Slashdot Asks: How Do You Like the New Gmail UI? (vortex.com)

Earlier today, Google pushed out the biggest revamp of Gmail in years. In addition to a new material design look, there are quick links to other Google services, such as Calendar, Tasks, and Keep, as well as a new "confidential mode" designed to protect users against certain attacks by having the email(s) automatically expire at a time of the sender's choosing. Long-time Slashdot reader Lauren Weinstein shares their initial impressions of Google's new Gmail UI: Google launched general access to their first significant Gmail user interface (UI) redesign in many years today. It's rolling out gradually -- when it hits your account you'll see a "Try the new Gmail" choice under the settings ("gear") icon on the upper right of the page (you can also revert to the "classic" interface for now, via the same menu). But you probably won't need to revert. Google clearly didn't want to screw up Gmail, and my initial impression is that they've succeeded by avoiding radical changes in the UI. I'll bet that some casual Gmail users might not even immediately notice the differences.

The new Gmail UI is what we could call a "minimally disruptive" redesign of the now "classic" version. The overall design is not altered in major respects. So far I haven't found any notable missing features, options, or settings. My impression is that the back end systems serving Gmail are largely unchanged. Additionally, there are a number of new features (some of which are familiar in design from Google's "Inbox" email interface) that are now surfaced for the new Gmail. Crucially, overall readability and usability (including contrast, font choices, UI selection elements, etc.) seem so close to classic Gmail (at least in my limited testing so far) as to make any differences essentially inconsequential. And it's still possible to select a dark theme from settings if you wish, which results in even higher contrast. Have you tried the new Gmail? If so, how do you like the new interface?

Comments

I POP it

[Stan92057]

So i can careless, i POP all my email to Thunderbird until i cant. then will create my own email server but as long as i can POP it im happy.

Re:I POP it

[Anonymous Coward]

That's cause gmail has no concept of folders. Everything just gets tagged in some way and jumbled into one folder. Pretty much your only hope for finding something more than a few days old is hoping it turns up in a search. It's a fucking mess for productivity. I just started a job where they use gsuite and it fucking blows for productivity. Thankfully they are making a move to to office and I should be able to use outlook again. Say what you will about outlook but an actual email client is far more productive than anything that any web mail can do when dealing with an endless torrent of emails.

What?

[Kozar_The_Malignant]

My IMAP interface with gmail remains unchanged. I have never been infected with the desire to use any webmail, especially Google's. As long as they allow IMAP or POP connections, I will continue to use gmail, but not for anything important.