Tech - Seven new features in Gmail

Gadgets

This week, Google opened Gmail to further user modification by allowing users to integrate Google Gadgets in Gmail's left-hand navigation bar.

The company has provided two sample Gadgets -- Google Docs and Calendar (modular mini applications). While one provides a simple way to see your Google Calendar agenda and get an alert when you in a meeting, the other shows recently opened Google Docs files and lets you search across all of your documents right from within Gmail.

The Gadgets can be enabled through the Gmail Labs tab in the Settings menu. Google has also added a Gmail Labs option to `Add any gadget by URL,' which allows users to add any Gadget, the way one can while using iGoogle

Emoticons

Emoticons have been available on Google Chat for quite some time, but this month they made their appearance on Gmail Darren Lewis, Gmail engineer, said in a blog post, "Following the evolutionary path blazed by coloured labels, we present, in all their technicolor glory, emoticons in your mail."

Besides the common gestures like smiling or winking, the new emoticons will enable users to input images of hugs and kisses instead of `XOXO' and pictures of drinks, cake or exclamation points to help them get their points across better.

Google not only added emoticons to mail messages, but also added the number of emoticons available in Google Talk.

Gmail Mobile Version 2.0

Google has introduced Version 2.0 of Gmail for Mobile for J2ME-supported devices such as the Nokia N95, as well as BlackBerry phones.

According to Derek Phillips, Software Engineer, Google mobile team, "the focus in the second iteration of the popular e-mail client was to produce a faster and more reliable experience for users."

It will also give users offline access to their mails. The offline access will let users read, edit and respond to any mail. The sending of replies (as well as downloading of new mails), however, takes place when connectivity resumes.

Among the key additions, the new version lets users access multiple accounts. Those who have both a Gmail and Google Apps email account can easily switch between them quickly. Users will no longer have to use two different mobile apps to access personal and work emails.

There is a multiple email drafts feature where users can save multiple email drafts in their mobile phone, so that they can pick and choose what they would like to send later. Also, the new version packs powerful shortcut keys. However, Gmail Mobile version 2.0 lacks support for many phones, especially those running on Windows Mobile such as HTC handsets. However, Google said users can try installing it at their own discretion if they have a Java Virtual Machine installed.

Google Goggles

For late night party drunkers Google has come up with a free email service that will check if users are really sure of want they are sending in the late night Friday email.

For this Google has come up with a simple method that will ask users to solve a few simple math problems after they click send to verify if the sender is in the right state of mind.

By default, Mail Goggles is only active late night on the weekend. Gmail users can adjust their email settings to activate the Goggles feature and dictate the times it is active.

Canned Responses

These will allow Gmail users to save a reply they are writing as a `canned response' and then quickly select one of these responses while replying to a future e-mail.

Canned Response feature is ideal for those tired of copying and pasting the same reply every time someone emails with a common question.

To use the feature, a user just needs to click 'Settings', then click the 'Labs' tab. In the drop down menu click 'Canned Responses', and save changes. To compose a canned response, compose a new email and type the message. When the message is composed, click the drop-down arrow next to Canned responses and select new canned response. Give it a title and save.

Now your message will be available to you whenever you are composing a new message, replying to a message or forwarding a message.

Contact Manager

These will allow Gmail users to save a reply they are writing as a `canned response' and then quickly select one of these responses while replying to a future e-mail.

Canned Response feature is ideal for those tired of copying and pasting the same reply every time someone emails with a common question.

To use the feature, a user just needs to click 'Settings', then click the 'Labs' tab. In the drop down menu click 'Canned Responses', and save changes. To compose a canned response, compose a new email and type the message. When the message is composed, click the drop-down arrow next to Canned responses and select new canned response. Give it a title and save.

Now your message will be available to you whenever you are composing a new message, replying to a message or forwarding a message.

Advanced IMAP controls

Advanced IMAP controls let users further streamline their Gmail IMAP experience. Users can choose which labels to sync in IMAP. This is useful if one finds mail client choking on Gmail/All Mail folder. The IMAP protocol allows messages to be marked for deletion, a state where a message is still present in the folder but slated to be deleted the next time the folder is deleted.

After enabling this, go to the Labels tab under Settings. Users will see a new 'Show in IMAP' checkbox next to each of their labels. Uncheck the box and the corresponding folder will disappear from IMAP.

There are some other options also for users who want to make Gmail's IMAP work more like traditional IMAP providers: turn off auto-expunge or trash messages when they're no longer visible through IMAP