Hi all,

A couple of days ago we have released a new version for the iPad. This is not just a “new version” as it is a complete ground-up redesign of the iPad client. In this post I would like to highlight some features and talk a bit about the rationale behind our thinking.

Inbox view

After talking to a lot of users we found that our idea of the people centric (or “faces”) view was not as valuable as we had expected it to be. People found it difficult to get an overview of who and what needs attention in their inbox. So we redesigned this view completely based on all this feedback and we went from this… 

We reduced the emphasis on the users avatar and went to a more traditional inbox look & feel. We have however taken into consideration the nature of the tablet and the way touches & swipes work; and have tried to give it a much more natural feel on the iPad (instead of just copying a traditional desktop client).

Message details view

The new message details view has also been redesigned from the ground up. The biggest complaints we have heard from in-depth interviews about email (specifically on the iPad) we have done with our users are:

• Context switching: clicking a link or opening an attachment causes a context switch, either to a different app or a different view, this causes you to loose track of where in the “inbox management process” you last were.
• Data integration: it is very hard to perform common tasks due to the “silo apps” model that Apple has created. Have a document in your Dropbox and need to attach that to a reply in response to a customer inquiry? Good luck… Same goes for the other way around: have data in your inbox that needs to be logged in Salesforce? Again this is a task that we put off until getting to the PC.
• Actions: people usually have no idea what will happen in Gmail when they press for example the “archive” button

With these things in mind we set out to redesign the message details view, this is what it ended up looking like this:

We have introduced a model that allows you to always keep track of which emails you have already seen. If you click an attachment or hyperlink, the app will not loose focus or switch to an external web browser for navigation.

Additionally on the top, buttons have been added for data integration with Dropbox and Evernote (these will be enabled very soon) and for starring/performing other actions against your Gmail inbox.

Lastly there is a quick reply feature that allows you to send short and concise replies to messages (because often that is what you do on the iPad anyway). In the actions menu you can always choose “reply all” to write a longer reply.

So what’s next?

This is just the tip of the iceberg, the very first version that lays the groundwork for things to come. We are very excited about opportunities that tablets such as the iPad create and see a lot of ways we can improve your daily workflow saving you time and money.

The next version will bring numerous enhancements such as: speed, stability, better document management, etc.

You can give your valuable insights and ideas for future development of Inbox2. Head on over to our support page and let us know what you think: http://www.getsatisfaction.com/inbox2

Thanks for using Inbox2 and help us by spreading the word.

Waseem Sadiq

CTO, Inbox2