Gizmodo: Gmail

Google Brings Push Gmail, Google Maps Street View, Other Tight Integration to the G1

Adam Frucci — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:42:42 EDT

Android is here, and as to be expected with a Google-made mobile OS, there's a bit of Google App fanciness going on. In fact, it's designed with Google Apps in mind so much that whether or not you're a user of Gmail and other services might determine how useful the phone will be to you.

The G1 will ~~be the first phone to~~ offer push Gmail, which is something we're expecting to see on the iPhone in the not too distant future. Gmail also features a Google Talk presence on Android, thanks to the fact that Gmail gets its own mail app while all other mail services are relegated to a simpler one. You can sync you contacts and appointments with the G1, but only via Google's services; no Outlook and Exchange support here. In fact, you must have a Google account to use this phone, according to Walt Mossberg.

Google Maps offers street view that you can control using the built-in compass, turning the phone around and looking around like you're actually there. A neat gimmick, but we'll see how useful it actually ends up being.

Here's a video Google released on Google Mobile Apps integration:

Apple Rejects MailWrangler App for "Leading to User Confusion"

Mark Wilson — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:10:00 EDT

Apple's iPhone Mail app isn't bad, but for those of us looking to use advanced Gmail functions (like managing multiple accounts or starring items), an app named MailWrangler would fill in the gaps...that is, if Apple hadn't rejected the application from their iTunes store. Here is the message sent from Apple to the developer, six weeks after the program was submitted to iTunes:

… Your application duplicates the functionality of the built-in iPhone application Mail without providing sufficient differentiation or added functionality, which will lead to user confusion. …

Macworld points out that "user confusion" isn't an issue when one examines the endless faceless Sudoku applications that are available in the iTunes store, but it's a huge problem when such alleged confusion steps on the toes of an Apple application.

But from Apple's perspective, it sure would take the wind out of Jobs' next keynote if he were to announce that the iPhone was supporting a series of features already implemented by third parties. Maybe it would be more fair for Apple to simply restrict categories of applications from the iTunes store to begin with and not waste developers' time. [Macworld]

Apple and Google Combine Forces to Explode Your Address Book

John Herrman — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:50:00 EDT

The ability to sync your Address Book contacts with Gmail—one of 10.5.3’s most useful new features—could have used a bit more real-world testing. Rather than just syncing your beautiful, groomed, deliberately added contacts like any reasonable person would expect, Address Book downloads all of your Gmail account’s automatically collected addresses as well, which is to say pretty much everyone you’ve ever emailed, ever.

Despite this Rolodex-wrecking flaw, Leopard’s update introduced plenty of other features that actually make the operating system better. Spaces now behaves like a proper virtual desktop system, and Time Machine is significantly more reliable, as well as playing nicer with Time Capsule. Mail, iChat, Airport and Automator also underwent minor refinements. Taking into consideration these enhancements as well as a number of critical security fixes, 10.5.3 is still a recommended download in spite of the Address Book goof. For those who just had to click every new radio button in 10.5.3, the same helpful reader who sent in the Gmail sync warning has posted a quick fix here.

[Brian King]

Helio Becomes First Carrier to Offer Push Gmail

Sean Fallon — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:29:00 EDT

If you are the proud owner of a Helio Ocean, Fin or Mysto, you have the honor of being the first to enjoy push Gmail on your cellphone. Using the "ultimate inbox" feature, simply set up your Gmail account and press Menu > Send/Receive. Then you will be prompted to enable new mail notification. It's just that easy, baby.

Gmail CAPTCHA Cracked in Teams; Bots Get 'Tude

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:30:23 EST

Cracking Yahoo's CAPTCHA human verification may have been a major security-breach milestone, but now bots have been tag-teaming in pairs to crack Google's Gmail human test too, which they currently can pull off one in five attempts. During the crack, they also appear, somewhat snarkily, to read Google's help pages, perhaps as a means of preventing a timeout. [Slashdot]

Make Your Own Physical Gmail Notifier

Sean Fallon — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:20:23 EST

There are quite a few email notifiers on the market, but none of those gadgets can give you the satisfaction that comes with building something with your own two hands. Given the fact that I am lazy and unskilled, I would just as soon purchase the device, but for anyone with skills and some determination, having a flashing notification of mail in your Gmail inbox can done with any output device you have lying around, an Arduino board and some software. Hit the link for a full set of instructions. [j4mie via Make]

Gmail Message Delay Problems Anyone?

Brian Lam — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:15:06 EST

Anyone having problems receiving messages on time in Gmail? On both a desktop mail client and the web UI, I see some new mail popping up timestamped two hours in the past (or about that), far down past some more recent messages. What gives? It's been happening for about two weeks.

GMail IMAP Rollout Sorta Complete

Brian Lam — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:56:52 EDT

Gmail's rollout of IMAP is complete, paving way for synced GMail on Desktops, Laptops, Mobiles, and the web. Mine says it was activated since day one, but it's not working yet. For those of you interested, Lifehacker's mistress of email has posted a guide to tweak GMail's IMAP, and Google's posted a video of how to config on an iPhone, but its pretty newbish. How about the rest of you? Is GMail IMAP working alright for you? [Gmail Blog]

GMail's getting a gradual storage bump to ...

Jason Chen — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 18:40:27 EDT

GMail's getting a gradual storage bump to a possible 6GB come January as a continuation of their "Infinity + 1" storage plan, but is still a long ass ways away from Yahoo's actual infinite storage. Step it up, Google. [Gmail via Lifehacker]

We're not sure how many of Google's apps ...

Jason Chen — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:06:40 EDT

We're not sure how many of Google's apps have gotten the iPhone makeover, but GMail (along with Google Calendar before it) look quite optimized for the phone's screen. Of course, there's no real use to optimizing Google Maps for it, so don't expect that one anytime soon. [Google via Boy Genius]

Best. Phishing email. Ever.

Adam Frucci — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 13:00:00 EDT

[We Are a Community via NewLaunches]

Google To Offer Additional Online Storage Up To 250 GB

Adrian Covert — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 19:19:13 EDT

Google announced on their blog that they're offering additional storage for their Gmail, Google Apps, and Picasa services. Storage sizes of 6, 25, 100, and 250 GB are available at prices ranging between 20 and 500 dollars a year. We hoped for more flexibility in how the storage could be used, but it's nice for those running low on space. [AP]

Help Google Deliver Email In a Gmail Video

msparkes — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 06:33:47 EDT

When you send an email through Gmail, hundreds of Google engineers leap from their chairs to help deliver the message. It's like P2P, but with bikes. They are doing a video all about it, and you can contribute to it if you hurry:

Google is asking you to add to their video, where people take a Gmail logo from left of screen, do something with it and pass it on to the right.

The deadline is the 13th of August. and you can see the segment which will start the video above. Of course, some people might claim that Google should be making better use of their time, but those people have no sense of fun. [Google]

Google Helps Themselves by Helping African Nations

Adam Frucci — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:00:00 EDT

Google has announced partnerships with both the Rwandan Ministry of Infrastructure and the Kenya Education Network to provide both institutions with Google Apps such as Gmail, Google Calander, Google Talk, and Google Docs. The governments and educational systems of the two countries will begin to freely use the Google online applications to communicate and organize their data.

This all sounds well and good, and I'm all for supplying African nations with better technology, but aren't all these apps free already? I mean, what exactly is Google doing here that's so great ? It doesn't seem like they're providing, you know, computers connected to the Internet that are able to utilize these services or anything. It seems like that would be a lot more helpful than merely not charging for personalization of their services. It seems like it's merely an exclusive deal that benefits Google more than the institutions they're trying to get good PR by "helping" to me. –Adam Frucci

Google announces partnership with Rwandan Government and Kenya Education Network to provide free communications applications [Google]

GMail Going To 3.47G of Storage, Eventually

Mark Wilson — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 13:05:44 EDT

Good news. The GMail code has been update to reflect storage growth over the next five years. The schedule?

http://digg.com/tech_news/GMail_Accounts_to_hit_3_47_GB_Storage_Space2800MB: Already reached
2835MB: In 18.22 days
2980MB: In 384 days
3125MB: In 749 days
3270MB: In 1114 days
3415MB: In 1479 days
3560MB: In 1845 days

Is it horrible that my first thought was, "only 3.47G"? While my box is still below 10% full, or 90% empty (gasp), wait...that whole inverse full-to-empty relationship just blew my mind.

I love that we live in a world where one can bitch about only getting 3.5G of free email storage, and that Google is upgrading our accounts without getting all "platinum membership" on us. Very classy. – Mark Wilson

GMail Upgrade [via digg]

Gmail Now Open To Everybody

Gizloco — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 10:10:50 EST

Just a quick tip for y'all: Google just opened up Gmail to everybody in the whole wide world today, so if you're one of the few who doesn't have an account yet, get to it. Don't forget that Gmail now works splendidly with Java-friendly cellphones, too. Shame it still reads all your e-mail messages. – Nicholas Deleon

Gmail via AP/Yahoo!

Power User - The Best of Lifehacker

Gina Trapani — Wed, 31 May 2006 13:30:00 EDT

This week at Lifehacker: Build yourself a solar-powered wifi booster for the backyard. Your mousing wrist feeling a little achy? Train yourself to mouse lefty (or righty, lefties.) PayPal your buddy your share of the dinner bill with your cell phone. Add encryption to Gmail and sync your Google calendar with your mobile phone or handheld.

Google Talk and IM on the Nokia 770

johnb — Tue, 16 May 2006 10:47:08 EDT

With all this talk of UMPCs and Origami, the poor Nokia 770 has gotten lost in the shuffle. Well, have no fear. It's still getting upgrades and you can now use it to make Google Talk calls and IM with your Google buddies. While it's not quite Skype-tastic, it's nice to see they're still working on the product.

Press Release [Nokia]