Email can be overwhelming. Important messages get lost amidst junk messages and endless threads zap productivity. If you ever hit "inbox zero," it probably only remains that way for a few minutes.
And yet, email is still around because it works. It can just get a little unwieldy sometimes, and that's where Google's new Inbox app comes in.
"Years in the making, Inbox is by the same people who brought you Gmail, but it's not Gmail: it's a completely different type of inbox, designed to focus on what really matters," Sundar Pichai, senior vice president of Android, Chrome, and Apps, wrote in a blog post.
In a demo video (below), Inbox looks like a combination of the Facebook news feed and the Dropbox-owned Mailbox app, with a little bit of Google Now thrown in.
Inbox features Bundles, which let you "deal with similar types of mail all at once." Google said it's an extension of the tabbed inbox option added to Gmail last year.
"For example, all your purchase receipts or bank statements are neatly grouped together so that you can quickly review and then swipe them out of the way," Pichai said. "You can even teach Inbox to adapt to the way you work by choosing which emails you'd like to see grouped together."
Meanwhile, Inbox will highlight important information like flight itineraries, event information, and photos and documents from friends and family. "Inbox will even display useful information from the Web that wasn't in the original email, such as the real-time status of your flights and package deliveries," Pichai said.
You can also set your own reminders, which Inbox will enhance with extra information known as Assists. "If you write a Reminder to call the hardware store, Inbox will supply the store's phone number and tell you if it's open," Pichai said. "If you make a restaurant reservation online, Inbox adds a map to your confirmation email."
You can snooze reminders and set them to re-appear at a certain time or location.
Inbox from Gmail is currently available on Google Play; it does not appear to be the App Store. Google said users will need an invite to get started; email inbox@google.com to get on the list.
"When you start using Inbox, you'll quickly see that it doesn't feel the same as Gmail—and that's the point. Gmail's still there for you, but Inbox is something new," Pichai concluded. "It's a better way to get back to what matters, and we can't wait to share it with you."
For more, check out PCMag's top Gmail tips in the slideshow above.