AquaMail Forum

English - Android => General Discussion => Topic started by: Piotr K on February 18, 2017, 12:40:38 pm

Title: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Piotr K on February 18, 2017, 12:40:38 pm
Last update (Feb 17) brought new design (disputable) but also new icons. One particulary misleading. I can see now on my status bar a notification icon that clearly shows OPEN envelope instead of old one with @ logo.
This is wrong for two reasons:
1. OPEN envelope gives subconscious impression that for a reason my incoming mail has already been opened. By whom I ask and why my mail client allowed someone to touch my mail? ;-)
2. No recognizable logo doesn't properly identify the icon as connected to AquaMail app. I may have many apps using the envelope metaphor.
However pretty the icon may be, it is wrong.

I strongly recommend reconsidering the design of this icon.

Being a professional designer, I also warn the developer that Material Design guidelines are quackery and lead to a dead end, from both aesthetic and usability points of view. Minimalism is not the panaceum, and badly designed minimalism is a disaster. Try not to fall into this trap.
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Cukierkas on February 18, 2017, 02:21:55 pm
Hello there.  Yes, strange felling, when you're going to read an emails, and icon says, that it already opened :)

Išsiųsta iš mano Redmi Note 3

Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Kostya Vasilyev on February 18, 2017, 05:47:54 pm
The icon has a "wave" that plays on the "aqua" theme. Why would an email app notify about "already read" messages?
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: nica on February 18, 2017, 06:33:32 pm
Hello,
the new icon is much better than the old one - for me.

I never got the idea that the icon has to do with already "marked read" messages.

Instead I always see the notification icon as the unique and tiny black/white version of the app's new icon.

By the way:

Little feature request: Please show a similar but different icon, when there are two or more new messages.
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Kostya Vasilyev on February 18, 2017, 06:59:16 pm
RE: Little feature request: Please show a similar but different icon, when there are two or more new messages.

Good idea. Gmail app does that, and I always liked it.
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Cukierkas on February 18, 2017, 07:29:21 pm
RE: Little feature request: Please show a similar but different icon, when there are two or more new messages.

Good idea. Gmail app does that, and I always liked it.
Yes, please do. 

Išsiųsta iš mano Redmi Note 3

Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: nica on February 18, 2017, 08:24:21 pm


Good idea. Gmail app does that, and I always liked it.
Yes, this is what I meant.

Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: mikeone on February 18, 2017, 10:56:48 pm


Good idea. Gmail app does that, and I always liked it.
Yes, this is what I meant.
+1
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Kostya Vasilyev on February 19, 2017, 01:54:13 pm
@Paris Geek

We fixed a whole bunch of things that you and other users reported.

Yes, I understand you're not happy that we didn't fix "everything" and "immediately", and there are some design decisions you don't agree with.

But really, do you honestly think we haven't done enough - listening and iterating?
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: iamloco724 on February 19, 2017, 11:27:28 pm
My problem with the new icon is that it looks like the notification for new mail, I keep looking at it and thinking I have new emails I would like to see it differ more in shape like it used to be for that reason.
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Turtle59 on February 20, 2017, 02:39:30 pm
The icon has a "wave" that plays on the "aqua" theme. Why would an email app notify about "already read" messages?
Hi kostya...I realised that's what it meant...a play on your new logo...but I can also see that in the header bar on the phone it is less obvious aquamail and more like an open mail. Personally I'm ok with it since the logic would also challenge why would you notify of an open mail :-).   Keep up the good work!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: ThomasN on February 20, 2017, 09:57:38 pm
Please go back to the nice @ looking app logo and notification icon at the top bar! Now its just a plain envelope that looks like any SMS message etc.

Sent fra min SM-T810 via Tapatalk

Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Geezer on February 20, 2017, 11:37:20 pm
The new icon is fine.  Its design clearly marks it as an AquaMail graphic.  These things (UI) are way too subjective to please all users.

I agree that adding an icon that indicates multiple new emails would be a nice enhancement.
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: staceyuk on February 21, 2017, 06:41:16 pm
Another vote for incorporating the old notification icon please. I find the old one makes it easier to see when I have new mail.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: mikeone on February 21, 2017, 06:51:00 pm
Another vote for incorporating the old notification icon please. I find the old one makes it easier to see when I have new mail.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using Tapatalk
IMO a notification icon is supposed to notify the user about a new incoming message. Therefore, the (open) envelope is a quite clear sign, better to distinguish from other similar icons... at least for me.
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: staceyuk on February 21, 2017, 06:58:20 pm
Another vote for incorporating the old notification icon please. I find the old one makes it easier to see when I have new mail.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using Tapatalk
IMO a notification icon is supposed to notify the user about a new incoming message. Therefore, the (open) envelope is a quite clear sign, at least for me...
Except when you have a lot of notifications the old icon was easier to see at a glance because it was clearly different from other icons.
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: mikeone on February 21, 2017, 07:03:19 pm
Android 5 and newer forces notification icons to pure white. There is a longer explanation in the FAQ.
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: staceyuk on February 21, 2017, 07:18:25 pm
Another vote for incorporating the old notification icon please. I find the old one makes it easier to see when I have new mail.

Sent from my SHIELD Tablet K1 using Tapatalk
IMO a notification icon is supposed to notify the user about a new incoming message. Therefore, the (open) envelope is a quite clear sign, at least for me...
Except when you have a lot of notifications the old icon was easier to see at a glance because it was clearly different from other icons.

Why not ask other apps to change their icons?
Because aquamail changing is what's causing the issue here. Why not have the old icon incorporated in the new one.?
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: mikeone on February 21, 2017, 07:41:06 pm
AquaMail has a new owner now (= MobiSystems) and the new owner wants a new, clean, modern designed app icon and a correspondingly adapted notification icon.
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: nica on February 21, 2017, 07:46:44 pm
Additionally it's better designed than the old one, it's unambiguous and it has a unique color which has a recognition affect.

The notification icon is the tiny android-like white version of it.


By the way:
People often judge by their habits. I needed some days to get used with the new icon (and the notification icon). After 2-3 weeks now I clearly like the new icon more than the old one.
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Turtle59 on February 24, 2017, 09:24:46 am
Nica makes a strong point...WE don't like radical change generally and this is a bigger then average change.  Inevitably it is a personal thing.  I like the clean new style and have always admired the functionality having tried 4 or 5 apps before. The icon I got straight away....if only w could get the account colour to store in the delivery icon...or maybe I haven't worked out how yet:-).

One error in my view was not enduring that all previous settings migrated across...the date split being an obvious one...as this immediately you see when opening...I always had it but after upgrade it went and I had to go find it again.   That annoyed me which is not the first reaction you want. Otherwise I love it so it's a well done from me!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Turtle59 on February 24, 2017, 12:42:33 pm
Nica makes a strong point...WE don't like radical change generally and this is a bigger then average change.  Inevitably it is a personal thing.  I like the clean new style and have always admired the functionality having tried 4 or 5 apps before. The icon I got straight away....if only w could get the account colour to store in the delivery icon...or maybe I haven't worked out how yet:-).

One error in my view was not enduring that all previous settings migrated across...the date split being an obvious one...as this immediately you see when opening...I always had it but after upgrade it went and I had to go find it again.   That annoyed me which is not the first reaction you want. Otherwise I love it so it's a well done from me!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
Sorry I can't see your response in the thread though I did get an email to tell me. I meant the one on top row of screen....one appears for each account when a new message arrives...see screened below

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Turtle59 on February 24, 2017, 02:39:45 pm
Thanks...as I thought.  Still like the new UI though :-)

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: mikeone on February 24, 2017, 03:24:59 pm
Nica makes a strong point...WE don't like radical change generally and this is a bigger then average change.  Inevitably it is a personal thing.  I like the clean new style and have always admired the functionality having tried 4 or 5 apps before. The icon I got straight away....if only w could get the account colour to store in the delivery icon...or maybe I haven't worked out how yet:-).

One error in my view was not enduring that all previous settings migrated across...the date split being an obvious one...as this immediately you see when opening...I always had it but after upgrade it went and I had to go find it again.   That annoyed me which is not the first reaction you want. Otherwise I love it so it's a well done from me!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
I agree with @nica's and your arguments.

However, the main issue of the new "modern / fresh" design with version 1.8 is the exorbitant "waste" of space in the message list - compared to the former versions 1.6/1.7.

I recommend to carefully read @julian's post in his thread:

https://www.aqua-mail.com/forum/index.php?topic=5450.msg32494#msg32494
Title: Re: New icon for "new messages" notification wrong
Post by: Turtle59 on March 01, 2017, 01:54:38 am
Nica makes a strong point...WE don't like radical change generally and this is a bigger then average change.  Inevitably it is a personal thing.  I like the clean new style and have always admired the functionality having tried 4 or 5 apps before. The icon I got straight away....if only w could get the account colour to store in the delivery icon...or maybe I haven't worked out how yet:-).

One error in my view was not enduring that all previous settings migrated across...the date split being an obvious one...as this immediately you see when opening...I always had it but after upgrade it went and I had to go find it again.   That annoyed me which is not the first reaction you want. Otherwise I love it so it's a well done from me!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
I agree with @nica's and your arguments.

However, the main issue of the new "modern / fresh" design with version 1.8 is the exorbitant "waste" of space in the message list - compared to the former versions 1.6/1.7.

I recommend to carefully read @julian's post in his thread:

https://www.aqua-mail.com/forum/index.php?topic=5450.msg32494#msg32494
OK I understand the point.  Can't honestly say it bothers me..I just scroll up or down...and get where I want.

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