CloudMagic: Email for the highly connected

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/cloudmagic-email-for-the-highly-connected/#ftag=RSS56d97e7
CloudMagic. This app offers greater email options for those who need more. 

There are so many email clients for Android that it's often hard to sift through the pile to find something the masses could really make use of. Thankfully, I came across CloudMagic. It's a Gmail-interface wanna be for any number of email accounts you might use. Out of the box, CloudMagic makes it simple to connect to services like:

• Gmail
• Google Apps
• Office 365
• Yahoo Mail
• Hotmail/Outlook
• Exchange
• iCloud

Or you can opt to connect to an IMAP account (I'm glad to see they left POP out of the mix). CloudMagic also features:

• Lightning fast, powerful email search
• Unified inbox
• Integrated with tools like: Salesforce.com, Zendesk, Pocket, Evernote, Trello, and MailChimp
• Complete support for Microsoft Exchange (2003, 2007, 2010, and 2013 -- ActiveSync, EWS, IMAP)
• Set reminders
• Push notifications
• Access your inbox, search, and preview your emails even when you are offline
• Passcode lock
• Move to folders/labels
• Threaded conversation view
• Quick swipe actions from inbox

As you can see, CloudMagic has plenty of features to make any Android user happy. Let's install this app and connect a few accounts.

Installation

The installation of CloudMagic is quite simple. Just follow these steps:

1. Open the Google Play Store on your Android device
2. Search for CloudMagic
3. Locate and tap the entry for CloudMagic (by CloudMagic, Inc)
4. Tap Install
5. Read through the permissions list
6. If you are okay with the permissions, tap Accept

Once the installation is complete, launch the app from either the home screen or the application drawer.

First run

When you first run CloudMagic, you'll be prompted to configure an email account (Figure A).

Figure A

CloudMagic on a Verizon-branded HTC One Max.

Let's connect a Gmail account first. To do this, tap the Gmail icon, and then enter your Gmail credentials. Note: If you have two-step verification, you'll be prompted for your verification code (so have one handy). You'll then be prompted to grant permissions for CloudMagic to work with your Gmail account. Tap Allow access, and you're finished.

Now, let's add an IMAP account. To do this, tap the IMAP icon, and then fill in the necessary information (Figure B).

Figure B

Setting up an IMAP account in CloudMagic.

After you fill out the necessary information, tap the ADD button at the bottom, and CloudMagic will attempt a connection to add the account. After accounts are added, they'll be listed at the top of the main screen. When you're done adding accounts, tap on the I'm done button at the bottom of the window. This will take you to the unified inbox for all of your accounts.

Cards

The Card system is pretty unique and allows you to easily connect to various services. With this, you can do things quickly, save something to Evernote, or interface your email to Zendeskor Tello.

Getting to the Card system is not very intuitive. You can look around the interface all day and not find a single clue. But if you open an email, you'll notice a small square icon (to the left of the Reply button -- Figure C).

Figure C

Finding the Card system in CloudMagic.

Tap that square icon to open up the Card system. When the Card window opens, tap on the plus sign [+] to add a new card. Scroll through the listing, and find the card you want to add. When you locate the card, tap the plus sign [+] associated with the card (Figure D). Once the card is added, tap the login button to login to that service.

Figure D

Adding MailChimp to the CloudMagic Card system.

A nice sample of how this works is having the ability to open up an email and then quickly add the sender's email address to MailChimp by tapping the Add to MailChimp button (Figure E). The MailChimp connection is something very handy for users like me who uses MailChimp to announce book releases). If the available Cards don't suit you, there are more on the way.

Figure E

Adding an email to your MailChimp mailing list.

CloudMagic is one of my new favorite Android email apps -- even if for only the Card system. This unique feature makes CloudMagic an email app that's worth checking out.