Google today released 5 new features for Gmail, ranging from simple UI improvements to handy "embarrassment-reducing" conversation upgrades (though since they're counting the recently released Gmail app for your phone, it's really 4 new features today). First up is a new Reply button at the top of messages, allowing you to give a shout back without having to scroll endlessly through long messages for the previous Reply button at the bottom. This new Reply button and its drop down menu actually replaces the previously clunky 'more options' button at the top of all messages.Second is a slick new 'Update Conversation' button for when you're in the middle of replying to a conversation, and new messages arrive mid-reply. A notification will pop up now, with the option of updating the conversation in-line to see what others said in case you need to edit your response.
Third is a new button to Forward All messages in a conversation, not just the one you happened to click the Forward button on. This is another great and innovative feature I haven't seen done with other web services or even desktop clients.
Last but not least is an offline chat feature for when someone you're chatting with goes offline for one reason or another. Now, when your friend returns online, they can see whatever you said in their absence. You'll really have to watch what you say when connections get dropped now.
All in all, these are great functional updates to a web based email client that is still trumping all the desktop clients I'm trying out. Nice work Google.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-10-2006 @ 6:44PM
alf said...
I'm loving the new features. Still can't wait for Gmail and Google Reader to be shmooshed together though, and what's up with Google's online storage solution ("platypus")? It's good to see the little improvements but I want the big stuff :)
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11-12-2006 @ 1:47PM
alex said...
Is anyone else still bothered by the whole conversation view? I love gmail but i just cant get used to that.
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11-14-2006 @ 1:59AM
sheldon said...
I just want to be able to arrange my emails by size of attachment.
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11-14-2006 @ 11:32AM
VAStateOfMind said...
alex, I would totally agree with you, if I hadn't forced myself to live in/rely on Gmail for an entire week earlier this year. And now threaded "conversations," with my replies embedded (rather than stored in "Sent Mail") seem to be a very sensible arrangement. I got used to it, and found myself missing the Gmail arrangement when I would switch back to Yahoo Mail Beta. After waffling for the past several months, I just made the full switch to Gmail this past weekend. Yahoo Mail Beta has some cool features, but Gmail is by far the fastest and most efficient webmail to use (IMHO).
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