Readdle, a company that’s responsible for a bunch of productivity apps, has brought out an update to its mail app, Spark Mail, that uses AI to summarise long emails into a few lines.

Called ‘+AI Summary’, it’s available in a new update to Spark Mail, available to premium users at $59.99 per year with a seven-day free trial on Mac and iOS. An ‘ai’ button will now be visible to generate a ‘Summary’ of whatever email you choose.

For example, this could be useful for reading those long threads of emails where you don’t know where to start. Or you could be signed up to a bunch of Newsletters, and you want a quick summary of the topics without manually filtering through the bloat.

This isn’t the first time that Readdle has used AI for its apps. Back in May 2023, it introduced Spark +AI to help generate short emails with a few prompts, alongside being able to use AI to organize your inbox. But all of these AI features feel genuinely useful, and that’s an important factor in this recent trend of AI-powered apps and services.

An AI that sounds useful, for once — iMore’s take

I’m a big fan of Readdle’s apps - I mentioned PDF Expert as one of the few apps we wished I had back at school. It’s one of the few companies that seems to understand that AI can be a tool, not a replacement for humans.

Using AI for email is a new trend that a couple of other email clients are also introducing. Canary Mail has a ‘copilot’ feature that lets you compose emails, alongside being able to shuffle through your unread mail to prioritize what needs looking at.

Google is also looking into this category, with features allowing AI to compose an email as well as being able to re-arrange your tabs in your inbox.

But for me, it’s Spark Mail that’s clearly using AI as a silent and useful tool, rather than an assistant that writes up emails for you.

I’m curious to see where else AI can fit in Readdle’s other apps, such as Calendar and PDF Expert. But for now, AI in email is an interesting frontier I’m keen to explore in the future.

Emailing is one of the most frequent activities we do on our computers. We all have different preferences when it comes to features and organization. If the Mail app that comes with your Mac doesn't provide the features you need, you're in luck — there are dozens of great email apps in the Mac App Store to choose from.

We've researched and tested them, and these are our favorites. They'll all function well on your best Mac, and work with the latest operating system MacOS Monterey. Each one has a little something special that makes it unique. If you're more of an iOS browser, check out iMore's best mail apps for iPhone and iPad.

Best mail apps for Mac: Polymail

Polymail for Mac offers a fantastic interface with cute buttons everywhere, so you don't have to think about what to do next. It looks like it belongs on a mobile device, except that you click the buttons instead of tapping them. (There is a mobile version also).

A fourth section appears whenever you select an email, displaying all of the past correspondences you've had with that particular contact or group of contacts. It's excellent for quickly tracking down something you've discussed in the past.

You can set up new mail with a pre-made template, send calendar invites, get notifications when someone has read your email, and schedule an email for delivery at a later time.

You can also write or respond to emails with rich text formatting. So, if you want to change the font, add bold lettering, bullet point a section, or even slap an emoji in there, it's all available right from the toolbar at the top of your new email.

Polymail can be used for free for seven days. From there, subscriptions start at $10 per month. If you are a heavy email user and these features entice you, give the free trial a run to see if it's worth your money.

Best mail apps for Mac: Spark – Email App by Readdle

Spark has this "Smart Inbox" feature that separates mail into categories: Personal, Notifications, Newsletters, Pinned, and Seen. That is, any email that is from someone in your contacts or otherwise looks like a personal email will be filtered to the top of the inbox list. Emails that look like alerts from companies you deal with, like your gas company or Amazon, include an alert or notification in a separate section. Below that, you'll see a section called "Newsletters," which is precisely that. Below that, there are emails you've flagged or tagged as necessary in some way. Lastly, emails you've seen but haven't moved to another folder.

Spark also allows you to snooze an email and come back to take care of it at a later time. This is invaluable when you regularly get emails that you need to respond to but don't have time for until the end of the day. I use it all of the time.

It also has gesture-based actions for getting to inbox zero. You can swipe to the right or left to delete, archive, pin, or mark an email as unread.

Best mail apps for Mac: Kiwi for Gmail

If you have one or more Gmail accounts, you should consider switching to Kiwi. This all-in-one triumph brings the look and feel of Gmail for the web to the desktop in the form of an app. With the service's unique Focus Filtered Inbox, you can view your messages based on Date, Importance, Unread, Attachments, and Starred. In doing so, you can prioritize your emails in real-time.

Kiwi for Gmail is free for a basic account, which allows you to use one Gmail account. Kiwi for Gmail Premium extends this to six accounts and is $34.

Best mail apps for Mac: Postbox

This well-received email app has been designed for professionals, but anyone with more than one email account should consider using it. For Mac and Windows, Postbox works with any IMAP or POP account, including Gmail, iCloud, Office 365, and more.

The premium app offers one of the fastest email search engines available, making it ideal for finding files, images, and other attachments. In addition, with the app's built-in Quick Bar, you can move a message, copy a message, switch folders, tag a message, Gmail label a message, or switch folders with just a few keystrokes.

Best mail apps for Mac: Hey

Unlike anything else on the market, Hey disrupted the email scene in 2020. Its focus is to provide customers with the tools to make sure only the most important emails are front-and-center.

It does this by providing you with a @hey.com email address that you can use to forward emails from your other accounts. From there, Hey makes it relatively pain-free to weed out any unnecessary emails.

Best mail apps for Mac: Microsoft Outlook

Apple and Microsoft may not always get along, but Microsoft Outlook runs well on a Mac. This subscription email app is compatible with macOS, including the latest version macOS Monterey.  

Microsoft Outlook provides excellent organization, filtering your most important emails into your focused inbox folder, and everything else into other. It seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Teams. Plus, you can chat in real time with Skype — right from your Outlook account.

Outlook enables you to manage your email, calendar, tasks, and contacts together in one place. It features easy-to-use tools and never uses personal data to target ads. It offers data encryption in your mailbox and after email is sent, automatic deactivation of unsafe links containing phishing scams, viruses, or malware (Premium), and ransomware detection and recovery for your important files in OneDrive (Premium).

You've got mail

With all of these mail apps, you're guaranteed to find something that helps you stay on top of your inbox. Whether you opt for a paid service like Hey or a free service like Spark, these apps will keep your email organized and efficient.

Updated September 2022: Guide updated to reflect price changes and more.

What you need to know

• The Gmail app for iPhone and iPad has been updated to add a new inbox widget.
• Gmail users can see the three most recent messages in their inbox without opening the app.
• The app's release notes make no mention of the change.

Users of iPhones and iPads can now take advantage of a new Gmail widget that shows the three most recent messages that are in your inbox. The App Store release notes don't mention the change, but the new widget can be added via the usual iOS 15 mechanism.

The new widget only displays the last three messages but it does show when they arrived as well as the subject line. The same widget also has a button that can be tapped to create a new email from scratch, too. The widget itself can live either on your Home screen or on the Today screen, whichever works best for you.

While the Gmail app is perhaps not the best iPhone app for reading email, it's the app that a ton of Gmail users will be reading email with and this widget is most welcome. As MacRumors point out, It joins the existing widget that shows a compose button and search option, building that into something that is much more useful.

The updated Gmail app can be downloaded from the App Store while those new to the app can also grab it now, too.

What you need to know

• You can now start and join voice and video calls from within the Gmail app.
• Calls can now be started by tapping a button in Google Chats.

If you're someone who likes to use Google Chat inside the Gmail app on your iPhone, you can now more easily start or join a video or voice call, too. While it was kinda sorta possible before, it's now a case of tapping a button rather than the convoluted invitation system that was present before.

Google confirmed the change in a new Workspace Update post, saying that the feature works for "1:1 chats."

Google says that the move has been made to make it easier for people to stay in touch at a time where some people are working from offices and others are working from home.

The Gmail app is the best iPhone solution for people who want to access their Google-hosted emails, especially if they also want to make use of features like Google Chat. Improvements like this will no doubt be welcomed by those who also make use of Google's calling features, too.

What you need to know

• Google has announced a number of updates for iOS and iPadOS.
• The company has launched a new inbox widget for the Gmail app.
• It has also launched Picture-in-Picture support for the Google Meet app.

In a blog post, Google has announced that it is bringing some new features to its apps on the iPhone.

The first of which is a new widget for the Gmail app. The new widget allows you to more easily manage your inbox with the ability to see the senders and subjects of your most recent emails.

Google has also brought Picture-in-Picture support to the Google Meet app. The company says it will do the same for the Gmail app "in the next few weeks."

Google has also launched keyboard shortcuts for Google Sheets. The company says the shortcuts will be available for both Bluetooth and Apple keyboards like the Magic Keyboard.

What you need to know

• Kiwi is offering a deep discount on business subscriptions for its Gmail and G Suite desktop app.

Kiwi, a popular Mac app that brings Gmail and G Suite to the desktop, has slashed the price it's charging for the business version of its software through the end of October. Instead of $85 per year per user, it's $59. In addition, the software allows you to bring apps like Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs, and more out of the browser and into a fully-fledged desktop app on your Mac.

In addition to the business package, Kiwi is available as a free lite version with limited features and only covers two accounts. Upgrading to the full version adds support for six accounts and more features like the popular "Focus Filtered Inbox. That version is currently $35 per year. The full and business versions come with a free 15-day trial.

Among its many features, Kiwi 3.0 includes a multi-windowed interface and recently closed documents section. The former lets you open every document-based Google application on the desktop in a separate window, which you can't do through a web browser. The latter makes it much easier to find your previous Google documents. It also remembers the size and placement of each window previously opened.

The app is also available on Windows for any businesses with teams that have both Mac and Windows users. The software still supports Gmail plugins and notifications as well.

What you need to know

• The Gmail app on iPhone and iPad now has a new Google Chat tab.
• The change is available to everyone with corporate and free Gmail accounts.

Google announced last year that it intended to make it easier for people to stay connected while working from home. To do that, it said that Google Chat would be rolled into the Gmail app and, as of right now, that's happened on iPhone and iPad.

Available to both corporate and free Gmail users, the move means that there are new Chat and Rooms tabs alongside the existing Meet and Mail tabs that people might be familiar with – Google Meet had already been rolled into the Gmail app. It isn't clear exactly when the change went live, but 9to5Google reckons it probably happened within the last few weeks.

The change appears to have been made server-side, but make sure you have the latest version of Gmail installed if you aren't seeing it yet. You might also need to enable it in the Gmail app settings, too. You can download Gmail for free from the App Store now.

Alongside push notifications for email, this is another reason not to use the iOS Mail app on your iPhone and iPad! That definitely doesn't mean that Gmail is one of the best iPhone apps around, though, because it very much isn't! Still, Gmail user who need Google Chat alongside their email will be happy as Larry today.

What you need to know

• Gmail for iOS has finally been furnished with privacy information as required by Apple.
• The change was made server-side, and the app is still two months without an update.

Google has finally added information to Gmail to comply with Apple's new iOS App Store privacy labels.

As noted by MacRumors:

Gmail has gone for weeks without an update ever since Apple introduced new measures to its App Store which show users how much data an app collects on them whilst they use it.

Google, which normally updates its iOS apps on a weekly basis, stopped updating its apps in early December, before promising in January that its apps on the App Store would be updated in January. From that report:

As MR now notes, Gmail does now have privacy information as required by Apple, but the app itself hasn't yet been updated for over two months.

What you need to know

• Supports browser Gmail extensions.
• Basic plan is still free.
• Support added for Apple M1 machines.

Zive recently announced the latest update for Kiwi for Gmail. The long-running Mac and Windows solution gives you the Gmail and Google Workspace experience in a desktop app. The Kiwi for Gmail 3.0 update adds numerous features, including full support for Apple silicon on the M1 versions of the Mac mini, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.

The latest version of Kiwi for Gmail supports browser Gmail extensions, including Grammarly, Zoom, Boomerang, and Right Inbox, with more launching throughout the year. The browser extensions for Gmail have long been popular with millions of users. Kiwi for Gmail 3.0 also adds offline email, making it possible to access your Gmail account without an internet connection. The update also includes a more robust contacts pane that makes it easier to find family and friends in your listing.

Other Kiwi for Gmail 3.0 highlights include:

• Full media integration - Video and music files of any type can now be opened in Drive or Gmail, allowing collaboration and work on all kinds of media in Kiwi
• Calendar notifications - Now part of Kiwi. Unlike the browser, they work in Kiwi without the calendar being open across all your accounts.
• Improvements to Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive, such as right-click to copy/paste or paste without formatting in documents
• A completely redesigned settings pane and refreshed menu bar dropdown.
• Google Tasks is now supported as an app inside Kiwi.

According to Eric Shashoua, CEO and Founder of Zive Inc., "Zive created Kiwi for Gmail 3.0 as a resource and solution for quick access to Gmail and Google app features by adding over-the-top features to make it more useful and the consumer more productive ... This new release enables individuals to access documents, plugins, messages, events, Google Drive and more with a single click."

Kiwi for Gmail offers monthly and yearly subscription options; for a limited time, new customers can save 25% off the premium plan, which is $25.50 per year or $2.25 per month. The basic plan, which is limited to only one Gmail account, is free.

For more information, visit the Kiwi for Gmail website.

What you need to know

• The Gmail app on iOS is now warning users that it is out of date.
• Ironically, there is currently no update available for the app.

As reported by MacRumors, a number of Google's iOS apps have gone so long without an update now that they are even warning users that they are now out of date.

Ironically, the app does not have an update available even if a user wanted to update to avoid the security risks the message warns about.

As noted by the report, Google has not updated the Gmail app for iOS and iPadOS since December 1 and most of its iOS and iPadOS apps since December 7. It has been increasingly rumored that the company is holding off on updating its apps on the iPhone and iPad to avoid having to display the privacy information now required by Apple on the App Store.

That rumor was downplayed by Google when the company said, back at the beginning of January, that it would be adding the privacy labels to its apps within a week.

However, over two weeks after that statement, the apps have less of a privacy label and more of a warning not to use the app at all.

Apple's default Mail app for iPhone and iPad is great. It's got a bunch of useful features that make your work and life easier. That being said, the Mail app only covers the basics, which is fine if you're just starting out. But if you're looking for other apps packed with more features. If you want to try a new mail app, here are five popular options. Don't worry; we'll also tell you how to set up third-party email apps on iPhone or your iPad.

How to set up your email in Spark

Spark is one of our favorite email apps to use, and for good reason. It can detect different email types in your inbox, so it splits them up accordingly (Personal, Notifications, and Newsletters) to be easier to manage. It works with Google, Exchange, Yahoo, iCloud, Outlook, Kerio Connect, and other IMAP email accounts. Getting it set up is easy, and you can have as many accounts as you want.

1. Launch the Spark app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. If this is your first time using Spark, you'll see a Welcome Screen, where you can tap on Skip or Got It.
3. Enter your email address into the text field.

4. Check the box for the Privacy Policy.
5. Tap on Next.
6. Spark will then launch your provider's website to sign in, make sure to tap on the Continue button.
7. Spark will ask you to let it send you Notifications. If you want this, tap on Allow.
8. Give Spark permission to access your email account in the in-app browser.

9. The email you've entered is now used for syncing your Spark data (multiple accounts and saved preferences) across multiple devices on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
10. Going back to Spark, confirm with the Start using Spark button.
11. Spart will ask you to access your iPhone contacts. To let it do it, tap on Allow.

The first email that you enter into Spark will be used to "log in" to Spark and sync your information across multiple devices using Spark. But you can also add as many individual email accounts as needed underneath this primary one.

1. In Spark, tap on the side panel button in the top left corner of the  Inbox view.
2. Tap on the Settings button at the bottom of the side panel.

4. Select Add Account.
5. Choose your provider.

6. Follow the on-screen instructions for the provider you've chosen.
7. Repeat steps 1 to 10 above for as many email accounts as you want to add in Spark.

How to set up your email in Airmail

Airmail is another popular third-party email app for iPhone and iPad that is packed with many useful features for power-users. It supports iCloud, Google, Exchange, Yahoo, Outlook, AOL, and generic IMAP and POP3 accounts.

Airmail is free to use, but you can subscribe to Airmail Pro, which brings a bunch of extra features, iPad trackpad support. If you're thinking about getting Airmail Pro, you should consider getting a trackpad keyboard for your iPad to step up your game to the next level.

1. Launch the Airmail app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Choose the account provider that you want to add.
3. Airmail will bring up the webpage for your selected provider so you can log in with your credentials.
4. Grant Airmail access to your account by tapping the Allow button.

5. Agree to Airtable Terms and Conditions, and you can also let Airtable send you notifications for future deals.
6. Click Continue.
7. Grant Airmail access to send notifications and whichever bits of information you want it to access (Contacts, use Siri, etc.).

Again, Airmail supports multiple accounts, and there is no limit to the number you can have. Here's how to add more accounts in Airmail.

1. Tap on the hamburger button (three lines) in the top left corner of the Inbox view.
2. Tap on Settings in the bottom left of the side menu.
3. Select Add Account from the menu.

4. Repeat steps 2-7 from the above section for all of your accounts.

How to set up your email in Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is a great option that's geared more towards business email use. But don't be fooled by the branding—Outlook works with several different email services, including Hotmail, Outlook, Gmail, Live, MSN, Yahoo, and Microsoft.

1. Launch Outlook on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Input your work or personal email address into the text input field.
3. Tap on Add Account.

4. Outlook will launch the provider webpage for you to log in with your credentials.
5. Tap on Allow to give Outlook permission to access your data.
6. Outlook will then verify and add your account.
7. Outlook will ask if you'd like to send it diagnostics and usage of data. If you want to share it, you can tap on Accept

8. After adding the first account, Outlook will ask you if you want to add another account, where you can choose between Maybe Later or Add.
9. If you choose Add, just repeat steps 2-5 above.
10. If you choose Maybe Later, you'll be redirected to your inbox. Outlook might ask you to grant it permission to use your contact information and send you notifications.

You can always add more accounts later. Here's how to add another account (again, unlimited) later on.

1. In Outlook, tap on your account avatar in the top left corner, or just tap on the Inbox header.
2. Tap on the gear icon in the bottom left of the side menu to access Settings.

4. Choose Add Email Account from the popup menu.
5. Repeat steps 2-5 from above until you've added all of your accounts.

Not only you'll learn how to set up third-party email apps on iPhone, but with Outlook, you can also set up and add a storage account. This means you can log in to your favorite third-party Cloud storage solution (OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, or Google Drive) to send files directly in your emails.

1. On the Settings menu, instead of tapping on Add Account, tap on Add Storage Account
2. Select the Cloud Storage system you want to use.

How to set up your email in Edison Mail

Edison is a great option because one of the standout features is the ability to unsubscribe to annoying newsletter type emails with one tap. If you have an issue with overflowing mailboxes with junk mail, then try Edison!

1. Launch Edison Mail on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Choose to let Edison access your contacts and whether or not to receive notifications from the app on the first launch.
3. Enter your Email address.
4. Tap on Add account.

5. Edison launches the provider's webpage for you to log in with your credentials.
6. Grant Edison permission to your account by tapping Allow.

7. Edison will ask you to enable Focused Inbox, which is a feature that lets Edison separate your emails into Essential and Non-essential. If you want to use it, tap on Try Focused Inbox.
8. You'll be redirected to your inbox.

Just like the other third-party mail apps, you can add another email account if you want to. Here's how!

1. Tap on the menu button in the top left corner (three lines).
2. Scroll down and tap on Settings in the bottom left corner.
3. Select Add Account in the Settings view.

4. Repeat steps 2 to 5 from the initial setup until you have all of your accounts in Edison.

How to set up your email in Newton Mail

The final option we have is Newton Mail. However, Newton is a subscription-based service, and it costs $50 a year. It costs money because it has amazingly powerful features like read receipts, send later, undo send, connects with many third-party apps and services, gives you a recap, snooze, and much more. Fortunately, you can try Newton out completely free for 14 days, no strings attached. Newton Mail also works with various services, including Gmail, Exchange, Yahoo, Hotmail/Outlook, iCloud, Google Apps, Office 365, and IMAP accounts.

1. Launch Newton Mail on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Select Get Started.
3. Choose your email provider.

4. Newton Mail launches the provider's webpage so you can log in with your credentials.
5. Make sure to tap on Allow to grant Newton access to your email account.
6. This email account will now be your Newton Account, so create a password to be associated with it.

8. You'll be taken to your inbox, but Newton Mail will also let you know that your 14-day trial has started.
9. Tap OK to confirm.

If you already had a Newton Account, you just needed to log in after the first step.

While Newton doesn't give you the option after the initial set up to add more accounts, you can always add them later. The email that you used to create the Newton Account means that's what you sign in with to sync all of your email accounts in Newton across multiple iPhones and iPads.

To link more email accounts with your Newton Account, do the following:

1. In the inbox view, tap on the menu button in the top left corner.
2. Tap on the Settings gear in the bottom right corner of the side menu.
3. Select Email Accounts.
4. Tap Add More.

5. Choose the email provider you want to add.
6. Newton directs you to the provider's webpage in the in-app browser, so you can log in with your credentials.
7. Confirm account access for Newton by tapping Allow.

8. The email account is now linked to your Newton Account and added to Newton Mail.
9. Repeat the steps above for as many accounts as you need.

What's next?

Congratulations! Now you know how to set up third-party email apps on iPhone and iPad. Now you need to choose the best email app for you. Here's a list of the best email apps for your iPhone or iPad, in case you're not sure which one to choose.

Questions?

These are five of the most popular email apps on the App Store, and it's easy as pie to set up your email in them and get going. What are you using for your email? Need more help with these apps? Let us know in the comments!

Updated October 2020: Includes iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 settings.

You might wonder why you'd need to disable image loading on your mail. Well, the answer is simple: Advertisers and spammers are getting smarter each day. And they love sending emails with images on them. At best, it's just an annoying email offering a product you don't need. At worst, someone could use these images to detect when the email is opened and potentially collect other information. To protect your devices from snoopers, you can disable image loading in your favorite mail app on both your computer and mobile device.

How to disable image loading in Gmail

In Gmail, you have the choice of always having email images load or disable image loading automatically, and having the system ask you before doing so.

1. On your computer, log into your Gmail account.
2. Click on the Settings wheel at the top right.
3. Select See all settings.

4. Under the Images section, click the Always display external images toggle.
5. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the screen.

1. On your computer, log into your Gmail account.
2. Click on the Settings wheel at the top right.
3. Select See all settings.

4. Under the Images section, click the Ask before displaying external images toggle.
5. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the screen.

When Ask before displaying external images is selected, Gmail disables dynamic email. When activated, at least through the web, you can complete specific tasks without leaving a message, such as filling out surveys or responding to comments.

1. Click on an email with remote images.
2. Select Display Images Below.
3. Click Always Display Images From to enable pictures to display automatically on future messages from this contact.

If you mainly use your iPhone or iPad to check your mails, you might want to disable image loading right from the Gmail app. Here's what you need to do:

1. Open the Gmail app.
2. Tap the Menu on the top left corner.
3. Scroll down and select Settings.

4. If you have multiple Gmail accounts, you'll need to select the email address you want to change.
5. Tap on Images.
6. Select Ask before displaying external images.

How to disable image loading in Apple Mail on Mac

Regardless of your email provider, you can disable image loading in the Mail app on your Mac:

1. Open the Mail app on your computer.
2. Click Mail on the Mac Toolbar.
3. Select Preferences under Mail.

4. Click the Viewing tab at the top of the screen.
5. Uncheck Load remote content in messages.

You can check the box to enable image loading once again.

On an email-to-email basis, you can still load remote content in the Mail app on Mac:

1. On those emails, click Load remote content at the top of the screen.

You can now see the remote content on the email.

How to disable image loading in Mail on iPhone and iPad

To disable image loading from your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:

1. Tap the Settings app on your mobile device.
2. Scroll down and select Mail.
3. Toggle off Load Remote Images under Messages.

To see images on these emails:

1. Tap on the email in the iOS Mail app.
2. Select Load All Images at the top of the email.

How to disable image loading in Outlook on Mac

Much like you can do on the native Apple Mail app on Mac, you can also disable image loading on the official Outlook app.

By default, images aren't loaded on emails in Outlook. To change this:

1. Go into the Outlook for Mac app.
2. Click on Microsoft Outlook on the Toolbar.
3. Select Preferences.

4. Click Reading under Email.
5. Under Security, click Never so pictures aren't automatically downloaded from the internet. You can also select In all messages and In messages from my contacts, depending on your preference.

To see images on these emails:

1. Click on the email in the Outlook app for Mac
2. Select Load All Images at the top of the email.
3. Choose Download pictures.

To view images on the official Outlook iOS app:

1. Tap on an email in the app.
2. Tap Download Images at the top of an email.

How to disable image loading in other email programs

If you're using another email system on Mac or through the web, you can disable image loading by looking into the settings for that service. Most likely, this is listed as Settings or Preferences.

For a more straightforward approach, use the Apple Mail app for Mac for all of your email accounts. However, if you're not into the Mail app, you can always use other mail apps. Here are our top picks for the best mail apps for Mac..

Questions?

Let us know in the comments below!

Update October 2020: Added new details about the Gmail app on the iPhone and iPad on iOS 14.

What you need to know

• Google has added default mail app support for Gmail.
• The feature allows you to set Gmail as your default mail app on iPhone and iPad.
• Default mail and browser support rolled out with iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 last week.

As many have hoped and expected, Google has rolled out a new update for the Gmail app that lets you make it your default mail app on an iPhone and iPad running iOS 14 or iPadOS 14.

The new update, Version 6.0.200825, adds support for Gmail to be the default mail app. Apple announced the ability to set default mail apps, as well as default browsers, back at WWDC in June. The new feature rolled out with iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 last week when both released to the public, but support for Gmail was missing.

Thankfully, it only took a week for Google to roll out support for the feature. According to the update, not only can you set Gmail as the default mail app through the Settings app, but the Gmail app will prompt you in the app as well.

Users can update the app to get support for the new feature now or download Gmail from the App Store. Keep in mind that iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 still contain a bug that messes with this feature. Restarting your iPhone currently removes the default mail and browser choices on iOS 14 and changes them back to Apple's own Mail and Safari app. For the mail issue, in particular, you can get around this issue by deleting the Mail app. This is, of course, only useful if you don't need the Mail app and only need the Gmail app.

What you need to know

• There's a new Mac email app in town and it's designed for Gmail.
• The app is developed by a former Apple engineer.
• The app is native and written in Swift using AppKit and SwiftUI.

Apple's Mail app does support Gmail but the experience can be clunky at best. There are also plenty of third-party email apps out there that support Gmail, but many of them try to over-complicate matters by adding their own features. Mimestream is a new email app that tries to bridge the gap – it looks similar to Mail, but is built especially for Gmail.

Unlike most other Gmail apps, Mimestream connects directly to Google's servers as well – your data doesn't go anywhere other than your computer, and Google. That's a win for privacy-focused users right there.

The app itself is built using AppKit and SwiftUI and runs as a native Mac app. It's actually being developed by Neil Jhaveri, a former Apple engineer who worked on the Mail app that lives in macOS. That might be why Mimestream looks similar. But with native Gmail features like labels, advanced search, and even synced aliases this is definitely not Mail.

New features are planned for the future as well, with Google Drive support on the list. Right now Mimestream is Mac-only, but an iPhone and iPad version of the app is planned.

Mimestream is free right now while it's in beta form, but it'll be a paid app once development is complete. I'd already heard some good things about Mimestream before MacRumors reminded me about it – and I can't wait to check it out. Especially once there are some mobile apps to go with it.

Download Mimestream now and try it for yourself.

What you need to know

• Google has added support for Split View to Gmail on iPad.
• No, we aren't living in a parallel universe.
• Yes, it took five years to happen.

If you're reading this you probably just picked yourself up off the floor after reading that headline and are probably still in disbelief. But let me tell you, reader, that it's true. Gmail for iPad now supports Split View.

Five years after Apple added support for it.

Amazingly, this update isn't new and as 9to5Google points out, it's been around for around three weeks. Google didn't think it was worth mentioning in the release notes, though, and instead announced the change today. Because people haven't been crying out for Split View support for the last few years.

Oh, wait. They have.

Anyway, it's here now and as they say, it's better late than never. Right?

Not sure if two-factor authentication is important? Reports of millions of Google accounts being compromised should convince you. Do it. Do it now.

When it comes to data you want to be secured, your email accounts are probably close to the top of the list. Though email is technically an unencrypted medium, the average hacker might not go to too much trouble to grab a single message — but they'd love a peek at your history full of password resets, not to mention getting potential access to your bank accounts or other private information.

Strong passwords can help, but to be as secure as possible, you want to enable two-step authentication.

What is two-step authentication?

Two-step authentication is the most prevalent way to secure your accounts: It asks you to authenticate that you are who you say you are by supplying not only your password but a unique code supplied from your phone or an external app. It ensures that those accessing your accounts have access to your physical devices as well as your virtual passwords. It makes a simple password crack or social engineering hack a lot more insufficient for actually accessing your personal data.

How to set up your Google account with two-step authentication

Google was one of the first companies to offer two-step authentication for its user accounts; the company even created an option for third parties who want to offer two-step support for its services called Google Authenticator. Companies like Facebook, Tumblr, and Dropbox all use Google's service, as does Google itself.

As such, Google's experience with two-step authentication makes it a remarkably simple process to set up. Here's what you need to do.

1. Visit Google's 2-Step Verification page and click on Get Started.

2. Enter your Google email and password (or just your password, if you're already logged in to Google).
3. Click the Get Started button.

4. Add a phone number that Google can send the six-digit verification code to. (For semi-obvious reasons, this shouldn't be your Google Voice number: If you use that phone number, you might end up locked out of your account.)
5. Click Send.

6. Verify your phone number by entering in the six-digit code Google sent you.
7. Click Next

8. You may be asked to choose whether or not to add your current computer as a trusted device — select Yes if this is your own personal device, or choose No if it's a shared device.
9. Confirm that you wish to turn on two-step verification by clicking Turn On.

And you're set! Google will now send your phone a six-digit code for any app that uses Google's web interface to authenticate your account.

How to use Google Authenticator

If you don't want codes sent via text message, you can also enable Google Authenticator; this allows you to receive a randomly-generated code from programs like Authy or 1Password or Google's own authenticator.

You can use Google Authenticator for a slew of different services in addition to your Google Account; you just need to make sure they have code generation turned on. Each service has a slightly different way of enabling this, but in general, you should find it under the Security section of your preferences.

Here's the setup screen for your Google accounts:

1. Under your account's security preferences, click Authenticator App.
2. Select whether you are using Android or iPhone.
3. Click Next.

4. Scan the QR code from your authenticator app. In this example, we use Authy.
5. Give the account a name.
6. Now, every time you want to verify with 2FA, input the six digit verification code that shows up on the app. These codes expire after 30 seconds.

Any questions?

Do you have any questions about how to add 2-step verification to your Google accounts? Put them in the comments, and we'll help you out.

Updated June 2020: Updated with the latest steps for setting up 2FA on your Google account.

What you need to know

• Dark Mode for Gmail is finally here.
• You can now switch between light and dark on iOS 13 on iPhone or iPad.
• You can also match Gmail to your system default if you keep Dark Mode on a timer.

Google has updated its Gmail app for iPad and iPhone, finally bringing official Dark Mode support to the platform.

In the latest software update the release notes state:

As MacRumors notes, the feature has been subject to "delay and inconsistent functionality". Dark Mode was announced for Gmail way back in September of last year. Whether people have had access to Dark Mode, or whether it works has seemingly been something of a lottery. Now, officially listed in the latest update release notes, it looks like Dark Mode is here to stay.

You can activate Dark Mode within Gmail through the Menu section of the app, located in the top left-hand corner of the screen (three-line icon). From there select 'Settings' and then 'Theme' to select either 'Light', 'Dark' or 'System Default'. The first two settings are constant, whereas the latter means Dark Mode in Gmail will default to whatever your iOS device is set to, this is the best option if you like your Dark Mode on a timer.

Over the last couple of months, Gmail has added a couple of exciting new features to its Gmail app for iOS, including support for Siri shortcuts when sending emails, and adding attachments to emails from the iOS files app.

The latest version is available to download here.

What you need to know

• Gmail is reportedly getting support for the Files app on iOS.
• Users will be able to attach anything from the Files app.
• The feature is rolling out now.

Google is rolling out support for the Files app to Gmail. But you might not be able to enjoy the new feature just yet.

A new Gmail blog post says Google is adding support for attaching files directly from the Files app, with search and multiple file selection also part of the deal.

That's the good news. But this being Google, there's a caveat. The blog post notes that this is a rollout that may take a while to reach everyone. It should be available to all users within the next couple of weeks, but your mileage may vary there.

There's also no mention of when dark mode will be available to everyone, either. That's also been rolling out to users, but it seems to have been happening for a long time at this point.

You can download the free Gmail app from the App Store, now.

What you need to know

• Images in emails allow senders to track whether an email was opened.
• By preventing images from loading, Gmail also prevents the tracking.
• The option wasn't previously available to iPhone and iPad users.

Google has updated its iPhone and iPad Gmail app to allow users to prevent it from automatically loading remote images inside emails. Remote images are often used as a method of tracking whether an email is opened and, in some circumstances, where that action took place.

A long, long time ago people realized that by adding a remote image to an email they could then track whether that image had been accessed. If it had, then they knew the email had been opened. That can be valuable information for marketers but it's a horrible idea in terms of privacy.

Many email apps already provide options to prevent the loading of remote images, but this is the first time that Gmail has done so on iPhone and iPad. The updated app is now available for download from the App Store. A new "Ask before displaying external images" option can be found in your account's settings once the update is installed.

Unfortunately, this only appears to apply to personal accounts and not those attached to GSuite. Whether that's an oversight or something administrators for GSuite setups need to apply isn't yet clear, however.

Gmail is one of the most popular email providers on the market. It’s easy to use, it has a clean UI, and it provides dozens of features that make your emailing experience as comfortable and versatile as possible. However, if you use Gmail for the majority of your business communications, you might find that performing certain tasks through Gmail can be quite tedious. With Darwin Mail Pro, you can enhance your Gmail experience further, and you can subscribe now for as low as $9.99.

Darwin Mail Pro is a secure inbox tool for Gmail that offers features that will improve your email productivity. For example, Darwin Mail Pro’s bundling feature allows you to sort your inbox with filters such as category, sender, subject, or date. Need to keep track of assignments that were emailed to you? Darwin Mail Pro lets you jot down reminders so that you won’t forget them. Additionally, you can put certain emails on snooze so that you can view them later. Finally, if you accidentally send an incorrect or unintended email, you can use Darwin Pro to unsend it before your recipient receives it.

If your work schedule revolves around emails, then you deserve a platform that streamlines your email management. You can buy a year-long subscription to Darwin Mail Pro for $9.99, or a lifetime subscription for just $20 more.

DarwinMail Pro Lite Plan: Lifetime Subscription – $29.99

See Deal

Not surprisingly, I spend a lot of time of my time each day in front of a computer. A great deal of that time is spent going through my various inboxes separating and responding to email, and prepping articles for iMore through Google Docs. For both, I'm a heavy user of Kiwi for G Suite, which is packed full of excellent keyboard shortcuts.

Freely available in the Mac App Store, Kiwi for Gmail brings your favorite email client as one centralized app. From here, you can take advantage of the traditional Gmail interface that provides quick access to all G Suite applications and documents, including Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

Admittingly, until recently I largely ignored Kiwi's keyboard shortcuts. Once I spent some time learning more about them, I became hooked. They have ever-so-slightly boosted my productivity and almost certainly have shaved a few work minutes off of my day. Better still, I'm not alternating as much between my mouse and keyboard when I'm using my MacBook Pro with a desktop monitor. Less mouse usage can reduce the risk of Repetitive Syndrome Injury or R.S.I.

As you can see above, Kiwi's keyboard shortcuts are available for Mac and Windows, although there are many more for macOS users. These include shortcuts for zoom in/zoom out, composing a message, find in page, and others.

Initially introduced as a Kickstarter project, Kiwi for Gmail supports up to six Gmail accounts simultaneously and allows you to open documents in separate windows. Files available for opening include gsheet, gform, gdoc, gslides, gdraw, glink, and gnote.

You can download Kiwi for Gmail from the Mac App Store and through the Kiwi website.

Read more comics from The Pixel Project.

Gmail is Google's email service. With over 1 billion active users, it's one of the most popular email platforms in the world. What makes Gmail stand out from the rest and why would you use it over other platforms?

Here's everything you need to know!

What's new with Gmail?

Gmail is currently testing a new design for Gmail on the web to bring it more inline with the Gmail mobile app.

The new design includes a few features that were originally introduced for Google's Inbox app including smart replies and snooze.

Smart replies gives you the option of quickly replying to emails with pre-made suggestions, while the snooze features enables you to tempoairly remove emails from your inbox until a certain time.

No exactly release date is known as of yet, but the updated design should be rolling out in the next few weeks.

First off, how much does Gmail cost?

Free! Gmail is completely free to use. You can, of course, pay for premium features, like more inbox storage and that sort of thing, but if you don't need that, then you're good to go!

There is, however a paid version, which lets you choose a custom email domain, like your company name, and you get unlimited group email addresses, 99.9% guaranteed uptime, twice the storage of personal Gmail (30GB), no ads, 24/7 support, Microsoft Exchange support, and more.

So if you're switching to Gmail with business in mind, you'd probably want to opt for the paid version.

Prices start at $5 per month, per user.

Does it work just like my current email service?

Yes and no. Gmail is incredibly Google and works in a very Google-like way, which is why it benefits from so many features. Google does make Gmail accessible via traditional POP and IMAP protocols as well, though, if that's your bag. (Also via Exchange, if you opt for the business version.)

You can head to google.com and sign in there or you can download the iOS or Android app.

You can send text emails, attach files, photos, and videos, Cc, Bcc, etc. — it's a full-featured email client.

Do I need to switch to Android to be able to use it fully?

Absolutely not. The iOS app is robust and was recently overhauled to look and work in almost the same way the Android app does. You get every feature, including the ability to delete emails from your lock screen. If you want a Gmail account but prefer the iOS Mail app, you can easily add your Gmail account and get all your email that way.

Can I migrate my existing email?

Yep! Google has some migration tools you can use to make the whole process easy and efficient.

Can I have multiple email addresses?

You bet! Using your original Gmail ID, you can create up to 30 email aliases. Sick of receiving mail on one of those aliases? Just delete it and the spam stops!

Does anything else come with a Gmail account?

And how! Signing up for Gmail doesn't just get you an excellent email client; you get access to the entire "G Suite", which is Google's suite of cloud apps, including Docs, Sheets, Drive, Calendar, and more.

These apps don't cost you a thing, and you can access them from just about any device, via the web or the corresponding app. Docs is a great word processor; sheets is a spreadsheet app á la Excel; Drive is where you can store all of your files (up to 15GB of storage for free); and Calendar lets you keep track of all of your events and reminders.

Do I have to use all of those apps?

Nope, not if you don't want to. Google includes G Suite in order to complete your user experience. That way, you sign in once, and you have access to everything you need, be it your notes, spreadsheets, slideshows, whatever. If you prefer Microsoft Office or whatever you're already using, you never have to touch anything but your actually email if you don't want to. Just know that it's always there if you need it.

Is it secure?

Gmail is quite secure, and if you're unsure, it supports two-factor authentication, so you can rest assured that if your password's ever figured out by those who would do harm to your account, they would still need the six-digit code to sign in.

You can also enable S/MIME protocols to encrypt your emails in transit.

Is it private?

Google is an advertising company. As such, it's algorithms do scan mail so Google can display ads that are as relevant as possible to your interests. That way you're less likely to be annoyed and more likely to click or tap on those ads.

All that data is anonymized and kept secure by Google, and isn't sold off to any unsavory marketing types.

You're going to have to decide if that's fair payment for the mail service.

Should I switch?

If you're perfectly happy with your current email client, then there's really no reason — it's all up to personal preference at the end of the day. However, if you are considering switching, then Gmail is easily one of the best email clients around because you get so much more than email.

Any other questions about Gmail?

Let us know in the comments below!

There's an old aphorism—the best things in life are free—that is rarely applied to the tech world. Yes, your social media life and some of the email services you may be using are "free," as long as you understand that that "free" comes with a cost: You aren't spending money you're spending personal capital. Which is to say, you're giving yourself away, a bit at a time, with every email you send and receive. MX Guarddog turns that understanding on its head, providing you with powerful SPAM, virus, malware, filtering at a price that is legitimately free. Yup! Free.

See at MX Guarddog

At what price, "free"?

I stumbled across MX Guarddog, kind of accidentally on purpose, about 5 years ago. I had been paying for a service called Postini to filter SPAM for email on domains I owned and for clients who were also hosting their own email. Google bought Postini and in 2012 they rolled its features into Google Apps. I started looking for something else.

After spending a couple of weeks trying different software for my Macs and PCs and playing with a number of other services I realized that, no matter what I used, it was going to cost a fortune and be a management nightmare. So I searched for something like, "inexpensive SPAM filtering" and up popped MX Guarddog.

I confess... I thought it was a scam.

I sent several skeptical email messages to see if I could figure out what the other shoe was and when it was going to drop. They responded to everything I sent with patience and understanding.

There was no other shoe.

All they wanted was a basic text link on my web pages. No glitzy images. No big banner ad. No "filtered by MX Guarddog" in every email message. Just a simple text link. That was it. Nothing more. Yes, you can pay for MX Guarddog. It will cost you .25¢/email address/month. But a simple link makes everything free.

Done.

The setup

To use MX Guarddog you need to be hosting your own email or be using a service that hosts your email and you need to be able to make changes to your mail exchanger record (MX Record) so that instead of directing mail to your mail servers, all of your domain's email is directed to MX Guarddog's servers. MX Guarddog can automatically import accounts for filtering by linking to your hosting service's CPanel, a standard tool used by many hosting services, or by linking your Active Directory, LDAP, OpenLDAP, IBM Domino, or Zimbra server to the service.

Once you've made those changes you're done. As soon as the updated MX Record information is pushed to the Internet's DNS servers, any new mail sent to your email addresses is pushed through MX Guarddog's servers and the messages get checked for SPAM, phishing attempts, viruses, and all types of email evil-doing.

The finish

What happens to your email?

The good stuff, the email messages without any problems, get sent directly to your inbox, just like you want them to. Problematic emails are stored on MX Guarddog's servers in a quarantine. Users receive a daily quarantine report that they can scan for legit email messages. If everything is junk, they don't have to do anything; MX Guarddog drops items from the quarantine after seven days. If an email message in the quarantine is legit, just click it to release the message and whitelist the address the email came from.

Simple.

If you're on the fence, you can use MX Guarddog for free, which is to say, without a link on your website, for 30 days.

The upshot

MX Guarddog is a solid tool for controlling the onslaught of SPAM aimed at your inbox. Easy to set up and simple to manage, if you're the master of your domain email, MX Guarddog is all you need to keep your inboxes SPAM, malware, and virus free.

See at MX Guarddog

What do you use to manage SPAM on your network and domain-based email?

Do you have a go-to service for filtering SPAM? What's your preferred service and why is it special?

Airmail, the third-party email app for Mac, has received a lot of new features and improvements with version 3.0, and the app is now more in line with its counterpart for iPhone and iPad, adding Smart Folders, VIP contacts and notifications, and "send later" support for Gmail and Exchange accounts. Airmail will now also sync rules, VIP contacts, and Smart Folders over iCloud between iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Here are the major new features that you'll find in Airmail for Mac 3.0:

• Smart Folders
• VIP Contacts
• VIP notifications
• Actions
• Send Later (Gmail and Exchange)
• Customizable Menu
• Customizable Gestures
• Customizable Keyboard Shortcuts
• Customizable Folders
• Calendar integration (apply to new permissions)
• Fuzzy Label, Move to
• Message Rendering Engine
• Action Space Key to scroll
• Action Unsubscribe
• Rules Export/Import
• iCloud sync for Rules, VIP Contacts and Smart Folders
• Rules can Forward messages 
• Integration Asana
• Integration Trello
• Gmail (Primary Inbox support)
• Redesigned threads

Airmail 3.0 is a free update for existing users, and can be found now on the Mac App Store.

• $9.99 - Download Now

Spark, the email app from Readdle, has been updated to version 1.6, adding support for the iPad, including the iPad Pro. The app has also added support for watchOS 2, and spruced up some of the parts of the user interface.

To go along with iPad support, Spark will also now sync your email accounts and settings across devices. This is done through iCloud, so you don't need to create a new account in order to sync.

Spark also now supports a total of nine languages, including English, German, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese.

You can grab Spark for iPhone and iPad from the App Store now. Readdle is also working on a Mac version of the app, though they have yet to announce a release timeline.

• Free - Download Now

Popular Mac email app Airmail is now available for iOS, offering a wide array of features including the ability to snooze emails, interactive notifications, filters, multiple account support, customizable swipe actions, Apple Watch support, and so much more. Airmail works with most service providers like Gmail, Google Apps, Microsoft Exchange, IMAP (iCloud) and POP3, and has third-party integration with Drive, Dropler, Box, OneDrive and Dropbox.

Airmail also offers iCloud sync, which means that your account settings and preferences will be synced from your iPhone to your Mac and vice-versa. Here's a quick rundown of some of the features that you'll get with Airmail:

• Accounts support: GMAIL, EXCHANGE, IMAP and, POP3
• Push Notifications, with VIP and Custom actions.
• Push Notifications, full body preview and custom sound.
• Badge, Unread, Messages, and New
• Apple Watch app with glance and interactive notifications
• Customizable Swipes
• Thread and single message support
• Snooze Messages, Bulk Editing, Drafts, Aliases, Multiple signatures and Unified Inbox
• Horizontal layout
• 3D Touch quick access, Peek and Pop
• iCloud Sync Mac/iOS, iCloud Sync Label color Mac/iOS, iCloud Account settings sync Mac/iOS, iCloud Preference sync Mac/iOS, iCloud VIP sync
• Handoff Mac/iOS

A dedicated version for the iPad is in the works, and will be available at a later date. If you're frustrated with the email client you're currently using and are looking for a more customizable option, look no further.

• $4.99 - Download Now

If you write a note on your Mac at home but want it available to you on your phone, your work computer, or on your tablet, you can make this happen by syncing your notes. Notes for OS X can sync through Apple's iCloud service and other services like Gmail and Microsoft Exchange. By syncing Notes with iCloud, you can access your information on the go, wherever you are.

• How to turn on Notes sync for iCloud
• How to sync your Notes with Gmail and Exchange
• How to switch between accounts on Notes for Mac OS X

How to turn on Notes sync for iCloud

1. Launch System Preferences from your Mac dock.
2. Click on iCloud.

3. Enter your iCloud email address and password if prompted.
4. Click the box next to Notes from the list of applications to sync.

By syncing your notes through iCloud on your Mac, you can access your notes on your other Apple devices.

How to sync your Notes with Gmail and Exchange

Notes also supports basic sync for a variety of other popular internet services including Google's Gmail and Microsoft's Exchange. You can enable this feature through the Notes application.

1. Launch Notes from your Mac dock.
2. Click Notes in the menu bar at the top of the screen.

3. Select Accounts from the drop down menu.
4. Select the Exchange or Google account you would like to sync.

5. Type your username and password for that account when prompted.
6. Select Notes from the application list to complete sync.

Repeat the same steps for every account you want to enable in Notes. A new folder will be created in your email account called Notes (it will appear in the same area as Inbox, drafts, etc.). This is where your synced notes will be located.

How to switch between accounts on Notes for Mac OS X

Notes allows you to save notes to your computer and other synchronized accounts like iCloud, Exchange, or Google. Sometimes you may want to create a note in a specific account. Fortunately, it's easy to switch between accounts inside of Notes for Mac.

1. Launch Notes from your Mac dock.
2. Select the account you would like to switch to from the application's leftmost column.

Once you've clicked on a specific account, notes will only be created in that account. You can easily copy or drag notes between accounts if you would like to move them.

Back to the top

Airmail for Mac has picked up an update to version 2.6, featuring a redesigned menu, ability to defer emails, a utility that lets you resize attachment images, and more.

Here's a full list of the features introduced in version 2.6:

• Snooze!
• Attachments Image Resize
• New Smart Unread Selection - Use "Mark Always" for the old behaviour
• New shortcut W - Full Menu Access
• New shortcut D - Snooze
• New shortcut Z - Send to Services
• Redesigned Menu
• Fixed Google Authentication Window
• Fix LDAP not persisted
• Fix Message Scroll issue
• Fix on Snooze on GMT
• Fix Exchange attachment send
• Fix Search in threads

For the uninitiated, the third-party client offers a slew of features, such as the ability to attach directly from your iCloud account, Handoff support, Today View, and a unified inbox if you've got more than one email account.

• $9.99 - Download Now

Spark, Readdle's email app for iPhone, has been updated to version 1.5, bringing support for per-account default signatures. You can also customize the actions you can take on a notification, and improvements have been made to Spark's Move feature.

Spark 1.5 features the following enhancements:

• Default signature: One of your most requested feature is here - now you can assign a default signature to each email account.
• Custom swipes in notifications: For those who gets a lot of notifications, we added custom swipe in notification actions.
• Intelligent Email Move: We've made Move even better and now you can use search for faster work. Moreover, the most important folders are available in Suggestions.
• Zoom HTML Emails: It was planned from day one. Now your can zoom in and out HTML emails.
• Enhanced performance and stability.

Readdle, which also makes apps like PDF Expert, Calendars, and Documents, is working on an iPad version of Spark, which it says its plans to release soon. A Mac version of the app is also in the works.

You'll find Spark for iPhone 1.5 on the App Store now.

• Free - Download Now

Spark, the email app from Readdle, has been updated with support for even more features in iOS 9, as well as expanded support for 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s. Notably Spark now supports "peeks" and "pops" of email and attachments, letting you take a quick look at a message or file before opening it completely.

Spark 1.2.2 also features support for Spotlight search, along with a few fixes. Here's everything you'll find in the update:

Spark supports the latest and greatest iOS 9 and iPhone 6s.

iOS 9 spotlight search comes handy once you want to find something in Spotlight.

Quick Actions allow you easily Compose a new email or view your calendar - just press harder on the Spark icon to see all options.

More 3D Touch support for happy iPhone 6S owners:

• Peek into Emails to quickly preview what's inside.
• Peek into Attachments to find the right one fast.
• Use Quick Actions to access Compose, Search and Inbox from your home screen.

And some improvements for everyone else:

• Background email refresh is faster and more energy efficient
• Rare issue with Inbox sync for some Gmail accounts is fixed
• "Message was moved or deleted" bug has been eliminated

Spark 1.2.2 for iPhone is avaialble now in the App Store.

• Free - Download Now

Spark, the email app from Readdle, has hit version 1.1, bringing support for rich HTML signatures, email aliases for Google, iCloud, and Yahoo accounts, and more swipe options, including swiping to Spam, or to a connected cloud service of your choice. You can also add multiple attachments from services like Dropbox

You can check out all of the new goodies in Spark 1.1 in the list below:

• HTML Signatures: Create feature-rich email signatures with images and links.
• Swipe to Evernote: Save emails to Evernote with a single swipe.
• New Swipe Options: Customize your swipes: move to Dropbox, Box, swipe to Spam, etc.
• Email Aliases: Use your email aliases to send emails with Spark. Works with iCloud, Gmail, Yahoo.
• Move Emails Like A Pro: Move multiple emails at once between different email accounts.
• Attach Several Files at Once: Select multiple documents or photos and attach them with a single tap.

Spark 1.1 is available for download from the App Store right now.

• Free - Download Now

Third-party email app Boxer, one of the best mail apps for iPhone, has hit version 6.0, adding several major new features. Most notably, Boxer now offers integrated contacts and calendars, offering an integrated solution in a single app, much like Microsoft's Outlook or Readdle's Spark.

Boxer's Calendar and Contact features integrate well with email. For instance, not only can you simply add an appointment or invitation from an email, but you can also send your availability without needing to move back and forth between apps. Boxer will also keep track of your favorite contacts, with favorites and most recent contacts just one tap away.

As for email, Boxer's signature feature, it has received some substantial updates as well, which you can find in the list below:

• Full screen iPad view
• Set account colors
• Tap an email address to add contacts
• Set 'unread inbox' as default view
• Perform actions from the lock screen
• Unread messages are now highlighted
• Apple Watch support for notifications
• Create calendar invites from email
• New calendar invite card. More than accepting/declining events, your invite now tells you whether or not you're busy.

You can grab Boxer 6.0 from the App Store right now.

• $4.99 - Download Now

The feature launched in May, and is now available for Inbox on Android, iOS and the web. Undo Send allows you to unsend an e-mail up to ten seconds after you've hit the send button, with an "Undo" button appearing next to the delivery notification.

Inbox launched last year with an invite-only system, but is now available for everyone to download.

Source: Google: Via: TheNextWeb

There are several enhancements in Airmail 2.1. The app has a new layout for the message composer, and now supports Fantastical 2. When you add a Gmail account to Airmail, you can now view threaded conversations in Gmail accounts. Items can now also be sent to the app's extension.

You can see all of the changes and improvements in the list below:

• New Icon
• New Composer Layout
• New Sort menu shortcuts
• New Gmail Threads (New Accounts Only )
• New Fantastical 2 Support
• New "Send To extension""
• New Permanently deleted form trash
• New Save attachments as
• New Move Thread behavior
• New Import accounts
• Improved Printing/Pdf Multiple messages
• Improved Privacy (prevent execute some scripting)
• Improved Operations
• Improved Reminders and Calendars (multiple events)
• Improved plugins handling
• Improved case sensitive accounts.
• Improved Gestures
• Improved Drafts
• Improved Send and Send again
• Improved Search (New Accounts Only )
• Improved Search in quoted Messages
• Fix Quick reply mapped correctly
• Fix Mark as read bug
• Fix Hangs
• Fix Crashes related to the message display
• Fixed Cancel on Send Delay
• Reverted ToDo, Memo, Done Layout
• Removed Local Flags
• Removed Menu on Message list

You can grab Airmail 2.1 from the Mac App Store right now. The app is on sale for a limited time for $9.99, 50% off its normal price of $19.99. For more on Airmail 2, be sure to check out our full app review.

• $9.99 (normally $19.99) - Download Now

Actionable notifications allow you to quickly decide what to do with a message. When you swipe left on a notification, you'll be able to choose either to archive the message or reply to it. Selecting reply will open Gmail and start a reply message for you.

The share extension allows you to share photos and files through Gmail using any app that supports the iOS 8 share sheet. After you activate the extension, selecting Gmail from the share sheet will open a new message pane with your attachment inside, ready to fill out and send.

This update also brings a new attachment viewer, allowing you to open email attachments in any compatible application. You can download Gmail 4.0 for iPhone and iPad from the App Store now.

• Free - Download Now

Google has released its Inbox app for iPad. The invite-only email client for tablets is already available for Android, promising to provide a new way for consumers to interact with incoming mail. It's not for everyone, but should you be on the hunt for a new client on iOS, the new Google Inbox may be worth checking out.

The app listing itself isn't new (since it's already out for iPhone), but the company has bumped it to version 1.2, offering an optimized interface for iPad users. It's an interesting way to use email for sure, having Google sort through email and prioritize messages the service feels are more important to you.

• Free - Download Now

Via: TechCrunch

Mail Pilot version 2.0 is now available for both iPhone and iPad and includes a lot of refinements and new features that make your inbox even easier to manage. With the addition of iCloud sync, better gestures, and enhanced navigation, Mail Pilot 2 transforms your emails into individual tasks so you can get things done even faster.

If you've used Mail Pilot prior to the new version, you'll still feel right at home. The overall experience is more refined, more mature even. Mail Pilot 2 supports a few different color schemes, all of which are tasteful and beautiful. The most important feature remains easy access to the inbox — you'e only ever one downward swipe away. Yes, I've accidentally triggered Notification Center a few times by swiping to close to the top, but overall its a productivity win.

Mail Pilot works much the same as other email apps that use scheduling and snoozing. You can archive mail, delete it, or save it for later. If you save it for later, you can choose a time and date for it to re-appear in your inbox. However, Mail Pilot takes things one step further and also allows you to create lists. It's not unique to Mail Pilot, but it's powerful none the less. With lists you can group emails from any account you have linked. All messages added to these lists then show up in one view, regardless of whether or not they're saved to the same email account.

The main difference between Mail Pilot and other "getting things done" type mail apps is the level of organization and structure. Since Mail Pilot literally turns your inbox into a todo list, it should mean that less will slip through the cracks. Until you actually mark a message as complete, it will remain in your inbox. Marking a message as complete moves in into the archive. If you want more actions, just hold down on a message and you have several options to flick messages away.

The good

• Clean design that's easy to navigate
• One swipe away from your inbox, no matter where you are
• Great drafts support
• Multiple ways to organize which makes Mail Pilot 2 even more flexible than ever
• Attachment support for most used cloud storage services

The bad

• If you're not precise when swiping down, you can unintentionally activate Notification Center
• Bulk edit mode is difficult to find (you have to swipe down on the inbox message view to reveal a select button)
• No native push notifications, background app refresh only
• No oAuth support for Google

The bottom line

Mail Pilot 2 is a decent refinement to what was already a good product. The price point may be a barrier of entry for a lot of people but for anyone who wants complete control of every detail — and are okay sacrificing true push to get it, Mail Pilot may be worth it to them.

To celebrate the launch of Mail Pilot 2, Mindsense is discounting the price to $7.99, normally $9.99. You can also snag the Mac app for $14.99 right now, normally $19.99. If you pick up either, let us know in the comments what you think!

• Mail Pilot 2 for iOS - $9.99, $7.99 on sale - Download Now
• Mail Pilot for Mac - $19.99, $14.99 on sale - Download Now

Outlook is Microsoft's relaunch of Acompli, the iPhone and iPad email app they acquired last December. It's been rebranded but it still supports not only Microsoft Exchange and Outlook mail accounts, but Google, iCloud, and Yahoo as well. For file storage, you can instantly hook into Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, and Box. There are focus lists and scheduling options to help you get through your inbox faster, and your calendar is only ever a tap away.

Not only does Outlook support all these services and perform all these tasks, it does so exceptionally well. So well in fact, it may be the mail app you've been waiting for.

When you launch Outlook on your iPhone or iPad you're asked to configure your accounts, both email and file storage. If you don't want to set them all up right away, you can always add more later through the Settings section.

One of my favorite things about the Outlook app is the navigation along the bottom. I can single-handedly tap between my inbox, calendar, files, and recent contacts — even on an iPhone 6 Plus. In the mail tab, Microsoft has two main inbox views to help you get through your mail; Focused and Other. The Focused list smartly moves things that Outlook thinks are important to you. All other messages are filtered into Other.

At first I wasn't sure what the Focused list was actually doing. As time went on, however, I realized it was picking up and filtering spam messages, bulk emails, and other kinds of content that I really didn't need to concentrate on. All that was left were emails from developers, my family, my editors, and anything else that I had scheduled for later.

Speaking of scheduling emails, yes Outlook does that too. The first time you attempt to schedule a message, you're asked if you want to set up a scheduled box. This is a single folder that appears in your folder directory. After that, you're done. I prefer the implementation Microsoft is using for snoozing emails to Mailbox's. Mailbox wants to create all new file structures in my accounts. I already have folders set up and have for years, let me use them.

Outlook also lets you set up gestures, however, you can't have more than one function per gesture. For example, in Mailbox I typically slide part way to the left to archive and all the way to delete. In Outlook, part way or all the way achieves the same results.

Bulk email handling, by contrast, is really well implemented. If you tap and hold on any message in your inbox, you enter bulk edit mode. You can tap on more emails to select multiple messages to manage. I tend to delete messages more than I archive them, so I set a swipe gesture for delete and if I need to archive, I can do it in as little as two taps.

Outlook dedicates an entire tab Calendars. While it won't replace Fantastical 2 on my iPhone or iPad Home screen any time soon, it's convenient to be able to toggle to my calendar and see if something conflicts without having to leave the app. I would, however, like to see Microsoft do more in terms of sharing and attaching events inside the Outlook. A month view would also be a welcome addition.

In terms of file integration, I love what Outlook brings to the table. One tap and I have access to every single file in my inbox, whether it was a regular attachment, a Dropbox file, or a Google Drive document. I can even see stuff I have stored that isn't in my email. We use Google Drive a lot at Mobile Nations for shared spreadsheets and I use Dropbox to house a lot of my own attachments, so having both in one feed is bliss. If any single feature will sell me on using Outlook on a regular basis, file handling will be it.

The good

• File management is epic, seriously
• Bulk mail management is better than most other clients
• Scheduling only adds one single folder to your email's file directory, not several like other email services do to accomplish the exact same snooze abilities
• Notifications are blazing fast, and lots of tone options, yay
• Awesome landscape view for iPhone 6 Plus owners

The bad

• Draft support - I've been spoiled by Apple giving me draft cards that I can flick away so having to dig through a file system for drafts bums me out
• Reaching from Focus to Other in the inbox view one handed is a chore on an iPhone 6 Plus, perhaps some UI magic there would alleviate some of that frustration
• Calendar integration could use a month view and better share options

The bottom line

Microsoft didn't destroy Acompli when they turned it into Outlook. If anything, they made it better. Little issues aside, Outlook for iPhone and iPad is a valuable tool for any working professional using any iOS device. The direction Microsoft took feels right this time and if they can follow through, Outlook could just be the mobile mail app many of us have been waiting for.

• Free - Download Now

When I reviewed Airmail last year, it was arguably the best mail app available for the Mac. Since then, I've used a handful of other apps before ultimately settling on the Mailbox for Mac beta. However, Airmail 2 just landed, combining the same advanced features with an even better Yosemite-style interface. So, is it enough to regain my heart, and the OS X mail app crown?

Airmail 2 includes the ability to upload attachments for iCloud accounts, a Today View widget, action extensions, and sharing extensions. This makes Airmail even more convenient on the Mac. As usual, you can set universal shortcuts for both composing new messages and for calling up Airmail.

Airmail 2 supports almost every account type you can throw at it, including Exchange. Airmail is also a pro with aliases and Gmail labels. I've had very few times that I've added labels or had syncing problems. If I did, Airmail has a nifty tool in settings that allows you to easily rescan folders. This has fixed any syncing problems 100% of the time. You can also scan your local address books too right from the start so Airmail can easily auto-complete emails as you type them.

One of my biggest concerns when switching back to Airmail was my habit of "snoozing" messages in Mailbox. I manage most of my mail on my Mac and only really use mobile when I need to quickly respond to something or refer to something. While Airmail has a more traditional approach to mail, you do have the option to mark items as starred or transforming them into todos.

If you star a message, it'll show up as flagged in other mail apps, including Apple's Mail app for iOS. The todo option highlights the message as red in Airmail for Mac and also shows them in the Todo section of the Today Widget. If you want another level of organization, you can also mark messages as memos.

For the first 24 hours I twitched slightly about having messages in my inbox since I have become so accustomed to clearing it out on a regular basis. With Mailbox, I'm at "inbox zero" whenever possible and "snooze things" where appropriate for later. However, since I deal with most of my mail on my Mac, the todo and memo workflow works really well. I only wish it translated better to iOS, whether in the form of an Airmail app or something else.

The good

• Keyboard shortcuts for archive and trash make triaging your inbox a breeze
• Lots of advanced features to play with for all kinds of account types
• Yosemite interface is very nicely done and includes many welcome features such as a today widget

The bad

• No snooze options like other email apps such as Mailbox
• No iOS app

The bottom line

Airmail 2 is one of the most customizable and powerful mail apps available for Mac. If you can think of a setting you want to customize, you most likely can. However, all of that may be more than most people need. If you want complete control, Airmail is for you. If you want simplicity, or you're an inbox-zero kind of person, you might want something else.

• $19.99, $9.99 on sale - Buy now

If you have yet to receive an invite to try out Inbox, you could get one very quickly later this evening. Google will accept all requests to try out their Gmail-based email management app from 3-4 pm Pacific Time (6-7 PM Eastern Time) today.

All you have to do is email inbox@google.com sometime in that 60 minute time period and Google claims you will get your Inbox invite by 5 pm Pacific (8 pm Eastern). If you are unsure if you want to try out Inbox, Android Central's editor-in-chief Phil Nickinson wrote some of his hands-on impressions of the app a few days ago.

• Free - Download now

Source: Inbox (Twitter)

Behold, users of the Gmail for iOS app, your salvation is here: today's update brings proper support for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. No longer will you have to deal with blurry display-zoomed text and hilariously-large status bar icons, no more will your loved ones have to cope with your disdain for the misused screen real estate. Today, Gmail for iPhone properly supports the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and all is right in the world.

• Free — Download Now

If you have a Gmail or Google apps account that has two-step verification enabled, the process of linking your account to your iPhone or iPad is slightly different, as you may have found out if you attempted to sign in and got an incorrect password error. This is because you'll need to generate an app-specific password for your iPhone or iPad in order to securely link them to your Gmail or Google Apps account.

How to use Google app-specific passwords for mail, contacts, and calendars in iOS

1. Launch Safari on your iPhone or iPad and go to security.google.com.
2. Log in to your Gmail or Google apps account as you normally would — you may be required to complete two-step verification.
3. Once logged in, tap on Settings under App Passwords.
4. Choose Mail in the first dropdown and iPhone or iPad in the second dropdown.
5. Tap on Generate.
6. Copy the app-specific password that is generated to your clipboard.
7. Press your Home button to return to the Home screen.
8. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
9. Tap on Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
10. Tap on your Google account under the Accounts section — or add a new one if you haven't yet added it.
11. Paste the app-specific password you copied into the password field instead of your regular password.

Your Gmail or Google Apps account should now start functioning normally again and not output password errors any longer. If you set up your account as new, you are ready to use it.

Keep in mind that app-specific passwords are exactly that, app specific. So you'll need to generate one for each app you're going to use your Google account with. Because of the way iOS is set up, you don't need a separate one for contacts, calendars, and mail, but you will need a separate one for every iOS device you own. This applies to any other mobile device or desktop client you link with your Gmail or Google Apps account.

See also:

• How to use and manage app-specific passwords for iCloud

Every day dozens and dozens of new and updated apps and games hit the iOS and Mac App Stores. More still go on sale all the time. It's impossible to keep up with them all, but it's not impossible to pick out the very best. Here they are!

New iOS apps

• Scenes: A new photo editing app with support for layers, opacity, and fine grain filter control. $0.99 (on sale) - Download now
• Polymo: A replacement camera app for iPhone that focuses on simplicity and organization. Add tags before you start shooting and watch your collection become organized before your eyes. With a clean layout and private mode, Polymo is worth looking at if you're considering a replacement camera app. $1.99 - Download Now

Updated iOS apps

• Angry Birds Epic: Bug fixes galore for the turn-based combat RPG featuring everybody's favorite furious fowl. Free, IAPs - Download now
• Jelly Mania: New chapters added to this candy-themed match-3 puzzle game. - Free, IAPs - Download now
• StartFX: A sharp-looking app for new foreign exchange traders. Latest update adds educational services info, analytics, and news feeds. - Free - Download now
• AIM: The classic instant messaging app reintroduces the presence icon, so you can tell if a contact is using the app or SMS. Can now set the return key to send messages. Free - Download Now
• Game of Thrones Ascent: The casual strategy game based on the hit book and TV series has introduced World Events. Free, IAPs - Download now
• GoodReader: Popular PDF reader adds background Google Drive sync. $6.99 - Download now
• ProCamera 7: Superfunctional camera app brings back audio trigger. $0.99 - Download now

Discounted iOS apps

• Trimaginator: Turn your photos into funky triangular mosaics. Alter points and stretch out triangles to make some truly unique images. $3.99 Free - Download now
• Retromatic: Add some vintage flair to your pictures. $1.99 Free - Download now

Updated Mac apps

• Marked 2: A strong desktop Markdown editor has been updated to include a special GitHub-flavored editor. $9.99 (launch special) - Download now
• Airmail: A replacement mail app with support for multiple accounts, Dropbox, and many other third party apps. This update adds official support for Fantastical, new actions, Omnifocus 2 support, and lots more. $1.99 - Download Now

More apps and updates?

If you try any of the apps or updates, let me know how they work for you. If you got any new or updated apps today that you loved, but don't see here, let us know about them!

I like to use my iOS devices as extensions of each other. The Home screen of my retina iPad mini in many ways mirrors the one on my iPhone because these are the apps that I want to have access to no matter which screen I'm using. I use one of Apple's iOS 7 wallpapers, and I keep only a few of Apple's stock apps on my screen, but they are the ones I use constantly.

• Wallpaper: While I change my wallpaper frequently, my current favorite is iPad variant of the Seas by Louie Mantia, and you can find this and more like it over on his website.
• Fantastical: I was so happy when Fantastical came to iPad back in April. Flexibits did a great job in turning Fantastical into a full-fledged iPad app. The iPad is the tool I use for scheduling, and Fantastical makes it easier than it's ever been. $14.99 - Download Now
• Youtube: I find that a lot of the video watching that I used to do on a laptop now takes place on the iPad. That includes a lot of YouTube videos. Just as I do on my phone, I make use of AiRPlay to send videos from my iPad to my Apple TV. Free - Download Now
• Dark Sky: - Dark Sky replaced The Weather Channel as my go-to weather app on the iPad. It makes good use of the screen real estate of the iPad, confining the three different weather readouts to one screen as oppsed to three on the iPhone. $3.99 - Download Now
• Editorial: I write mostly on my Mac, but every now and then I like to get some work done on my iPad. Editorial is the best text editor for iPad that I've used, bar none. It supports Markdown, supports Dropbox exactly how I need it to (you'd be surprised how hard that is to find), and features TextExpander support. The workflows you can build turn Editorial into a mobile blogging powerhouse. $6.99 - Download Now
• Simplenote: Simplenote is for in-depth notes that I need to be able to access on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The syncing is easy to set up and very fast and reliable. Free - Download Now
• Facebook: I don't make as much use of Facebook for iPad as its place on my Home screen would suggest, but it's good to have there when I just want to browse through Facebook on my downtime. Free - Download Now
• Tweetbot: Tapbots hasn't released an iOS 7-style refresh of Tweetbot for iPad as they have on the iPhone, but Tweetbot remains my iPad Twitter client of choice none the less. While the asthetics are outdated, the functionality is not. I have yet to find a Twitter client that meets my needs quite like Tweetbot. $2.99 - Download Now
• Tumblr: Tumblr's official app is just as fun to use on the iPad as it is on the iPhone. Searching through popular and recent posts in tags is easy, and the number of apps and services that Tumblr can connect to gives me a number of sharing options beyond the standard iOS set. Free - Download Now
• Instapaper: This app has been one of my favorites since before the iPad. Instapaper has been my go-to read-it-later service for years now. $3.99 - Download Now
• Audible: As with Pocket Casts, i find the iPad version of Audible useful when I need to charge my phone or listen to audiobooks through a speaker. Free - Download Now
• 1Password: My password manager of choice on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac. I have a lot of accounts, and I use the app's password generator to create new passwords that are unique, complex, and secure. Because I've started using more complicated passwords, I keep 1Password on my Home screen to quickly access them when I need them. It's especially useful when I need my complex passwords in apps, where iCloud Keychain doesn't work. $17.99 - Download Now.
• iBooks: I mostly read books on my Kindle Paperwhite, but every now and then I purchase something from the iBookstore. I also use iBooks to read and organize my gaming-related PDFs and any user guides I might have. Free - Download Now
• Launch Center Pro: If I'm creating something on my iPad, Launch Center Pro is usually how I get it started. While the iPhone app mostly facilitates communication and scheduling, on the iPad Launch Center is my go-to to start documents, launch bookmarks, and open entertainment apps. $4.99 - Download Now
• Beats Music: This is my streaming music service of choice. I prefer the curation features to those of other services, and I think that it does music organization the best of all of the services that I've tried. Free - Download Now
• Pocket Casts: I actually use the iPad version of Pocket Casts frequently. I find it especially useful when I wish to listen to new podcast episodes through a speaker and the battery on my iPhone has worn down. $3.99 - Download Now
• Mailbox: I complete the same sorts of tasks on multiple devices, and I like to use the same app on all of them whenever I can. As on the iPhone, Mailbox is my email client of choice on the iPad. Mailbox lets me easily sort and archive my mail with gestures that are easy to use. Saving and email for later is easily my most-used feature. Free - Download Now

So that's my first Home screen. My second page holds interesting or fun apps, but I don't use most of them regularly. My third page is full of folders. My first page never stays exactly the same for very long. What do you keep on your Home screen, and how do you decide what goes on your front page?

Since all of the cool kids are doing it, I thought that I'd show you what's on my iPhone. My iPhone is the single most important piece of technology in my line-up. It goes with my everywhere, and is my primary method of communication. I keep the most important apps on my first Home screen. I don't use most of the stock apps enough for them to merit a place on my first screen. Those few that remain, however, I use every day without fail. Messages, Camera, Maps, and Safari all remain on my Home screen.

• Wallpaper: I like to rotate my wallpapers quite a bit, and I love some of the ones that Apple included in iOS 7, but I'm always on the lookout for wallpapers from around the internet. My current favorite is the phone variant of the Seas wallpaper by Louie Mantia. He has a number of different wallpapers that he's made, all available from his website.
• Fantastical 2: I've been a Fantastical user for awhile, first on Mac, then on iPhone. I bought Fantastical 2 as soon as it was available from the App Store. The reminder integration in Fantastical 2 means that I have more space on my Home screen. $9.99 - Download Now
• Carousel: I've tried a few photo storage and organization solutions, but recently I've been taking a look at Dropbox's own photo app, Carousel. I was using Dropbox as my backup photo storage, and Carousel lets me view and share photos stored in Dropbox better than the actual Dropbox app. The only problem I've had so far is the inability to hide a selection of photos at once, like those stored in a shared folder. Free - Download Now
• Dark Sky: Dark Sky moved up to my main screen after its major 4.0 update, which made the app a lot more useful as a general purpose weather app without dumbing the hyperlocal prediction that made it an essential app to begin with. $3.99 - Download Now
• YouTube: I don't watch a lot of video on my phone, but I use the YouTube app with AirPlay to watch things on my Apple TV, rather than using the built-in Apple TV YouTube app. The app also occupies the same position as the stock YouTube app did pre-iOS 6. Free - Download Now
• Vesper: While I use apps like Evernote and Simplenote for more in-depth note taking that I need to access anywhere, Vesper is the perfect app to just get down a quick note right when I need it. Now that Vesper has added sync, it's even better, and it might even replace Simplenote for me one day. $2.99 - Download Now
• Flipboard: Opening Flipboard is for me what reading the newspaper in the morning was for my parents. It's usually the first or second app that I go to in the morning, after checking email and sometimes Twitter. Opening Flipboard is a lot easier than using Twitter to catch up on the news I may have missed overnight. Free - Download Now
• Paper: Facebook's Paper is a great app for browsing Facebook posts. It is, in fact, much better than the standard Facebook app. Paper is especially great for looking at photos, and makes good use of gestures for navigation and viewing.
• Tweetbot 3: I've been a Tweetbot user since day one. When they launched Tweetbot 3 last year, I bought it without hesitation. It's everything I want in a Twitter app. $4.99 - Download Now
• Tumblr: Tumblr has created an excellent app for the iPhone, and it's one of those apps that's just fun to use. It's dead simple to create any type of post using the app, browsing is fast and fluid, and each section is easy to find. The recent addition of mobile themes let you put your personal flair on part of the app. Free - Download Now
• Beats Music: Beats Music has become my streaming service of choice. I enjoy the discovery features of Beats, and it's superior to Spotify when it comes to organization. Additionally, it allows me to select when high quality music is streamed to my device, and automatically switches to streaming lower-quality music when I turn off Wi-Fi so I don't use as much data, something I have to manage manually on Spotify. Free - Download Now
• Pocket Casts: I listen to a lot of podcasts, and I've found Pocket Casts by Shifty Jelly to be the perfect tool for the job. The use of color and animation, along with highly customizable episode filters, make Pocket Casts a joy to use. $3.99 - Download Now
• Audible: Audible is the app for listening to audiobooks. I don't always have time to sit down and read, but I can listen to a book while doing other things. Audible uses Amazon's Whispersync to sync the listening position of many audiobooks with their ebook counterpart in my Kindle library. Free - Download Now
• 1Password: My password manager of choice on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac. I have a lot of passwords, and I need not only to keep them secure, but also to make them unique. I use the app's password generator to create passwords that are unique, complex, and secure. Because I've started using more complicated password, I keep 1Password on my Home screen to quickly access them when I need them. $17.99 - Download Now
• Launch Center Pro: After using it sporadically for a little while, Launch Center Pro earned a place on my dock. It's just so versatile, a Swiss Army knife of apps. I use it to write text messages to friends and family, to start searches, to create text files, and open specific functions of other apps. Creating and discovering new workflows for Launch Center Pro is always interesting and fun. $4.99 - Download Now
• Mailbox: Mailbox became my go-to email app on iPhone shortly after its launch last year. Working with email on my iPhone is rarely about responding to it, and almost always about organizing or getting rid of it. Mailbox lets me easily sort and archive my mail with gestures that are easy to use. Saving and email for later is easily my most-used feature. Free - Download Now

So that's my first Home screen. My second page holds interesting or fun apps, but nothing I would call "mission-critical". My third page holds all of the rest in folders. My first page never stays exactly the same for very long. Tomorrow I'll probably move Soulver on there because I'll convince myself I absolutely need a calculator app on the first page. What do you keep on your Home screen, and how do you decide what goes on your front page? Let me know in the comments, and show us what's on your home screen over in the forums.

Gmail is Google's web-based email service famed for its stars (favorites), labels (tags), and anti-spam capabilities. It's accessible on the Mac through any modern browser, including Safari and Chrome. While the mobile version of Gmail is also available via Safari on iPhone and iPad, Google provides a native, universal iOS app as well.

Gmail for iPhone and iPad provides support for up to 5 accounts, push notifications, and more. Folks who use Google Apps can sign into the Gmail app just like they would do on the web. The search feature in the Gmail app is not only fast, but offers predictive text so it can guess what you're looking for before you're even done typing your query. Some people may argue that while the Gmail app is well designed, it wastes a lot of space due to it laying emails out in a chat-like format. Either way, since the Gmail app was designed around the Gmail service itself, it's a great option for anyone that only uses Gmail. If you use other Google apps for iOS, many of them can even work seamlessly with the Gmail app just like they do Chrome and Google+.

For anyone who has multiple accounts with multiple email services, the Gmail app obviously can't tie them in and may not be the best solution. For example, if you've got an iCloud email address and a Gmail address, the Gmail app for iPhone and iPad probably does make the most sense. For that, the built-in Mail app or a third party app like Mailbox would be a better option.

The Gmail app is available for free for both iPhone and iPad.

• Free - Gmail for iOS - Download now

Earlier today, Google announced and introduced new APIs for Gmail. These new APIs will help developers create apps that go beyond the limitations of IMAP. At least that's what Google is hoping for with today's announcement.

Google praises IMAP for connecting email clients to email servers in a standard way, which it was designed to do. But there are features in Gmail that are held back by the limitations of IMAP. That's why we're looking at new APIs, designe to be a standard Google API.

These new APIs will give developers RESTful access to a user's mailbox under OAuth 2.0 authentication. CRUD operations are supported for true Gmail datatypes such as messages, threads, labels and drafts. Hit up the source links below to knock your socks off with all the tech behind the new Gmail APIs.

The end result? Devs can create apps that give users better control over how their email is accessed. Some practical applications that result from the new APIs include:

• Read-only mail extraction, indexing, and backup
• Label management (add/remove labels)
• Automated or programmatic message sending

Interesting stuff and we can't wait to see future apps built by devs using these new APIs. What sort of features do you want to see come out of the new Gmail APIs?

Source: Google, Gmail API documentation

Inky Mail is a new alternative mail app for both iPhone and iPad that can help you quickly triage and get your inboxes under control. Even though Inky is new to iOS, it's been available on the Mac for quite some time. I even named it one of the best alternative Mac mail apps currently available. The thing that makes Inky so unique is not only how it sorts your mail, but how it can sort what messages are actually relevant and important to you.

The first thing you'll notice when you launch Inky on either Mac or iOS are the Smart Views. These are areas that you can use to collect different kinds of messages. The most significant of these views is the filtered inbox. This keeps all the noise and distractions away. Essentially it'll filter out any kind of newsletters, social invites, and other kinds of noise that can distract you from getting things done. In my experience, the filtered inbox works rather well. It occasionally filters something out it shouldn't, but those occurrences are few and far between. As for the rest of the Smart Views, if there is a particular one you don't want to use, you can disable it in settings.

Sorting items in Inky can be done in several ways. My favorite sort option is relevance. Over time Inky can gauge what messages are extra important to you and what ones are not. If Inky ever gets something wrong, you can correct it and it should remember your preferences. Relevance is shown on all inbox views with a water droplet. The darker blue it is, the more relevant Inky things that message thread is to you.

If you use a different mail app on your Mac or need to grab something inside a folder or label, you can easily access all your folders with Inky. For some people, not being able to easily access old folders in alternative Mail apps such as Mailbox can be a deal breaker. We've all come across a time or two that we need to dig for an older message. At times like this, you can just drill down to folders like you used to in Inky, no need to switch to the built-in Mail app anymore.

Inky also features a one click reply feature that lets you easily reply to similar emails with a boiler plater response. You can pick from a handful of already made responses or you can create your own. Anyone that spends a lot of time answering similar emails will appreciate this feature.

I did experience a few issues with Inky on iOS and my biggest one is that there is currently no contact sync. This means Inky can't look at your contacts in order to pull them in, it simply advises you to do this from your computer. It's been one of my biggest pain points with Inky and one of the things that keeps me from wanting to use it on a regular basis.

The good

• Great interface that's easy to use and navigate around
• Smart Views and the filtered inbox to a great job at triaging cluttered inboxes
• Support for Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo! Mail, Outlook.com, IMAP or POP servers — Inky can even pull Google apps accounts with no manual setup needed on your part
• Zero setup system lets you create an Inky account and only add your accounts once, after that just sign in on a new device and all your stuff is right as you left it
• Real time package tracking information via Smart Views
• Cloud storage support via Dropbox

The bad

• I found a weird UI bug in the compose screen where the from address field kept hiding and unhiding while typing, hopefully that'll be fixed soon
• No contact syncing on iPhone and iPad
• Push notifications were a bit sketchy for me and didn't work 100% of the time

The bottom line

Inky Mail takes a uniquely awesome approach at helping you triage and tackle your inboxes. Smart Views work wonderfully and integrated cloud storage with Dropbox make it a decently well-rounded option. I hope the intermittent push issues I'm experiencing get worked out as that's currently a deal breaker for me when it comes to as using Inky Mail on a regular basis. Regardless, I'm excited to see what the future holds for Inky Mail as it's off to a great start on iOS.

If you try out Inky Mail on iPhone or iPad, be sure to let me know your initial impressions in the comments!

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Every day dozens and dozens of new and updated apps and games hit the App Store for both iOS and Mac. It's impossible to keep up with them all, but it's not impossible to pick out the very best. Here they are! Today we've got some brand new levels for Candy Crush fans, some performance fixes for Mailbox users, and more!

New and updated iOS apps

• Mailbox: Popular email alternative app for both iPhone and iPad. This update includes bug fixes for an issue where iPad users weren't seeing reply buttons when reading emails. There is also integration with App Links now. Free - Download Now
• Candy Crush Saga: Candy Crush is an addictive match three puzzle game available for both iPhone and iPad. This update includes lots of new levels in both regular game play mode and in dreamworld. Free - Download Now
• Zipcar: A companion app for the popular car rental service, Zipcar, which is available in many metropolitan areas. This update to the Zipcar app includes enhancements that make the reservation process smoother. Free - Download Now
• Despicable Me: Minion Rush: Popular endless runner game for iPhone and iPad that features all your favorite characters from the Despicable Me movies. This update features bug fixes to general game play. Free - Download Now
• Screens: Screens is a popular screen sharing and remote desktop app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. This version brings stability improvements and connection fixes for both iPhone and iPad. $19.99 - Download Now
• TuneIn Radio: A popular radio streaming service for both iPhone and iPad. The new update brings one-click play options for your favorite stations, the return of the time remaining feature, and more. Free - Download Now, $3.99, Pro version - Download Now
• Google Drive: Google's cloud storage app gets bug fixes and improvements, along with tighter integration with the new Google Docs and Google Sheets applications. Free - Download Now
• Google Docs: Google's app for creating and editing documents gets performance enhancements and bug fixes in version 1.0.1. Free - Download Now
• Google Sheets: The spreadsheet creation and editing app hits version 1.0.1 with bug fixes and performance improvements. Free - Download Now
• inGroove: This is a new app that ties into Google Analytics to give you predictions on all of your important website performance metrics in a simple, easy to use interface. Free - Download Now
• Vima GPS Run Tracker: Vima is a new GPS run tracker for iPhone that focuses on staying simple but allowing runners to track the data that's important. With color coded routes, social integration, and support for the Pebble, there's a lot to like with Vima. Free - Download Now
• Marco Polo: Marco Polo is an interesting twist on keeping track of your iPhone. Let it run in the background and if you ever misplace your iPhone, just yell Marco and wait for your iPhone to respond. Now if only it could help me find my keys... $0.99 - Download Now

New and updated Mac apps

• Cloud: Companion Mac app for the CloudApp link shortening and file sharing service. This update includes many fixes and enhancements including the ability to correctly upload to folders at the same time. You can also retain file names when uploading Photoshop files now. Free - Download Now

More apps and updates?

If you try any of the apps or updates, let me know how they work for you. If you got any new or updated apps today that you loved, but don't see here, let us know about them!