Google is going to mail Gmail even better (we hope). Right now, by invitation only, you can be part of the future of Gmail, which Google calls “Inbox by Gmail”. You can be part of the team that helps make Gmail even better and even easier to use. You can be a pioneer! You can be an explorer – like Lewis & Clark. You can be the first like Neil Armstrong. You can be influential like EB!
Here’s a little bit about the future of Gmail and how you can be part of it.
How to get Inbox by Gmail
Inbox starts with an invitation. The fastest way to get Inbox is from a friend, or you can send us an email at inbox@google.com.
Inbox is currently available for Android phones (4.1 and up), iPhone (iOS 7 and up), and Chrome browser on a computer.
How to get an invite
There are two ways to get an invite for Inbox by Gmail:
Ask a friend who has Inbox
People who already have Inbox will get invites to share with their friends. When you get an invite from a friend, you’ll be able to start using Inbox as soon you download the Inbox app on your phone.
Send us an email
You can request an invite by sending an email to inbox@google.com. We’ll add more people to Inbox every week. You’ll get an email from the Gmail team with your invite.
After you get an inviteHere’s how to start using Inbox after you receive your invitation email:
Download one of the mobile apps:
Inbox app for Android phones
Inbox app for iPhone
Sign in to the mobile app using the account that was invited.
After you’ve signed in on mobile, you can use Inbox on your computer. Go to inbox.google.com using Google Chrome.
Send an invite to a friendOnce you get Inbox, you’ll have invites to send to your friends. Here’s how to send an invite:
Open Inbox.
In the bottom right, go to the Create button .
Choose Invite to Inbox .
Comparing Gmail with Inbox by Gmail:
| Common actions that are the same | |
|---|---|
| Gmail | Inbox |
| Archive | Done |
| Delete | Move to Trash |
| Report spam | Move to Spam |
| Compose | Compose |
| Common actions that are similar | |
| Gmail | Inbox |
| Star | Pin |
| Read later (mark as unread) | Snooze |
| Email yourself | Create a reminder |
| Organize with inbox categories | Bundle labels in your inbox |
| Create labels & filters | Create custom labels & automatically add emails |
From the lack of comments, I would say most of us seniors are like me. I use my phone for audio communication, I do occasionally send a text or take an picture. So far, I have just not been able to justify the cost of buying and monthly fee for an iPhone or Android. I have a hand-me-down iPad 1 that I use to download books but the screen is much bigger than a phone’s screen would be and when we travel, I use it as a type of GPS and sometimes look up a restaurant or shopping along our route. I pay a $30.00 fee a month to get to the internet on my iPad and only pay for it on the months we are actually traveling. It connects easily to my home Wi-Fi when not traveling.
All this to say, I think I will just stay with my current Gmail program.
Anyone else have any thoughts?
I guess I will just have to do without it. I have a Windows Phone which is not included in the plan. Too bad. (for them).
I have an Android phone and Gmail already. I can’t see anything that would make me ask for an invite. When I got my Android phone, I specifically opened a new Gmail account just so my phone wouldn’t aggravate me to death with regular email notifications. I dunno………..seems like, much ado about nothing, to me.
I like it just the way it is. Why do they always mess with something that people can actually use it. Add the phones, but leave my gmail alone. I really don’t know how they could possible make it easier to use than it is now. I have the latest phones and an LG G pad 8.3 LTE. I text on my phone and use the pad to look up things while traveling. Looks to me like the only things they are changing is the titles of the actions it now does and of course allow phones to use. I hope they still give people the right to choose between the two.