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Gmail's Priority Inbox improved for Android

The latest Gmail app for Android 2.2 and above better supports the "Priority Inbox" feature and more.

Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds. Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
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Jessica Dolcourt
Android priority inbox for Gmail
Google

Google's Priority Inbox for Gmail has evidently been successful enough on the desktop that it's now moved to the Android smartphone. The new Gmail for Android 2.3.2 (compatible with Android 2.2 (Froyo) and 2.3 (Gingerbread) better supports the "Priority Inbox" e-mail filtering tool by showing off tagged e-mails in a view dedicated to the feature.

If you don't currently use it, you can activate and try Priority Inbox in the Gmail.com Settings from your desktop or mobile browser.

This version of the Gmail app provides some management options, including marking messages important or unimportant--a menu option lets you toggle between the two. In addition, you can rejigger Gmail's settings to notify you when an "important" message comes in. Google acknowledges that this is a start, but not comparable to the desktop experience. Accordingly, we expect to see more enhancements in the not-too-distant future.

In addition to enhanced e-mail support, the updated Gmail app also sees a change to replies. Instead of relying on a series of back buttons to differentiate between replying to one sender or all of them, you can now make use of a drop-down menu at the top of the e-mail to settle replies and forwards. Even better, you can now add in-line comments in a response.

In addition, Google is offering a small but useful feature that lets recent Gmail converts from other Web mail clients compose messages using the Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, or other addresses.

[via Google]