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Gmail’s big redesign helps you spend less time in your inbox
We probably don't need to tell you that Gmail has become the email service of choice for innumerable people since it first went live in 2004. New features have been added at a steady clip ever since, but we haven't really seen a big redesign since 2011, though you could consider the addition of inbox tabs in 2013 a significant change, too. Whispers started cropping up earlier this month of another considerable overhaul, which Google is formally revealing today. What's immediately obvious is the new flatter, cleaner look intended to bring Gmail more in line with Google's Material Design principles -- the web version of Calendar got similar treatment last year. The bulk of what's new here, though, is a swath of features designed to make Gmail a more productive place for business users. But the updates apply to Gmail as a whole, so there's plenty for the personal user to play around with, too.
Google Inbox finally lets you attach files from Drive
It's been almost two years since Google launched Inbox, its vision for a smarter way to keep your email under control. The company has added plenty of features since launch, but there are still a few things left that you can only do in traditional Gmail. Today, Google's cutting down that list a bit by adding the ability to directly attach any files stored in your Google Drive to new emails in Inbox. It's been years since that feature was added to Gmail, and it's pretty handy if you're deep in Google's ecosystem, so we're glad to finally see it show up in Inbox.
Google's Inbox app now has smarter search results
Google's Inbox may take a bit of getting used to, especially if you've been using the plain vanilla Gmail interface for years, but once you dig in there's a lot of powerful and useful features to find. (Some of them can get a little weird, though.) Today, Google is releasing some tweaks to make Inbox's search feature more useful. For starters, when you look for something like a shipping tracking number, frequent flyer number, hotel reservation, bill or a number of other pieces of info that are buried somewhere in your email account, Inbox will surface it at the top of your search results.
Google Inbox suggests the perfect time to resurface 'snoozed' emails
When you snooze an email in Google's Inbox app, you're normally given a few different reminder options: three customised defaults, "someday," the last custom time you used, and a manually set place or time. For many emails, that means tapping the latter option and choosing a time slot the old fashioned way. It can be a little tiresome, so now Google is introducing contextual reminders. If you snooze an email that contains a date and time, Google will automatically suggest when to resurface it. So if you've booked a table at a restaurant, that might be an hour beforehand, or if you're waiting on a package it could be the morning that it's due to arrive. It's not the most earth-shattering addition, but Inbox is all about smarter email management -- and now it's just a little bit smarter.
Google's 'Inbox' email app is now available on the iPad
Google's drastically redesigned email app "Inbox" is still invite-only, but it's at least making its way to a wider range of devices. The company quietly released it on the iPad today, with availability in the US, Germany and possibly other countries as well (Google appears to be rolling out the update gradually). Because the app is so new, we've yet to test it on bigger-screen device, but it seems safe to say that Inbox will be as polarizing as ever. Based on the screenshot below, it's clear that the iPad version has the same condensed layout that people either love or hate, with similar types of emails clustered together, and more important messages bumped to the top. Assuming you appreciate what Google's doing, though, and you own an iPad, you can download the update right here.
Google's 'Inbox' is a smarter take on email, created by the Gmail team
If you're anything like us, Google's Gmail has an iron grip on your life. Google's looking to create a whole new iron grip with a new app from its Gmail team, and it's called "Inbox." What is it? That's a good question -- Google's made a demo slash advertisement video that we've dropped below. As far as we can tell, Inbox is a combination of Google Now and your Gmail inbox -- a "smart" inbox, if you will. It combines alike pieces of email (bank invoices, for example), highlights related information (like Google Now alerting you to flight changes, traffic, etc.) and keeps track of your life (it'll give you reminders, among other heads ups). Is this the end of Gmail? We seriously doubt it, but it is Google's latest foray into simplifying email. Head below for more!
