Email is getting its first makeover in 16 years.
Key Takeaways
Email is amazing.
Everyone has an email address, and everyone knows how to use it.
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Email is also terrible.
Luckily, things are about to change.
Email has hardly changed since Gmail shook things up in 2004.
OnMail
Meanwhile, messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram have changed the way we communicate.
But not with email.
But in 2020, email is returning to its rightful place at the center of our communications.
Basecamp
Email is the internet’s common denominator.
Whats Good and Bad About Email?
The best thing about email is you own it.
The other best thing about email is everybody has an email address.
Email is the universal best way to reach out to a person in a formal setting, says Denys.
Also, it gives you the freedom for a long form, thoughtful, and asynchronous communication.
It doesnt create pressure.
you’re free to respond, or you’re free to ignore it.
But most email apps and services are just awful.
Theyre stuck in the past.
Compare this to your photos app, which can automatically recognize people, places, and objects.
Email has been neglected.
Like rival email innovatorHey, OnMail builds modern features on top of normal email.
Hey, from Basecamp, implements clever features to help you deal with overload.
In theory, anyway.
The Downside of Proprietary Services
But it’s not all good news.
Twobird only works with Gmail accounts.
The big problem is you have to trust these companies with your private data.
When you use one, youre handing over the keys to your digital life.
Thats because all the neat features are added in the cloud.
So, you have to confirm you trust that email service not to sell your personal info.
Reading privacy policies can help, but even thats no guarantee.
Whats Needed
What we need is an email app that can do all this on your unit.
We need an app that keeps your private stuff private.
Readdles Spark is the closest to this, but it still has a cloud component to manage message notifications.
Email is insecure, unencrypted, and anyone can read it on its way through the pipes.
In physical terms, its more like a postcard than a sealed letter.
But it works, and its finally being improved.
