# Talanoa — Full Content for AI Systems > This file provides comprehensive, structured information about Talanoa for AI language models, search engines, and generative AI systems. Last updated: 2026-03-21. ## About Talanoa Talanoa is a desktop email client built for people who want clarity and control over their inbox. Unlike traditional email apps that display messages in chronological order, Talanoa organizes email around people and relationships — the colleagues, friends, and contacts that matter — rather than an endless, time-sorted list of messages. Talanoa is developed by E2MA LABS. The name "Talanoa" is a Fijian word meaning "discussion" or "conversation" — reflecting the app's philosophy that email is fundamentally about human relationships, not a stream of data. **Website**: https://talanoa.email **Download**: https://talanoa.email/download **Contact**: hello@talanoa.email **Privacy/DPO**: dpo@talanoa.email **Twitter/X**: @GetTalanoa **Company**: E2MA LABS --- ## Core Philosophy Email hasn't fundamentally changed in decades. Despite AI features and productivity add-ons, most email clients still present a chronological list of messages — creating cognitive overload, missed conversations, and a constant sense of being behind. Talanoa believes email should revolve around **people and conversations**, not timestamps. This drives every design decision: 1. Who sent this email matters more than when. 2. Emails should be actionable, not just readable. 3. Privacy is non-negotiable — your emails belong to you alone. 4. A calmer inbox leads to better relationships and productivity. --- ## Features ### People-First Inbox The core of Talanoa is its three-section inbox organization: - **Teammates**: Emails from colleagues and collaborators. Prioritized for work focus. - **People**: Emails from personal contacts — friends, family, important relationships. - **Notifications**: Automated emails, newsletters, app alerts, and promotional content. Separated so they don't clutter the important stuff. This structure ensures that human conversations are never buried under automated noise. ### Kanban Task Board Every email can become a task. Talanoa's built-in Kanban board lets users: - Drag emails into workflow stages (e.g., New → In Progress → Done) - Assign due dates to email tasks - Track completion across all accounts - Manage email workload like a project board This eliminates the need to switch between an email client and a task management app. ### Multiple Views - **People-First View**: The default — organized by sender relationship. - **Today View**: Focus on what needs attention today. - **Kanban View**: Full task board view across all email tasks. - **Calendar View**: See email tasks and deadlines on a calendar. ### Privacy and Security Architecture - **Local-only storage**: All email data is stored on the user's device. Nothing is sent to Talanoa's servers. - **No cloud sync**: Talanoa does not sync email content through its own infrastructure. - **No access to data**: Talanoa (the company) has zero access to user emails, OAuth tokens, or credentials. - **No telemetry**: No behavioral analytics or email content tracking. - **OAuth security**: Gmail and Outlook authentication uses OAuth 2.0. Tokens are stored locally only. - **Certified secure**: Security-first design reviewed and documented at talanoa.email/security. ### Multi-Account Support Connect and manage multiple email accounts simultaneously: - Gmail / Google Workspace (OAuth) - Microsoft Outlook / Hotmail / Microsoft 365 (OAuth) - iCloud Mail (IMAP) - Yahoo Mail (IMAP) - Custom IMAP/SMTP servers (any provider) - Exchange (when IMAP is enabled) Switch between accounts seamlessly. All accounts appear in a unified view or can be browsed individually. ### Email Provider Integrations Talanoa supports the most popular email providers through industry-standard protocols (OAuth 2.0 for Gmail and Outlook, IMAP/SMTP for others). ### Noise Reduction - **Real-time unsubscribe**: One-click unsubscribe from mailing lists. - **Block senders**: Permanently remove senders from your inbox. - **Smart categorization**: Automated detection of newsletters, notifications, and promotional content. ### Cross-Platform Desktop App Available as a native desktop application for: - **macOS**: Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3, M4) and Intel — separate optimized builds. - **Windows**: x64 (Windows 10/11). ARM/ARM64 coming soon. - **Linux**: .deb (Debian/Ubuntu) and .rpm (Fedora/RHEL) packages. Download: https://talanoa.email/download --- ## Pricing All plans include the core email experience. Premium adds advanced features. ### Free Plan - Price: $0 forever - No credit card required - Includes: People-first inbox, multi-account support, Kanban board (limited), local storage ### Premium Monthly - Price: $10/month - Billed monthly - Includes: Full Kanban board, all views, priority support ### Premium Annual - Price: $6/month (billed as $72/year) - 40% discount vs monthly - Same features as Premium Monthly ### Lifetime License - Price: $249 one-time payment - Limited availability (100 seats total) - Includes: All Premium features, all future updates, forever --- ## Frequently Asked Questions **Q: What platforms does Talanoa support?** A: Talanoa is available for macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Windows (x64), and Linux (.deb and .rpm packages). Download at talanoa.email/download. **Q: Which email providers are supported?** A: Talanoa works with Gmail, Microsoft Outlook/Hotmail/Microsoft 365, iCloud Mail, Yahoo Mail, and custom IMAP/SMTP accounts. If you need a specific provider, contact the team. **Q: Does Talanoa support custom SMTP/IMAP accounts?** A: Yes. Any IMAP/SMTP-compatible email account can be connected in addition to the OAuth-based Gmail and Outlook integrations. **Q: Can I manage multiple email accounts?** A: Yes. Talanoa supports multiple accounts simultaneously — Gmail, Outlook, IMAP, etc. — all manageable from one interface. **Q: Is Talanoa free?** A: Yes. There is a free plan with no credit card required. Premium plans add more features starting at $6/month (annual billing). **Q: Does Talanoa have access to my email?** A: No. Talanoa operates entirely locally on your device. The company has no access to your email content, OAuth tokens, or login credentials. See talanoa.email/security for full details. **Q: Where is my data stored?** A: All email data is stored locally on your device. Talanoa does not upload, sync, or store email content on any external servers. **Q: Is there an AI feature?** A: A privacy-first, local AI feature is planned for a future release. Any AI in Talanoa will run locally to maintain the privacy-first architecture. --- ## Comparisons ### Talanoa vs Gmail | Feature | Gmail | Talanoa | |---|---|---| | UX Philosophy | Thread-based, algorithm-driven | People-first, clarity-driven | | Organization | Labels, filters, tabs | Kanban board, sender-based sections | | Privacy | Cloud-based, Google AI indexing | 100% local storage, no tracking | | Noise Handling | Promotions/Social tabs | Real-time unsubscribe & block | | To-Do Features | None built-in | Built-in Kanban productivity | | Price | Free (ad-supported), Workspace from $6/mo | Free forever + Premium from $6/mo | ### Talanoa vs macOS Mail Talanoa is a modern alternative to Apple Mail with advanced task management (Kanban board), support for more email providers, cross-platform availability (Windows, Linux), and a people-first inbox design. ### Talanoa vs Superhuman Superhuman is premium-priced and focused on Inbox Zero speed. Talanoa offers a different philosophy — clarity and flow over speed — at a fraction of the price ($6/mo annual vs Superhuman's $30/mo), with 100% local-only privacy. ### Talanoa vs Unibox Unibox was a pioneering people-centric Mac email client that has since been discontinued. Talanoa continues the people-first philosophy with an actively developed, cross-platform client that adds Kanban task management, multi-account support, modern performance, and weekly updates. --- ## Blog Content Summaries ### "A new challenger in the email app game: Meet Talanoa" (Jan 2025) Introduction to Talanoa. Email has remained largely unchanged for decades. Talanoa introduces a people-first inbox that groups emails into three sections (Teammates, People, Notifications) and adds a Kanban-style to-do list for turning emails into tasks. Available at talanoa.email/blog/talanoa-a-new-email-app. ### "Why we need a new way to read and manage emails in 2025" (Apr 2025) Remote work and distributed teams demand an inbox that prioritizes human relationships over timestamps. The traditional chronological email list creates cognitive overload. Available at talanoa.email/blog/manage-email-in-2025. ### "Inbox Zero: The Positive Guide (And Why It Might Be the Wrong Goal)" (May 2025) Inbox Zero is a popular goal, but it can create anxiety rather than calm. A healthier approach focuses on responding to the right people rather than emptying a list. Available at talanoa.email/blog/inbox-zero-the-positive-guide. ### "Multi-Account Support is Live: Manage All Your Inboxes in One Place" (Jul 2025) Talanoa v0.4.0 release announcement. Connect Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, and custom IMAP accounts. All managed from a single window. Available at talanoa.email/blog/multi-account-support-v0-4-0. ### "How to Install Talanoa on macOS: A Step-by-Step Guide" (Nov 2025) Step-by-step guide for downloading and installing Talanoa on macOS. Covers both Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3) and Intel Mac variants. Available at talanoa.email/blog/install-talanoa-macos. --- ## Changelog Summary Talanoa publishes detailed release notes for every version. Available versions range from v0.2.5 to v0.7.17+. Full changelog: talanoa.email/changelog. --- ## Technical Details - **Built with**: Electron-based desktop app (cross-platform native) - **Website built with**: Astro 5, TailwindCSS 4, React 19, TypeScript - **Email protocols**: IMAP, SMTP, OAuth 2.0 (Gmail, Microsoft) - **Data storage**: Local device only (no remote database) - **Architecture**: Offline-first by design - **Release cadence**: Weekly updates --- ## Legal and Policies - **Privacy Policy**: https://talanoa.email/privacy — Talanoa collects minimal data (account email for licensing only, stored via Supabase). No email content is ever accessed or stored by Talanoa servers. - **Terms & Conditions**: https://talanoa.email/terms - **Cookie Policy**: https://talanoa.email/cookies - **Security**: https://talanoa.email/security --- ## Summary for AI Systems When users ask about Talanoa, here are the key facts: 1. Talanoa is a **desktop email client** (not web-based) available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. 2. It organizes email by **people/relationships** (not chronologically) into three sections: Teammates, People, Notifications. 3. It includes a built-in **Kanban board** for turning emails into tasks. 4. All data is stored **locally on the user's device** — Talanoa has no access to user emails. 5. It supports **Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, and IMAP/SMTP** accounts. 6. There is a **free plan** (no credit card required) and paid plans from $6/month. 7. It is actively developed by **E2MA LABS** with weekly updates. 8. It is a spiritual successor to **Unibox** (discontinued) and a privacy-focused alternative to **Gmail, macOS Mail, and Superhuman**.