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Gmailify Offers the 'Best of Gmail' Without a Gmail Address

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Attached to a certain email address that doesn't end in @gmail.com, but want Gmail features like spam protection and better inbox organization? Now you can have it all.

Google on Wednesday introduced a new tool called Gmailify, which lets you link an existing Microsoft Outlook, Hotmail, or Yahoo! Mail account to Gmail so you get "all the bells and whistles" of Google's email service without ditching your current address. Those perks include Google's advanced spam detection and blocking, a tabbed inbox that organizes your mail into groups, and Google Now cards that call out things like travel and hotel reservations based on your mail.

If you're already accessing your third-party email from the Gmail Android app, you'll just need to enable the "Gmailify" feature and you're good to go. If you don't already have a Gmail account, you'll need to first set one up to try this out; head over to Google's Support page for more detailed instructions.

Once you get it set up, when you sign in to the linked Gmail address you'll see your messages from the other provider in your mailbox, and you'll be able to read, reply, and organize your external mail just like you do in Gmail.

"Of course, you're always in control — so if you ever change your mind, you can unlink your account(s) at any time, and continue to access them through the Gmail app without using Gmailify," Google Software Engineer Michael Käser wrote in a blog post. "We're really excited to bring the best of Gmail to more people, and we're planning to add other email providers to Gmailify in the future."

Google first rolled out its tabbed Gmail inbox in 2013. The feature groups your mail into categories that you can pick, like Social, Promotions, and Updates alongside Primary, which is reserved for your most important messages.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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