Recently I discovered this very interesting app on Zapstore - NMail
For that that don't know, Zapstore is an FOSS play store for mobile apps, based on nostr. You should really consider it instead of any other centralized app store.
Is a nostr based email client, using a bridge between regular email servers and your nostr npub.
So basically you can have your nostr npub as an email address <npub>@uid.ovh.
You can use the mobile app from Zapstore or use the web version:
https://nogringo.github.io/nostr-mail-client
You can host with your own domain if you like, see more details on their Github repository:
Quick GuideQuick Guide
You login with Amber nostr signer or any other way to sign with a nostr key. On desktop you can use a browser extension too.
After you install the mobile app and watch the quick intro, go to settings - hosting - add the recommended relays for DMs.
Now, to send to regular email address, click on your name in "From" field and you can choose the alias <your-npub>@uid.ovh. Add in the "To" field the regular email address you want to send and after a quick validation, click on the result to be added in the field. Then just send as any other email.
The email is sent via the uid.ovh smtp-bridge. Emails are encrypted and forwarded via nostr relays.
To send to another nostr user it is not necessary to use the bridge, just type the name or npub of the nostr user and will popup.
And that's it, the rest is just a regular email app, very simple and intuitive.
One aspect to mention: your emails are stored locally.
The app is still in early phase, so please consult with Russel (via Nmail or directly on nostr) if you have some issues. He's very helpful.
This is a nice app that have a great potential to replace the old gmail and hotmail crap. You can practically have as many accounts and aliases you want, without revealing your identity.
Thank you for your attention in this matter
I once said
Glad someone is taking time to explore this, will have to check out the client, direct messaging or mailing lists are a much more straightforward way to use nostr than twitter clones.... and email has just as many if not more problems than centralized social networks
NIP-65 moves it in this direction but my stats show its got relatively little uptake and only a handful of relays cover most of the people that have it configured anyway
NIP-17 on the other hand is privacy larp that works against it, need to investigate how an nmail server might deal with it
And I am sure that with this kind of apps like Nmail it can be implemented an anti-spam feature based on proof of payment or PoW. So only whitelisted identities can send you messages.
Exactly, the key-based nature of it is what unlocks enhancements over email because there's diverse ways to achieve that... PoW, payments, WoT can all work together
Email spam mitigation is largely a reputation of the provider, there's maybe a dozen providers now that can assure high deliver-ability... rolling your own is doable but wildly impractical for individuals, and that's still subject to DNS registry etc.
A key that can use any number of relays at any time breaks down a bunch of walls, then there's meta-protocols that can go on top of that... your Lightning Pub in that example already has its own email account :)
I was trying to use I2P mail but is very complicated and need to keep my host 24/7 online. Let’s try the e-mail thorough a excellent communication protocol.
I’ve been trying this out, but when I send messages, the app tells me they’ve been sent, yet they don’t reach the recipient. What could be the problem?
you didn't follow the exact steps I've explained in the guide
Have I missed any steps?Have I missed any steps?
Before you send, select "From" the bridge account <your-npub>@uid.ovh
You cannot send from a regular nostr npub to a SMTP email server. You need to indicate a bridge server that could fw the message to the destination SMTP server..
Only if you want to send to another nostr npub you can send from plain npub.
It actually works.
Good guide Darth
Just downloaded from ZapStore
I signed in using primal remote login
Giving it full permissions i fully trust this app (using a burner npub)
I didn't read your guide properly and sent to a real email address using the default nostr id and it failed
Realising my mistake I used the iud address and it went through eventually
I think thr primal signer is prohibitive
Then I used another burner npub but logged in direct nsec and worked much quicker
Excellent app and the bit I love generally is the interoperability of nostr:
This app is potentially linkable to so many nostr applications
Very cool 😎
On mobile I recommend Amber signer.
On desktop, just use nos2x browser extension.
Yeah is not necessary to use your regular nostr account, a burner is better.
This app really have potential.
👀
Does it actually do SMTP? If not, it misses out on the Lindy effects though I respect the attempt to recreate an "email like" experience in nostr.
I know Asher Pembroke was actually using nostr keys to encrypt messages - even on gmail. That's a cool idea though I'm sure corps will find a way to spy anyway like install client side logging.
Finally, we have something that actually works.
Thanks for sharing