Google now gives you 15GB of shared Gmail, Google+ Photos and Drive storage

By Christian Zibreg on May 13, 2013

Hands up who lives in the Google cloud. If you keep your images on Google+ Photos (formerly Picasa Web Albums), manage documents in Google Drive or file messages with large attachments in Gmail, you are tapping the power of Google’s cloud storage. But up until today, each of these relied on their private cloud locker in the sky, which was inconvenient.

This morning, Google has tweaked the offering to include fifteen gigabytes of unified, free storage shared across Gmail, Drive and Google+ Photos. Previously, Google gave you ten gigabytes for Gmail and an additional five gigabytes of combined storage limited to Drive and Google+ Photos.

The change strengthens the Drive brand while simplifying things for consumers, akin to Apple’s iCloud that comes with five free gigabytes of shared cloud storage… Read More

 

Gmail iOS update adds two useful tweaks

By Christian Zibreg on May 6, 2013

Google on Monday issued a maintenance update to its Gmail client for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices, adding two welcomed new features.

Gmail version 2.2.7182 adds support for signing out of a single account in settings. Previously, hitting the Sign Out button signed you out of all accounts at once, which was rather clunky and not very user friendly.

The application also has a new setting which lets you specify that YouTube, Google Maps and Chrome links go directly to these native apps instead of the mobile web – of course, provided you have them installed on your device… Read More

 

Google’s new Babel chat platform includes ‘first class iOS experience’

By Christian Zibreg on Apr 19, 2013

More details are trickling in on what to expect of Google’s upcoming unified messaging platform called Babel. Google’s internal documentation and code snippets discovered Wednesday indicate the Babel thing will support media transfers during chat sessions and group chatting ability. More importantly, the service will be available as a native app on both Apple’s iOS and Google’s own Android platform.

Of course, Babel is also going to be available on the web, as a Chrome web app and inside Gmail. The upcoming messaging platform should solve Google’s instant messaging conundrum that confuses users with nearly a doze different chat service that include Talk, Gmail, Google+ Hangout, Google Voice and Chat for Drive.

Even if way overdue, Babel will unify Google’s many messaging platforms into a single service. The Internet giant is likely to formally announce Babel at its upcoming Google I/O conference, which runs May 15-17 in San Francisco… Read More

 

Gmail app updated with easier multi-message editing and navigation

By Cody Lee on Mar 27, 2013

Great news today for Gmail users. Google has updated its email client for iOS this morning, bringing the app to version 2.1. The update includes some nice UX improvements, including easier message navigation.

Users with the new app will now be able to swipe either left or right to move between messages, without having to return to their inbox. It also features easier multi-message editing, a handful of bug fixes and more… Read More

 

Google updates mobile Gmail web app with new UI and more

By Cody Lee on Mar 11, 2013

Google has updated its mobile web application for Gmail this afternoon with a refreshed user interface, similar to that of its recently revamped iOS email client, and a few other improvements.

In addition to its new look, Google says that the mobile app update also brings new features such as improved search and integration with Google Calendar, search predictions, and more… Read More

 

Orchestra now offering reservations for upcoming Mailbox email client

By Cody Lee on Jan 22, 2013

Last month, we told you about an exciting new iPhone email client called Mailbox. The app, which has been described as a cross between Clear and Sparrow thanks to its simple, swipe-based UI, is slated to hit the App Store in the next few weeks.

And in anticipation of high demand for the free email client, Mailbox-creator Orchestra opened up a reservation system this morning. It operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and will help the team manage server traffic when the app lands… Read More

 

Google dropping Exchange ActiveSync support for Gmail next month

By Cody Lee on Dec 15, 2012

Brace yourselves, Gmail account syncing is about to get a lot less convenient for iOS and other non-Android devices. The Mountain View company just announced that as part of its ‘Winter Cleaning’ initiative, it will be ditching support for the Exchange ActiveSync protocol next month.

What’s Exchange ActiveSync? Well it’s an XML-based protocol, developed by Microsoft, that allows the synchronization of email, calendar, contacts, and other data between servers and mobile devices. And at this point, it’s the only way to get native Gmail push notifications on your iPhone… Read More

 

Gmail updated: sleek UI, multiple accounts, search predictions, infinite scrolling

By Christian Zibreg on Dec 4, 2012

Google has just updated its Gmail iOS app with multiple account support, a way overdue feature which finally allows you to set up, use and switch between up to five different Google accounts with just a few taps.

Gmail version 2.0, a major overhaul, in addition to a much cleaner and sleeker look has learned a few useful new tricks, like infinite scrolling inbox, threaded conversations, profile pictures, search predictions and auto-complete contact names, to name a few.

But the list of enhancements doesn’t end there. Numerous new animations from swivels to transitions will dazzle you. Plus, you can now respond to Google Calendar invites inline, set up real-time notifications for new mail or take advantage of the interactive Google+ posts support to +1 and comment on Google+ posts inline. There’s also a new app icon and a redesigned welcome experience. Do any of these features ring a bell? Profile pictures? Multiple accounts? Threaded conversations?

Yup, seems Google made good on its promise to leverage May’s Sparrow acquisition towards improving the Gmail mobile experience. The search firm occasionally refreshes Sparrow with maintenance updates, like last month when the Sparrow app gained iPhone 5 and Passbook support… Read More

 

Sparrow updated with iPhone 5 and Passbook support

By Christian Zibreg on Nov 21, 2012

After Apple rejected Sparrow’s iPhone 5 update earlier in the month, critics cried foul and commentators happily pointed out Apple was attempting to derail the popular email client for iOS devices and Macs. There was little hope left for new features after Google acquired Sparrow in June. Plus, the search giant acknowledged as much when it said the Sparrow team would move to Google’s Mountain View offices to work on new Gmail features. It’s a welcome sign, then, that a new version of Sparrow just surfaced on the App Store. Though short of features, it does bring out two major nice-to-haves: support for the iPhone 5′s taller display and Passbook integration… Read More

 

Have you seen this Steve Jobs tribute in Gmail app screenshots?

By Christian Zibreg on Oct 10, 2012

I was a little surprised realizing the blogosphere today reported on a nice little nugget I discovered nearly a month ago, but here it goes. If you visit the iTunes Preview page on the web for Google’s Gmail iOS app and check out the screenshots, you will notice a nice tribute to Apple’s late CEO Steve Jobs in two screenies. The images depict an email message with the subject line “Your favorite Steve Jobs quotes” and contain the following text in the message body… Read More

 

Google updates Gmail app for the iPhone 5

By Christian Zibreg on Sep 28, 2012

Google’s been on a roll these days. They brought as the official YouTube app and the awesome Chrome browser, have improved Google Contacts sync in iOS, are working on a standalone Maps app and Street View on the web and will soon launch an interesting traveling companion app called Field Trip. Plus, Google’s nice Gmail app for the iPhone and iPad is getting better with each iteration.

And earlier this morning, a minor update went live bringing support for the iPhone 5′s taller four-inch dispay, so you can see more of your messages in the list view and more content in the message view without needing to scroll quite as much. Another benefit of the taller display: typing gets easier as the virtual keyboard in landscape mode is a bit wider.

Also, this… Read More

 

Gmail for iOS now opens links in Chrome, what’s next?

By Cody Lee on Sep 6, 2012

Gmail for iOS received a minor update today, bringing the app to version 1.3.1. The email client now runs a bit more smoothly, and more importantly, it can now open links in the Chrome browser.

This is now the third app that Google has updated with this feature, behind Google+ and Sparrow, and it could be a preview of Google’s future plans for the iOS platform and its iOS applications… Read More

 

Gmail for iOS gets true Notification Center support and “send-as” feature

By Christian Zibreg on Jun 25, 2012

Google has just pushed out an incremental update to its native Gmail client for iOS. The new version brings three little nice-to-haves to your email arsenal, including the ability to send email messages from your alternate email addresses and stay logged in longer.

The biggest enhancements is the full support for iOS notifications, meaning you can now finally set up banners, alerts and lock screen options in Notification Center… Read More

 

US downloads surge 28% to 41 apps per smartphone

By Christian Zibreg on May 16, 2012

With one in two in the United States now owning a smartphone (was 40 percent of mobile subscribers in 2011), app downloads are on the rise, too.

Compared to last year, the average smartphone consumer in the U.S. now has 41 apps on their home screen, a 28 percent increase from 32 apps in last year, according to a Nielsen study released this morning.

Here are the top five downloaded apps across the iOS and Android platforms… Read More

 

How to Access Gmail Securely With a QR Code [Video]

By Jeff Benjamin on Jan 16, 2012

Normally I wouldn’t dare log into my Gmail account from a public terminal, but this QR based login from Google is definitely a step in the right direction from a security standpoint.

As first reported by Ian Paul from PC World, you can now securely log into your Gmail account without typing your username or password into a computer.

It works by using your iPhone as the means for authentication instead, and it’s a pretty slick way of staying relatively secure from would be password jackers. Video demonstration inside. Read More

 

Easily Sync Your iPhone Contacts With Gmail Using “Contacts Sync for Google Gmail”

By Guest Author on Dec 21, 2011

Are you one of the thousands of users who have transitioned their entire online ecosystem into Apple’s iCloud? Did you stop syncing your contacts with Gmail in order to sync with iCloud? Do you want to maintain your address book with iCloud and have the same address book in Google Contacts?

Now you can with a paid application called Contacts Sync For Google Gmail… Read More

 

Gmail App Updated With Signatures, Scribbles, and More

By Cody Lee on Dec 14, 2011

Google’s native Gmail application for iOS has had a rocky go of it over the past month. The initial app was yanked out of the App Store just hours after releases due to software bugs, and the app as a whole has received tons of criticism.

But that doesn’t mean that Google is going to give up on it. In fact, the app just received a major update that not only brings tons of bug fixes, but also adds some new features like Scribbles, which lets you add your own art to emails… Read More

 

Sent is a Gmail App for iPhone that Gets Things Right, But Not Perfect

By Oliver Haslam on Nov 20, 2011

It seems like iOS Gmail apps are a little bit like London buses: you wait an hour for one, and then three come along at once. Two notable Gmail apps have entered the App Store as of late.

Gmail users rejoiced when Google finally brought an official Gmail app to the App Store, but after downloading the app, it was clear that the bug-laden effort wasn’t what it should be. Google pulled it and eventually made it available again after fixing some of the more glaring bugs. That said, it’s still not great, and is missing some features that we hope Google will eventually get around to adding.

A new app to join the Gmail fray goes by the name of “Sent,” and while it is indeed a more native experience than Google’s solution, the app doesn’t get everything right… Read More

 

Google Resurrects Gmail in the App Store

By Alex Heath on Nov 16, 2011

Google has put its Gmail app back on the App Store. After an embarrassing fiasco in which the app was made available and then pulled after only a couple of hours, Gmail for iOS has been resubmitted to the App Store for everyone to download.

Does the app still suck? You be the judge… Read More

 

Sparrow is Ready to Fly Onto Your iPhone, Here’s a Teaser Image

By Alex Heath on Nov 3, 2011

The folks at Sparrow make one of the slickest email apps for the Mac around. You can buy Sparrow for Gmail in the Mac App Store for $9.99. The app looks and feels a whole lot like the official Twitter app and the deceased Tweetie client.

A report from months agosaid that Sparrow was coming to the iPhone, and the app’s developers have posted a teaser image to whet our appetites…

Read More

 
Page 112