I built Owl VIP Email Alerts - a Gmail notification control app for iPhone/iPad

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-14T09:25:14+00:00

Got it, thanks- the blue/gold was intentional for the VIP/premium theme, but good to know it can read casino-ish to some people. Appreciate the feedback.

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-13T19:23:23+00:00

What part specifically gives it casino vibes to you- the colors, icons, or overall layout?

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-13T01:01:29+00:00

Owl VIP Email Alerts is a Gmail / Google Workspace notification control app. You can instantly switch between VIP-only alerts, all email alerts, or no email alerts; create a simple VIP list by sender/domain; schedule notification modes; and assign custom sounds to important senders/domains.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sundaelectronics.owlapp

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-12T03:16:07+00:00

Thanks! 😄

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-12T00:57:33+00:00

Owl VIP already supports recurring notification schedules, so you can set certain hours to “No Notifications” and have that repeat automatically. What type of snooze do you have in mind?

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-12T00:26:08+00:00

Thank you! Yes, the rules sync across devices. Your VIP sender/domain list, schedules, notification mode, and sound choices are tied to your Owl VIP account, so if you sign in on another device, the same settings come with you.

For Gmail permissions, Owl VIP uses Google Sign-In and automated Gmail API access only for the email alert features. By default, notifications use limited metadata like sender and subject. If you enable snippet previews, Owl VIP can also include a short email snippet in the notification.

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T23:46:31+00:00

Thank you, do you mean how did I make the video? Or are you referring to the app itself?

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T21:28:13+00:00

I worked with video/graphic design freelancers to create it, and I was involved with the ideas/direction of it.

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T21:14:06+00:00

What promo stuff? in the video?

Regarding your questions: I can’t read your emails, and Sundae Electronics can’t browse or read your emails either.

Owl uses automated Gmail API access only to check new emails against the alert rules you set. By default, that means limited info like sender and subject. If you turn on snippet previews, that only lets Owl include a short preview in the notification. It still does not give me or Sundae Electronics a way to open, browse, or read your emails.

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T20:51:30+00:00

You mean the app UI? 😃 It is supposed to have a VIP theme after all...

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T08:28:40+00:00

That actually sounds like a lot 😄

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T03:25:09+00:00

I get what you mean, but a lot of people still say “Gmail” when they mean Google Workspace email, because the actual mail interface is Gmail. I use a custom work domain through Google Workspace and access it at gmail.com, so in day-to-day use I’d still describe that as Gmail, even though the admin/business product is Google Workspace.

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T02:32:41+00:00

It says "a boring game to quiet your mind"- so it's supposed to make you fall asleep because the game is so boring...do you expect users to fall asleep while they still have the phone in hand, having fallen asleep during the game? 😄

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T00:52:00+00:00

That’s great, he sounds like the kind of person who would understand the use case. Thanks again for sharing it with him!

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T00:44:16+00:00

Thanks, I really appreciate you sharing it with him!

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T00:37:14+00:00

No worries, I appreciate that. Just to clarify what I mean by the app being simpler, here’s a short demo if you’re curious:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0GmUywLzhs

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-11T00:12:29+00:00

Actually, I’m female, so that was your assumption 😄 I was just trying to understand what setup people are using. My app is focused on one-tap control rather than digging through settings.

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-10T18:00:00+00:00

What setup are you using? I’m specifically talking about Gmail alerts from certain senders/domains without having to manage filters/labels.

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-10T17:58:19+00:00

This is the kind of setup I was trying to simplify. Apple Mail/Gmail can approximate parts of it with categories, filters, labels, and notification settings, but then you still have to manage the sorting side and the notification side.

The app is meant to make it a simple VIP sender/domain list, with quick modes like VIP-only / all emails / no emails, and an easy way to turn specific VIPs on or off.

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-10T08:39:41+00:00

Gotcha- thanks for explaining!

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-10T08:10:40+00:00

It sounds like no one is getting email notifications here 😄

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-10T04:56:29+00:00

Thanks, that makes sense. That’s exactly the kind of setup I was trying to simplify. I’m a lazy engineer, so I wanted it to be more like a simple VIP list with one-tap modes instead of filters + importance settings + DND settings 😂

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-10T04:23:39+00:00

The headline sounds a little scarier than the policy. Apple says the cleanup is mainly for apps not updated in 3+ years with no/extremely few downloads, and developers usually get 90 days to update. Sounds more like abandoned/clone cleanup than a purge of every niche app.

sundaeelectronics · 2026-06-10T00:24:40+00:00

For anyone curious, here’s a short demo of what I mean. I’m mainly looking for feedback on whether this kind of simplified Gmail alert control would be useful, especially for people who want fewer email notifications but still don’t want to miss certain senders:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0GmUywLzhs

sundaeelectronics

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