Zoho Mail: The new UI is here, and we're giving your Tasks a makeover

Hello there! We're moving to a brand-new UI, and we're giving Tasks a makeover. Starting September 15th, your tasks and notes will be available exclusively in the new UI. They will no longer be available on task.zoho.com.

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Change is good

task.zoho.com will be sunset on September 15th, 2016. It is (part of) the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the product evolution of the Zoho Mail suite - Mail, Docs, Calendar, Chat, Tasks, Notes and Contacts. All these products in the Zoho Mail suite will be shedding their old look, and donning the brand new, simplified and intuitive UI. Over 4000 users in Zoho Corp alone have been using it for over a year now, and we can't wait to share the same refreshingly new experience with all our users. We know it's a step in the right direction - nearly 80% of our users have already migrated to the new UI!

Tasks + Streams: New. And improved too

Zoho Mail truly is more than just an inbox. Social media has changed and/or influenced the way we communicate, in both our personal and professional lives. A recent study showed that having social-media like features in your email client, can reduce the time you spend in your inbox by up to 25%. Which means you get more time to get your work done. We've stayed ahead of the times, with innovative features like Streams. In a nutshell, Streams is a social-media style hangout for your organization, sitting right in your inbox.

Share emails instead of forwarding them, to have a clutter-free inbox.

Streams takes the old-school project management, and gives it a fun and easy social-media spin. For example, creating and assigning tasks is now as simple as highlighting a piece of text from the body of an email you just received; and '@' mentioning your colleague/team. And this works just as easily when creating Events (Calendar), or Notes. Just like you would mention someone in a comment on a Facebook post. Or like how you would tweet/Instagram to someone. All this, without ever leaving your inbox. Streamify equals simplify.

Tasks
Highlight – mention – assign.

A project could have numerous deliverable components, and more than one person could be working on the same project. In Tasks, you can organize this hierarchy by creating one task for the larger project, and then associating sub-tasks under the same task. Each sub-task can be assigned to different people.

group-task
Assign sub-tasks in a project to different people.

When you Streamify, you do away with the clutter of sending/receiving multiple emails. A discussion around a Task assigned to an individual/group (which would automatically appear as a post on Streams) can now be a clean and simple thread of comments; much like a comments thread on a Facebook post. You can even attach relevant documents from Docs when you assign/share a Task. Users/groups receive notifications instead of emails, each time there is new activity on a Streams post.

mention
‘@’ mention colleagues to share/assign Tasks, Notes or Events.

fav-posts
Discuss about a project with your colleagues via comments on a Streams post. Or just share a general status update.

To demonstrate exactly how serious we are about our commitment to incorporating social-media inspired elements into our productivity and collaboration tools, our next update will introduce a 'Timeline' for each Task. The Timeline will narrate the lifecycle of each task - who started it and when, a chronology of the updates as they happened, and who closed the Task and when. You don't have to call for a meeting to discuss the progress of a task, exchange emails, ping someone on chat, or call up on their extension.

 Ask What You Can Do For Your Product..

As we make these determined strides towards this major UI overhaul, it is very important that you have all your data migrated well before the deadline, and familiarize yourself with the new interface. Should you face any issues during or after the process, please feel free to contact our Support team, and someone will be in touch with you to help you out. However, we will support task.zoho.com (and all data stored/accessed from it) only till 15.09.2016.

To ensure your tasks/notes remain accessible to you in the new user interface, migrate all your tasks/notes on or before September 15th, 2016 (15/09/2016).

Kindly note: unless migrated, your tasks/notes will not be available post this date, and you could risk losing your data.

'So What Exactly Do I Need To Do Now?'

When you land on task.zoho.com, you will be asked to migrate your tasks and notes to the new UI. Just click on the link, and we will take care of the rest for you. Upon successful migration, all your tasks will be accessible from the 'Tasks' tab on the left pane of your inbox (in the new Zoho Mail UI). Likewise, you will see all your notes under the 'Notes' tab. Just to clarify, the task.zoho.com service will remain functional. But the URL itself, i.e task.zoho.com, will henceforth redirect to the 'Tasks' view under the new Zoho Mail UI; i.e, https://mail.zoho.com/zm/#task

Once you've migrated them, you will be able to see and access all your tasks/notes in the new UI. Remember, this is a revamped user interface. The core functionality has been built upon, and souped up with some new features so you and your organization can now get even more out of Tasks and Notes, in a much easier way.

NOTE: Group tasks/notes alone will not be migrated.

Comments

113 Replies to Zoho Mail: The new UI is here, and we're giving your Tasks a makeover

  1. Just following up with this. There was a lot of noise going on here back last Summer, but it appears the noise has died down. I suppose it wasn't all that urgent of a situation after all. Still waiting to see if the Zoho Mail UI is going to be deprecated soon, but when is that? I like the older interface but I know that everything is now Mobile First. What's the latest?

  2. NOT ACCEPTABLE: To ensure your tasks/notes remain accessible to you in the new user interface, migrate all your tasks/notes on or before September 15th, 2016 (15/09/2016). Kindly note: unless migrated, your tasks/notes will not be available post this date, and you could risk losing your data.

    1. Hi George, Yes it's working (barring a few exceptions, Support is working with those customers to resolve their issues), and To get to your tasks, like I say in the blog, they will be available under 'Tasks' on the left pane of your inbox in the new UI. Click on 'Try new version' link at the top-right corner of your Zoho Mail inbox. Once in the new UI, you'll see a vertical pane on the left side, listing app shortcuts for your Notes, Tasks, Events etc.

  3. Few days ago I sent emails to zoho support, telling them that clicking the link to migrate my Tasks and Notes DOES NOT WORK. They have not responded properly. And now I have lost my Notes, from 2 days ago. I sent emails to support to ask then to recover my Notes and put them in the new UI. They have NOT responded. ALSO when I went to LINKS, that was also migrated, so i lost that as well. NO ONE at zoho said that this would be migrated. PLEASE I need my NOTES and LINKS recovered. Please put it in the new UI. It is very urgent, this is very important for me, PLEASE HELP!!!

    1. I was unable to migrate the Notes (error message "please contact Zoho support"). I did contact Zoho support but the problem was not solved, now I cannot access my Notes anymore - they are not available under the new UI and the old one has been shut down. "Change is good", but not if it is forced upon you, while you loose functionality and data!

      1. Hi- I still get the old UI- in New York. Don't know where all live in the world, but since it came up, wanted to let you know. Try an old version of a browser-maybe by luck it will revert to HTML [like Goolge] and you might be able to access your info. Good luck.

  4. Hi again, Ok, so I went to the new "Try new version", but I don't see my Notes migrated there. SO when i tried the link : https://mail.zoho.com/zm/#task, it did not migrate the Notes. BUT I do see that in the new version there is a Hyper-link saying "Migrate Notes", something like that. So should i click on this. Paul

        1. In your Zoho Mail inbox, click 'Try new version' (top-right corner). Your inbox will load with the new UI. In this new view, you will find shortcut icons for Notes, Tasks, Calendar etc. on the left-most vertical menu bar. You can access these apps from the inbox itself, instead of having to visit a separate URL like before.

  5. "Migrate Old Personal Notes" => Error while processing. And you will disable it on the 15th??? Troublesome! It's time migrate to something else.

    1. Yes Penni, Zoho Mail and all the products in the Zoho finance suite (Books, Invoice, Subscriptions, Inventory) are integrated. You can have invoices sent to your customers from your Zoho Mail ID, and you can receive payment confirmation notification, subscription renewal alerts etc. on your Zoho Mail ID.

    1. If you have tasks/notes that you use from task.zoho.com, click on the banner on task.zoho.com that asks you to migrate to the new UI. Your tasks and notes will be migrated and you will be able to use them from the new UI. Do this before September 15th to avoid losing your tasks and notes.

  6. You've had several submissions here over the last several days that have informed you that email contacts can't be added. Or, if they can, it's through some super-secret hidden incantation application that only the l33t can unearth. Kind of a major flaw, don't you think?

  7. Why are you guys fixing something that works? Look - the new interface is cluttered, does not work on small resolution screen (small, old laptop), there are fewer emails per page to be seen, templates are barely functional when you have many, and so on and so forth. I only use the new UI to schedule emails - this is the only benefit. Your senior managers want to hop the on the social media bandwagon? Nice, but I don't care. I am really hoping you can leave the current version intact. If you make me switch to the new one, I might move to Gmail or elsewhere.

  8. Remember, people: Many who use Zoho are using it for *free.* (I am.) When something is free, you're not the customer -- someone else is. And when you're not the customer, you don't get as much (if any) say-so in how the free software, app, etc. evolves. Who does? Whoever pays the bills. Everyone else is ripe for being used for other purposes. For example: Facebook is free because it's a data plantation for its handlers. The crop doesn't get to dictate the terms of the harvest.

    1. Exactly. Someone who gets it. In fact I never even touched on those points. A company needs to monetize on their platform, and these changes will allow for that. One needs to capture the mobile market nowadays.

      1. AND MAINTAIN EXISTING CUSTOMERS, BUSINESSES, ETC. PLENTY OF WHOM USE AND WILL CONTINUE TO USE PC'S, MACS, ETC. FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. Most people here are just asking for a Choice between views (not similar to Google) so they can adequately fulfill their own personal needs.

        1. Whoah The anger Marty (BP meds over here please). If a company does NOT need to maintain two code-bases (since the mobile platform works *adequately* on a PC), then they'll save the dough. They'll charge ahead, and people may grumble, but they'll get used to it. You think I'm out to oppose you Marty, but what you don't get is that my preferences are actually more in line with yours. I'm just not going to pretend that a company will listen when the almighty dollar is at stake, and Zoho has shareholders to answer to. If they (or any other company for that matter) can streamline something; they WILL!!! One more thing, with all the ad-blocker use out there, even having ads on the free conventional version, likely doesn't pay bills. On the other hand, Google likely gives some sort of kickback when Galaxy users click on a new Zoho Android app. So if I can monetize the development of the mobile version that way, and save the money I would have used building the web version, well guess what - Save Save! I'm not on a high horse. I just don't tell someone the sky is orange instead of blue.

    2. With all due respect, you really are on your high horse. Personally, a few ads easily ignored don't bother me [and I would guess many others] one way or another. And many of the other providers have significantly reduced the number of ads, etc. (or one can use one of many browser apps) to choose what ads one sees. While we may not be 'customers' as the word is defined, we are consumers, and the crop is chosen based on how healthy or beneficial it is coming from a given harvest. Bad crop/harvest, customers or consumers look elsewhere.

      1. Me angry? I didn't run on sentences in all caps my friend. Just because several agreeable posters echo your sentiments Marty, doesn't make it the majority. Look around. Look at all the people on those devices, tapping, swiping. That isn't me talking Marty. That's reality. And just because you and your online buddies think that those are not real computing devices, doesn't make it so. Your hostility (not mine, I've never been hostile) only came when you heard me say something you don't like or agree with. Saying anger is my forte shows you don't listen. You have no knowledge of who I really am. Think I know nothing of things like audio or hi-fi? Go look at audiokarma or tapeheads forums, instead of shooting your mouth off. When I say I know what I speak of, then I do. Anyway, you never seem to get that I like similar things that you do. I just don't place my head in the rabbit's hole and ignore what's out there. That is the only only difference. In real life, you'd likely be shocked how much we are like (hobby-wise and what not), but because I disagreed with something, you've decided to get your back up. That's unfortunate.

        1. Just stating info based on what I've read here and experienced myself. It seems to always come down to referring to people who disagree on issues about 'anger'. It's not- it's simply about differing opinions/perspectives and the individual needs of all of us. Based on what you mention, there's probably is a good possibility that we are into many similar things. We just view some of the 'progress' being made in areas such as this site differently. There's room for fulfilling the different needs (e.g., email) of people and corporations on all platforms which = more happy consumers. Today's 'newer is better' has evolved into planned obsolescence, such as the inability to upgrade Apple products, sealed to the hilt. Why I don't buy into all the push that has angered so many current and former users of Microsoft Windows 10 to no good outcome for the company, and use several Linux OS's as my main platform for home and for work. That said, there are places and uses for all the products (and Android, etc.) Preference can't be forced on someone, and when that is not considered, there will always be winners and losers.

  9. OMG! Why would i switch versions! i can't even edit my contacts in the new version. HEEELLLLOOO Development team the entire concept of email based on contacts and contacts are not static.

  10. This new UI "innovation" is complete BS. I just switched from Gmail to Zoho. Now, with all this social crap intrgration, It's a big mess. Why can't stuff be simple anymore? I'll setup my own mail server, thanks.

  11. Just to agree with what others have said: Hate the new version. Hate "streams." The new interface show much less information than the original one, even if you select "compact". And then the added insult of patronizingly saying "change is good"! I switched to zoho because there was a good no-nonsense email solution without a lot of ridiculous, overdesigned nonsense. Guess times have changed.

    1. Hi Linda, you can see the 'hamburger menu' Zoho app launcher at the top left corner of your screen in the new Zoho Mail interface. Right next to the Zoho logo. It's a 3x3 grid of small squares. You can use it to access all Zoho apps right from your inbox. Hope this helps.

      1. Navaneeth- as you are the developer, I'll lightly say that we don't need 'hamburgers'. I initially migrated from Gmail when they changed everything (your ad was at the top) and seeing that Zoho was much sleeker, readable, and contained much of what Gmail dropped, started using it regularly. At Google, the developers had plenty of discussions about the change, but ended up listening to no one. Assuming you are a more independent provider, I believe it would be in everyone's interest to retain the old look (if needed, w/o some of the additional features which could still be available in the new) for those that prefer it. Then nearly everyone would be happy. Even Gmail still has basic HTML for people running older or slower computers, e.g. two formats.

        1. Hi Marty, trust me, when inboxes across Zoho Corp were migrated to the new UI, it took some getting used to for us as well. All feedback here is being deliberated upon quite sincerely. You make a good point about the basic HTML view that Gmail allows users to fall back on to, I've highlighted that to the team. Naturally we wouldn't take this decision while antagonizing our users. But there certainly is a rationale behind it, and I'll be writing soon to elaborate more on that. That said, if you take a step back and look at it (minus the animosity) the functionality is pretty much the same as before, while looking different. If I were to sum up most of the objections here, "I see fewer emails" is quite really the crux of it. From my personal experience, it just grew on me and after a few days it wasn't such a bother really (being in a product team, you are part of a dozen mailing lists, and my inbox is bombarded with Support tickets, Feedback, evaluation, licensing information, and on and on. Even then, sifting through this barrage of emails turned out to be not such a bother).'Social media' is rather a prop to that argument. Just to clarify, the UI doesn't really integrate with social media! I just used the comparison to help people understand the email sharing feature, since Facebook/Twitter are quite popular. Once I got the hang of it, I stopped forwarding/replying to emails if I was writing to someone within Zoho Corp. It avoids the mess of an email thread propping up on top of my inbox every time someone does a 'reply-all', and it can be quite annoying. For example, they started Spanish classes here at office, and the person organizing it emailed everyone who'd signed up, asking us to confirm our participation by sending a reply. There were 48 people CC'd in that email. Imagine all 48 of us getting spammed no less than 48 times, once for each time one of us had to say "Yes I'm in". Instead I began a comment thread under that email in my inbox, and others followed suit. Much cleaner and quicker! Streams doesn't get in the way of your regular email, and you can choose to not use it ever at all. You wouldn't even know we've added such a feature. Again, slowness caused due to the new UI/browsers hanging and crashing are a real concern to us, and we are working on that. So to quote John Lennon, "All I'm saying is, is give" (the new UI)" a chance". Peace!

  12. I will definitely not switch to the new design. It slows me down and I have no use for the added features. How about letting users keep the existing interface as an option?

  13. Please don't force us to use this new interface. It might be nice but it is completely unreadable. Whenever I tried to give it a chance I was frustrated quickly. Why do you have a "feedback" option there if you don't listen to this feedbacks! I posted several times a list of things that just DO NOT WORK well. You did not fix a single one of them.

    1. I did a quick research today, and there are some pretty nice alternatives out there. I've almost made up mind to switch to posteo for my emails now. I've never used paid email service before but I figured 12 Eur per year is not such a huge cost, and I do like their design and functionality. Also, I've noticed that a lot of free email services want me to give them far too much information about myself. I don't have anything to hide but I hate it when companies trade my personal details behind my back. So I'll stick with either posteo or tutanota. They don't want my phone number or postal address, and seem to care about privacy - at least a bit.

    2. I've been using Thunderbird for years, and it's compatible with pop and IMAP servers, you can set it up to handle several providers at once. You're in control of the UI, customization, etc. Page rendering is also much better. One can stick with the provider (e.g., Zoho), and have the mail download into Thunderbird and leave the items on the server. Delete what you no longer need locally, and you can set if you want to delete it from the server as well. Seamonkey is also very good with its combo Firefox-based engine and its email suite. I used that for quite some time, and an advantage there is that you can forward links, etc directly from the email as it's integrated with the browser. Very fast as well.

    3. Are there any decent browser-based email programs I'd really like an online service that I don't have to hook up to a desktop client. Zoho has been perfect because I could keep my most-needed documents in the apps and not have to toggle between programs. I don't see that the new interface allows for access to the apps. I'd be willing to pay for what I now get with Zoho.

      1. Linda- Seamonkey, a variant of Firefox also has a built-in email client. Works very well and have used it many times. Thunderbird, also from Mozilla, is probably the best stand-alone email program out there. Plenty of custom options/views/etc., and you can link multiple accounts through it-instead of reading/replying on the website, just download after logging into your account.

      2. Hi Linda, Zoho Mail and Zoho Docs are tightly integrated. You can upload attachments from your emails to Zoho Docs, and you can browse documents stored on Zoho Docs and attach them to send along with your emails. You can do all this without even having to separately open Docs. But in case you need to, you can always access Zoho Docs from under the Zoho app launcher next to the Zoho logo at the top-left corner of your inbox screen. This app-launcher is your one-stop shop to access all Zoho apps. Hope this helps.

  14. I can't believe that once again I'm forced to switch to a new, uglier, less convenient UI. This was the exact reason I moved from a local email provider to gmail and then when the same thing happened to gmail, I moved to zoho. Zoho's design was clean and simple. And now we're back to the same old... Will have to start searching for a new online email again. God, I hate these changes for the sake of change, without any regard for the users.

    1. Amen, Anna. Zoho has gotten ever-slower for me. Too many graphic elements, and far too much 'J-script' stuff. There's a severe problem with modern programmers - they feel they must implement flashier apps rather than first tightening, speeding, and improving the reliability of existing ones. There's far too much pride in 'controlling 'everything, and so they effectively duplicate features already in _standard_ (X)HTML and CSS2, ones which are already supported by modern browsers. Back in the day, programmers took justifiable pride instead in coding apps which were blazingly fast and nigh unbreakable. Nowadays, it's all bloatware and flashware.

        1. Klever kludges which have a browser doing just what a programmer wants in a test environment then cause problems in the real world. Zoho now has Firefox crashing at least once a day for me. Which I daresay means the clever cretins have discovered a way to write into browser code space.

  15. Have tried multiple times to migrate tasks to new interface. Push the button, screen refreshes, and literally nothing happens. Hmm. Not a good sign.

    1. Hi Josh, in your Zoho Mail inbox, click on 'try new version'. Once in the new UI, you will see a vertical column at the left of your inbox screen. You will see 'tasks' 'notes' listed there. Click on tasks/notes and check if your old tasks/notes are listed there. Otherwise, please reach out to support@zohomail.com and someone will reach out to see what the problem is.

  16. I dont think me or my many customers will remain with Zoho if you take away the previous version. The new version is NOT an improvement for your users - I hope you are hearing the feedback you are getting!!!!!

  17. Everyones here repeat the same think. We do not like the new User Interface !!! I agree with the others.The reason that I choose Zoho was for it's old interface,very nice compared to the others email hostings. Change the interface is a great fault for you ZOHO.Microsoft's Win8 & 10 is an example.Seems you don't understand it. Why don't think at double version : PC and smart devices ?But let us be happy with the old UI.

    1. But here's the thing. It isn't EVERYONE posting that they hate the new UI. It's just a small sample of us that are complaining. I'm sure there would be MILLIONS embracing the new interface. I mean think about it. How many people do you see not using mobile devices in a day? Very few right? So we are in no way representative of the majority. And that's why you'll always feel not listened to. :(

      1. My guess is you have little background in statistics and sampling procedures. Your replies are beginning to come off as antagonistic because you are in the minority of opinion. Live and let live.

        1. I'm not trying to be antagonistic at all. Remember I said I prefer the old look too - please read and dispense with your impression. You don't know me in the least. Besides, even if I did disagree and was in the minority of opinion, are you saying I can't express my views? That sounds like someone trying to control what I say (isn't that what you're complaining Zoho is doing?) This is happening EVERYWHERE. Look at Windows 7 fans. They hate Windows 10, but Microsoft is charging ahead. All I am saying is that you need to see how things actually are, not how you want to see them. And who needs samples and stats when you can visibly see the tides are turning towards mobility. Even business is starting to do this. So believe me, there is likely (I didn't say "for sure") but likely a small sample of Zoho users posting objections. As an aside, why is it that you see me as antagonistic? That would be like calling your doctor a dufus because he gave you news you didn't like. Disagree with me if you want, but never try to prohibit my means of expression. You get a voice and so do I.

  18. I ditched Outlook because Microshit messed it up by "improving" it. Have been using Zoho for close to 8 years and you are forcing me to find an environments that fits my needs the way you USED TO but don't after 9/15/16. Your "new" mail interface is not functional for serious workers. The views restrict productivity!!!

  19. Been with Zoho mail for nearly 3 yrs, the recent unreliability and the new GUI that WILL be forced upon us have forced me to reevaluate the situation and have elected to move away.

  20. No! no! no! --- Change for the sake of change is not good! NOT GOOD AT ALL! The old version works well for my small business. I don't need or want any of the hacker social media crap. In fact the US financial regulators look very closely at advisors who post on social media. I really like Zoho mail. Now my concern is how will this affect CRM? Also, how will it affect compliance? Can I still get a an eml file at the end of the year for my compliance records? These are existential issues for my business. YOU ARE FORCING ME TO FIND ANOTHER PROVIDER. And very, very soon.

    1. Amen, Vern. I've encountered this 'change for the sake of change' mentality before in some IT shops, those run by programmers instead of business folk. What happened back then, especially if reliability and predictability were damaged, would be people inventing paper and telephone work-arounds. Would you do us the kindness, if you find another online provider for basic business functions, of blogging the fact? You could also try, if you know an IT person and want better security and control, of setting up a Linux server (using a wiped two- or three-year-old deskside computer) and installing something like LibreOffice or OpenOffice on it. That may entail also leasing faster DSL/cable, so may prove more costly than some 'cloud' service.

  21. I have tried the new design. Every time I clicked on "Try New Version" I was quickly frustrated by a design that simply does not work for me. I like the old design and will definitely not switch. If I will be forced to use the new design version I will find another email client.

  22. New still doesn't mean better. I came to ZOHO because of the changes in design for writing/replying to emails was and still is awful. Looking at the pics, I hope I'm wrong, but it's looking very similar. Change for the sake of change does nothing; if it's working, keep things as they are-and the to be old UI has been working fine for many, as I've periodically looked over discussions. We should still be able to have a choice, not something the way Microsoft forced Windows 10 to customers against there wishes, with many no longer using MS.

  23. Oh dear: I'm so sorry that the new UI will be forced upon us all, unless you have changed it significantly in the past few weeks? The new UI doesn't show NEARLY enough e-mails on a single screen and there doesn't seem to be any way to see 25 e-mails at once in the Inbox list. Fix that, and I'll go to the new UI with you; if however it isn't fixed by the time the old UI is pulled, then I'm very sorry to say I will have to find an alternative e-mail service. It really is THAT important to me to see a big list of mails (as one does in Yahoo! Mail for example). The new Compact View is no such thing: why does it not show only ONE line of text instead of a space-guzzling TWO lines? Change that (or add a GENUINELY compact View) and that would be a big help. I also **HATE** the tabs-down-the-right look. Tabs should live AT THE TOP and not be tiny nor in an unexpeted place. It took me a long time to figure that out, and I still don't know how you are supposed to close them? Sometimes I click them and they display their contents; sometimes I click them and they disappear: so what's going on with that? How is a user supposed to deduce how to drive the new sideways tabs? I;ve been a big fan of Zoho since the early days; it's a shame that you seem to have kow-towed to the needs of smartphone/tablet users at the expense of those of us who prefer to use REAL computers.

    1. But most people are using devices now. You have to understand that tablets and smartphones ARE real computers. Computing needs and wants have changed. Windows PC users are becoming the minority. Why have to deal with two website codebases, when the mobility look adapts to both? Still, I do prefer the old look.

      1. There are still millions of desktops and pc's, laptops, etc. Because many people HAVE and use their phones/tablets doesn't preclude the need to support both platforms.

        1. There are also millions of VHS tapes and CDs out there but players are not manufactured anymore. Using PCs is not considered a progressive activity. There's no growth left in that market. And as much as you may dislike the new look, the mobile look "works" (not great mind you) on a PC and a phone. Before you write off Zoho, remember EVERY company is doing this, or will be doing this.

      2. I will never acquire nor use any device that spies on me to the extent that tablets and smartphones do; and without any option for me to switch that off. Not that I have anything to hide: it's just the principle. On a real computer, I am able to choose whether I am spied on, for the most part. The "mobility look" as you call it DOES NOT adapt to PCs well. The most annoying thing is the lack of a one-line-per-mail View which I'm fairly sure wouldn't require a second codebase, just some developer to get his/her finger out and add it to the UI. The incomprehensible tabs-down-the right-hand-side style is almost as bad. I note you don't explain how these are supposed to work with a mouse, nor how they work on a touch-screen device. Right now, it looks like they don't work as intended: clicking them "sometimes" closes them and "sometimes" re-opens them properly, to the extent I have to log out of ZOHO completely, and back in again, to make the tabs disappear. If that can't be fixed, or an option added to put make the tabs sane again, then for all its (many!) faults I'll just have to move to Yahoo! mail. I don't WANT to do that but ZOHO's allegedly "improved" — but actually unusable — new design will FORCE me there.

        1. But on PCs even when you use customized searches in Google, Bing, Yahoo!, you name it, telemetry data gathering (which is what your referring to as "spying") occurs there as well. And as much as you may not like the result, the mobile design DOES adapt to the PC. You just don't like the spaced out flat look. That's like saying I still wished there were square-shaped cars with lower belt lines and larger back windows, but guess what? They don't make cars like that anymore. And most of the masses use devices. They don't want all of that 3D graphics (a lot of folks used to complain about that too, remember?). They actually want the flat look. Truth is, you and I share the same preferences but I simply realize that such computing style is rolling in to history. Internet and data firms need to find new ways to monetize their products. The desktop windowing environment has developed pretty much as far as it can go. And most people simply don't desire such an environment anymore. So information gathering (it's not really spying) targets advertising finer without a company exerting too much of a cost. It's that simple. Companies need to generate revenue. Their shareholders expect it.

    2. "The new UI doesn’t show NEARLY enough e-mails on a single screen and there doesn’t seem to be any way to see 25 e-mails at once in the Inbox list." I fully agree with you! I'm working on a desktop computer with wide screen, and the new UI halves the number of emails I can see on a single screen. Even with the compact view, I see less than I used to, at the price of so much empty space. And when I click to read an email, the tab opens to the right instead of at the bottom, once again wasting tons of space and halving the amount of text I can see now. I have not found a way to change that anywhere, at least I would expect a choice here. Obviously the new UI is made for smartphone users, and for them it may be a good thing indeed. However, it can't really be that much of an issue to keep a desktop version around with the same functionality, or at least give users a choice as to the basic layout.

  24. I don't use Tasks, but I do use Notes. I can't see anything in this lengthy discussion that tells me what I'm to do.

    1. Linda, I don't use Tasks or Notes myself, but what you need to do is to log in to Zoho and THEN go to tasks.zoho.com. When you do that, you will see two yellow blocks at the top of the screen. Click the left-hand one if you want to KEEP your existing tasks, or click the right-hand one if you want to ABANDON your existing tasks. (Whether to KEEP or ABANDON is obviously your choice!) I hope that helps.

    2. Hi Linda/Cad, like I say at the end of the post, "Once you’ve migrated them, you will be able to see and access all your (existing/old) tasks/notes in the new UI." It's just that you'll be accessing them from the new interface. P.S Just to be clear, migrating your tasks/notes to the new UI DOES NOT mean you are abandoning them. You will see them in a new place, that looks different.

      1. I was never able to find any page tasks.zoho.com let alone any one marked notes.zoho.com. However, I did finally poke around enough to reach the new notes UI and move mine.

        1. Hi Linda, as I explained in the blog, you just need to go to task.zoho.com. I've even hyperlinked the sentence so you can reach the page by just clicking the link in my blog itself. Even tasks.zoho.com redirects you to task.zoho.com, you shouldn't have had any trouble in finding it. (you have to key in the task.zoho.com URL in the browser manually, it is not a page that can be found on the zoho.com/mail website). But I'm glad you were able to migrate your notes now.

        1. I am still using the old version. Have tried and hated the new version. When the day comes when I am "Forced" to upgrade, It's goodbye to zoho.

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