Well I've got my shiny new HEY.COM test account set up and running and I already don't like it. I may still give it more of a try later, but three things already bug the heck out of me, so I might have already crashed and burned:
1) I don't like the HEY.COM domain name. Some things grow on me, some things don't. And the domain HEY.COM is NOT growing on me. It's just too gimmicky, too cute, too branded, not professional enough IMO. Maybe I'll get used to it, probably not. It's not a dealbreaker, though, especially since they will be implementing custom domains soon. But still... it just feels so... ugh.
2) I really hate the "IMBOX" -- not the concept, but the spelling. It is just so... again, gimmicky, cute, and branded, too "clever" of a name for its own good. Like the designers/developers were so in love with their own ideas they had all cheered when someone in the office yelled out, "hey, this is SOOO great, it's SOOO much better than an INBOX... we have to call it an IMMMMBOX!" (And yes, I realize the IM means Important, etc., etc., etc.) And then everyone jumped on board and patted each other on the back. They should have focus-grouped that word and it would have been dead in 5 minutes. It should just be called the INBOX with an "N" and just leave it at that. IMBOX with an "M" is painful to look at as a word. I want to spell check it, fix it. It's just silly. But maybe I could get over it one day. Probably not. YMMV.
3) Now for the interface. This is the big one. What the heck?!?!? Right out of the gate, it's got a fixed maximum width and I have a 4k monitor. Just terrible. Yes, it is responsive web design and nicely designed if you compress the browser window to a narrow window (more appropriate for mobile devices and tablets), but come on, this is 2020, and people have really wide screen high-res monitors on their computers. People STILL use computers! Plus I really, really don't like the extra clicking... click to see the message... then click back... click to see a message... then click back. Lots of scrolling. Terrible. This could be the dealbreaker.
Now there are some positives... to be fair. I do like the "Notes to Self", "Clips", and "Read together" features so far -- pretty good in fact. I also think the "Reply Later" and focus modes are promising... But again, the interface is too simplistic for me... I need a way to see more than one thing at once more easily, horizontally please, and reference more items... like it's just forcing me to look at things in defined buckets of their choosing rather than letting me customize the view to how I need to work and multitask, and it requires excessive scrolling and clicking IMO. Ahh!
Well. I'll quit writing for now. I think my brief adventure with HEY is likely going to come to a premature end. Not sure I can overcome this. Don't think I can possibly get beyond the interface choices they have made, at least on the browser/web/computer version. Maybe they'll give me more power and flexibility in an update. Yes, I get why they are doing it... it's very much this whole concept of clean design to declutter the email experience, reduce sensory overload, and allow you to think more clearly and focus on the task at hand. And I think many people will love that. But I really don't. I need more info in front of me if I want it... at least give me the option. I don't like being corralled into their concept of UI bliss... it's just too limiting. And then you add on the other annoyances of the interface, and I think it may kill it for me at this point.
YMMV and I do like Basecamp as a company, but this really doesn't do it for me. I might come back and play with it some more in a few days, but I'm already frustrated and don't think it will work for me. Maybe I'll come back in a year or two. And man, that IMBOX with an "M". Good grief. Come on Basecamp. You didn't create something THAT special that it deserves an entirely new word to describe it (and it's not even a clever word anyway).
Oh well, I guess that's that for me for now. And to think I was so excited this morning.
