Shift (software)

Shift is a desktop application for email management developed by Redbrick Technologies in 2016. It features simultaneous usage of multiple email accounts and web services.
History
Shift was founded by Redbrick Technologies. As a product development company, many employees at the company were managing multiple email accounts, in addition to web applications and extensions. The team began exploring ways to manage multiple accounts more efficiently, and decided to build Shift.
The soft launch was in September 2016 to a limited beta audience, with a subsequent stable release in December 2016 on Product Hunt.
Shift 2.0 was released in November 2017, with updates including a cross-account ‘unified search’ option, and support for web applications like Slack, Asana, Trello, Facebook, WhatsApp etc.
Features
Shift is compatible with Gmail, Google Inbox, Outlook and Office 365 email accounts. Users can connect up to two email accounts in the free version, and an unlimited number of accounts in each of the two premium versions. This allows users to stay signed in to all connected accounts, including G-suite & Office 365. Advanced users have access to a directory of web applications and extensions inside the Shift interface.
Technology
Shift is written in JavaScript and Python. It was originally built on Electron framework. However, later it switched to the Muon framework to support extensions. For secure communication, Shift uses HTTP over TLS (SSL) to encrypt data sent between the client, the server and other third-party services. OAuth 2.0 (with support for MFA) is used to ensure users are authenticated and authorized.
Reception
Shift was among the top 3 finalists in the ‘Product of the Year’ category at the VIATEC Awards 2017. According to the tech review site Cnet, “Shift may be the ultimate solution for Gmail users .” Product Hunt, TechRepublic and Lifehacker have shared positive reviews of the software. Forbes has listed Shift as one of the essential tools for marketers.

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