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Mail gets major overhaul in OS X

by Mel Martin Jun 6th 2011 at 1:51PM

It's the app we probably use the most, and Mail is getting some big-league features in Lion. Attendees at WWDC only got a brief glimpse of the new Mail app, but it's loaded with new and compelling features.

The app has been completely redesigned, with a new multi-column view that looks a bit similar to Mail on the iPad. The app can intelligently select recipients as you type, and even suggest subjects as it parses your older mail. There are threaded conversations, and those can be easily saved outside of Mail. Threads even contain attachments.

We'll have more on Mail as we learn more, but with Lion itself selling for US$29.99, the Mail upgrade alone seems like it's worth that.



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It's the app we probably use the most, and Mail is getting some big-league features in Lion. Attendees at WWDC only got a brief...
 

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Roberto

I pray we can have more then one flag color in the new mail.

June 19 2011 at 2:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rick A

Call me a Luddite, but will the old view still be an option?

I like seeing my mailbox folders on the left, and the list of messages on the right. When i want to read one, I click it to open it

I prefer to see a long list of emails, not a very limited one running down the side.

From what I can see, there are about 12 or so emails running down the left as opposed to the 50 plus I can now view at a glance, with my mailbox folders running down the side for easy filing

June 07 2011 at 7:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rick A

But will I be able to edit the subject line to my liking yet?

I highly doubt it

June 07 2011 at 7:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jacobo

my only concern regarding the mail.app is, will it be more compatible with gmail and google apps? I'm not down with imap. If it becomes friendly for google mailing i'll consider starting using it.

June 07 2011 at 1:19 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jacobo's comment
Roberto

Really IMAP once implemented is so very easy for many many reasons in IMHO

June 19 2011 at 2:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
James Kendall

Automatic spelling and grammar check (including capitalisation) like Outlook and this will be about there. Until then I'll always be a bit frustrated with it.

June 06 2011 at 6:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to James Kendall's comment
James Kendall

that sounds negative - the changes look really good is what i meant to say.

June 06 2011 at 6:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
quak520

I'm going to be buying a macbook pro for college soon. If I buy it in July, will Lion be automatically be loaded on it, or will it be snow leopard and I have to buy Lion? Also, is the 'buy a mac for college and get a free ipod touch' promotion still in existence? Thanks!

June 06 2011 at 4:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sir Marky

AH...but does it fix the date problem inherent since OSX 10.0 where Sunday is always the first day of the week regardless of regional settings?

June 06 2011 at 2:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Sir Marky's comment
sip

Sunday has always been the first day of the week. Monday is the first WORKING day of the week, and all my Macs and iDevices are set that way -- my Calendars start Monday and end Sunday.

June 06 2011 at 3:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to sip's comment
Sir Marky

The ISO standard places Monday as the first day of the week. The 'weekend', being the days at-the-week-end are Saturday and Sunday. Only the US and Brazil places Sunday as the first day. The ISO standard has been Monday for many many years.

Irrespective of your personal or country preferences, however OSX Mail has ignored the regional settings option within it's own OS. It is impossible to create a smart folder for 'mail this week' when the days are wrong.

iCal also ignores the preferences panel but at least it has an option in its own app to choose the first day of the week. Mail has never had it.

This bug has been reported to Apple many times but they have always ignored it. Let's hope it's fixed this time round.

June 06 2011 at 3:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down
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