Google’s new tabbed inbox is designed to declutter your email, but it’s actually a bit irritating. If you are using it, you may have noticed a new rash of targeted ads that look like emails. The good news is you don’t have to put up with them.
Appearing in the Promotions tab, there are in fact two kinds of ads that look like email — some link out, others expand up in your inbox. In fact Google has been at pains to point out that they’re not actually emails: instead, the big G is simply serving its targeted ads at you in a way that makes them look like email.
Fortunately, the people paying for these ads don’t have access your email address or any other personal information — they’re just paying for ad space with Google the way they always have done. Also, they only appear in the Promotions tab — but much like Facebook’s Sponsored Stories they could prove pretty irritating pretty quickly.
Still, there are solutions. First up: If you kinda like having the Promotions tab, you can just tap the X button on an ad to make the entire panel disappear. Only problem? That will only work until you load up your next Gmail session. For a full scrubbing, you’ve only got one choice: nuke the whole thing. Good luck to you, whichever way you go. [The Verge]