it'll be interesting to see if desktop users latch onto it more.
It's been around a year and a half since Google first introduced Inbox, and while it seemed like an interesting spin on email management at the time, we haven't heard much about it lately. At first, it seemed like an intriguing experiment around the future of email, with its focus on categories, reminders and algorithmic smarts. Personally, I've found it difficult to integrate Inbox into my workflow, mainly because I'm worried about missing out on potentially important messages.
