Google Inbox • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Inbox

#61

Post by yen223 » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 5:29 PM UTC

gk1 wrote: post #52

jaysonelliot wrote: post #25

Slightly off-topic, but can we talk about that video? I would love it if Google could just sell me on the idea of their products for once, instead of trying to sell me on a twentysomething Brooklyn lifestyle. When I get hit in the face with these cheap emotional ploys that feel like an early 2000s Microsoft Zune ad, I get distracted from the actual product being touted. My resistance goes up. Does this approach work…

The video actually caused me to laugh from how cliche it is: A racially diverse group of 20-somethings doing "active" things like skateboarding and running on the beach.

And a bit of email on the side.

Re: Google Inbox

#62

Post by brador » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 5:30 PM UTC

jaysonelliot wrote: post #25

Slightly off-topic, but can we talk about that video? I would love it if Google could just sell me on the idea of their products for once, instead of trying to sell me on a twentysomething Brooklyn lifestyle. When I get hit in the face with these cheap emotional ploys that feel like an early 2000s Microsoft Zune ad, I get distracted from the actual product being touted. My resistance goes up. Does this approach work…

I would argue this product is not made for you. It is made to grab market share of the twentysomething crowd from Twitter/Facebook as Google sees it's gmail views shrink. These types of ads appeal to twentysomethings. Yes they're vapid and contentless, but that's what works to get that market to sign up to a product.

Re: Google Inbox

#63

Post by bluthru » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 5:31 PM UTC

jaysonelliot wrote: post #25

Slightly off-topic, but can we talk about that video? I would love it if Google could just sell me on the idea of their products for once, instead of trying to sell me on a twentysomething Brooklyn lifestyle. When I get hit in the face with these cheap emotional ploys that feel like an early 2000s Microsoft Zune ad, I get distracted from the actual product being touted. My resistance goes up. Does this approach work…

These videos are so homogenous. Virtually any phone app could have been interspersed in the video.

Re: Google Inbox

#64

Post by afandian » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 5:31 PM UTC

There were bad Google outages earlier today (at least in the UK). I wonder if these were connected?

Re: Google Inbox

#65

Post by Zelphyr » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 5:31 PM UTC

jaysonelliot wrote: post #25

Slightly off-topic, but can we talk about that video? I would love it if Google could just sell me on the idea of their products for once, instead of trying to sell me on a twentysomething Brooklyn lifestyle. When I get hit in the face with these cheap emotional ploys that feel like an early 2000s Microsoft Zune ad, I get distracted from the actual product being touted. My resistance goes up. Does this approach work…

I find it interesting that I'm not the only one turned off by that video. I thought maybe I'm just not the target demographic but now that you mention it; it looks like just about every other video marketing some tech production. Its so... cookie cutter.

Re: Google Inbox

#66

Post by actionscripted » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 5:32 PM UTC

sdk16420 wrote: post #29

I don't understand why people want some algorithm to sort your email for you. IMO email should always be sorted chronologically, and if it's too much, then used rules and folders/labels. Your inbox is not the place to add reminders. With the Google strategy you will have reminders everywhere seperately: calendar, email, phone, IM, texts, etc. Inbox by Gmail: the Facebook of email.

> I don't understand why people want some algorithm to sort your email...if it's too much, then used rules and folders/labels.

What, really, is the difference? I see many of Gmail's changes as the automatic equivalent to rules/labels and they have a massive sample set to base it all on.

Re: Google Inbox

#67

Post by Chevalier » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 5:32 PM UTC

jaysonelliot wrote: post #25

Slightly off-topic, but can we talk about that video? I would love it if Google could just sell me on the idea of their products for once, instead of trying to sell me on a twentysomething Brooklyn lifestyle. When I get hit in the face with these cheap emotional ploys that feel like an early 2000s Microsoft Zune ad, I get distracted from the actual product being touted. My resistance goes up. Does this approach work…

I usually get annoyed by too-hip advertising. But I think it makes sense here. Inbox is designed for mobile use, on the go, for a diverse array of tasks. Young urban people fit that demographic a lot more than a suburban commuter would, since that lifestyle comes with a pretty set routine and a limited variety of schedules.

Such ads make less sense when you have too-happy hipsters dancing in a park about the latest Windows edition, admittedly. But showing ads in the context of their use and probable demographic seems reasonable.

Re: Google Inbox

#68

Post by ohadron » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 5:32 PM UTC

digestm wrote: post #57

caffeineninja wrote: post #4

This looks very much like Mailbox, in particular the swipe left and right to archive/snooze a message.

That's exactly what I thought. Was wondering if Google acquired Mailbox app!

Dropbox did.

Re: Google Inbox

#69

Post by flyrain » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 5:32 PM UTC

jaysonelliot wrote: post #25

Slightly off-topic, but can we talk about that video? I would love it if Google could just sell me on the idea of their products for once, instead of trying to sell me on a twentysomething Brooklyn lifestyle. When I get hit in the face with these cheap emotional ploys that feel like an early 2000s Microsoft Zune ad, I get distracted from the actual product being touted. My resistance goes up. Does this approach work…

Good point, I agree. After watching the video, I cannot remember any features of this product.

Re: Google Inbox

#70

Post by AceJohnny2 » Wed, Oct 22, 2014, 5:33 PM UTC

sdk16420 wrote: post #29

I don't understand why people want some algorithm to sort your email for you. IMO email should always be sorted chronologically, and if it's too much, then used rules and folders/labels. Your inbox is not the place to add reminders. With the Google strategy you will have reminders everywhere seperately: calendar, email, phone, IM, texts, etc. Inbox by Gmail: the Facebook of email.

As a counterpoint, I use Gmail's "Priority Inbox", and it's basically the best thing since sliced bread for me.

I don't want to have to bother creating rules for every Kickstarter I back, mailing list I join, marketing email that's just useful enough not have me unsubscribe.

The Priority Inbox does a 99% perfect job of sorting the emails I actually care about. Occasionally (once every other month), it misses something, but a quick scan of the "everything else" box usually, which I do anyhow, has me catch that.

That's the kind of algorithmic sorting that I want more of.