If you find yourself wasting time managing multiple email accounts – constantly checking messages and writing replies – Hiri is the email client for you, and it's free for TechRadar readers.
Hiri works with Microsoft Exchange, Outlook and Hotmail accounts (support for Gmail is on the way), and will change the way you use email.
Emails rarely need an instant reply, but it's easy to fall into the trap of opening your inbox whenever a push notification appears, or the number in your browser tab ticks up by one.
Hiri solves this problem with a cleverly designed dashboard that tells you how many new messages you've received, and gives you a timer telling you how long to wait before reading them (half an hour is the default setting).
When you're ready to check your mail, Hiri offers two inbox views: Unified Inbox, which displays all messages, regardless of status, and Inbox Zero, which encourages you to categorize emails by dragging them into different folders. The choice is yours, depending on the way you prefer to work.
Save time every day
Hiri is focused on saving you time and improving your productivity, and includes lots of clever design features to help you break bad habits.
For example, in the Compose window, the Subject box is at the bottom. It's an unusual choice, but it makes sense; once you've written an email, you'll have a better idea of how to summarize it for the recipient.
You'll also notice that there are only basic writing and formatting tools. There are no fancy tables or elaborate font options; only the essentials you need to get a message across in a way that's clear and easy to read.
At the end of the week, Hiri will give you a report grading you on your writing style, including brevity and tone. It might sound dry, but it's a great way to tell if you're striking the right balance – keeping things clear without sounding terse.
Hiri uses 'Action' and 'FYI' fields instead of the usual 'To' and 'CC'. These perform the same function if the recipient uses a different email client, but if they have Hiri, your messages will be automatically sorted into different folders, making them easier to prioritize.
You can also attach tasks to emails, and Hiri includes an excellent calendar for managing jobs and events. There's even a scheduling assistant so you don't double-book yourself.
All this is yours to download and use free. There'll be a tiny eight-word message added to the end of your email signature letting recipients know you're using Hiri, but there are no limitations on the software.
If you use Outlook, Exchange or Hotmail, Hiri is the email client for you.
- Need help managing your messages? You need the best free email client
