App: Mailbox

 

• Device(s) this app available on: iPhone

 

• Price: Free

 

• Straightforward user interface and easy to use: Yes

 

• Easy to set up: Yes

 

App Summary

The Mailbox is an email app for iPhone users that’s set to transform the way you use and interact with your inbox. The app uses a set of intuitive swipes, each corresponding to a different action with a flick of that finger. It’s designed and presented in a way that aims to take a streamlined and efficient approach to handling the masses of emails the discerning gent regularly receives. Expect nothing less from productivity experts at Orchestra, who are behind the app. It signals the end of death-by-email scenarios that many have experienced at one time or another.

 

The Good

The email management system on Mailbox is what separates this from Apple, and even Google’s own Gmail, app. Rather than confuse things with numerous actions you have four main swipes to contend with – half way to the right, half way to the left, and a full swipe right or left. Each option representing a choice for the email: delete, archive, schedule later and add to list. The schedule later facility is probably the most welcome new feature and effectively offers a ‘snooze’ function for the discerning gent who has no time to respond that moment – the app will set a reminder through the iPhone alert to give you a nudge later. Beautiful simplicity.

 

The Bad

The bad news is the Mailbox app is currently invite-only. Once you’ve downloaded the app you’re informed for your position in the list which is currently into the hundreds of thousands at the moment. Another drawback is that it’s only currently available for iPhone users with Gmail accounts. Elysium Magazine is told that plans to open this up across devices and email services are in motion, although timescales are unknown.

 

Verdict

The email system is a dated beast so any service that helps to transform this in a more effective way is always welcomed by the discerning gent. Mailbox certainly offers this aspect and the user controls are easy to master. The waiting list and invite-only approach is a drawback, but then Gmail launched in a similar way and looked what happened there.

 

Score: 9/10

 

Link to download the app: Here