Gmail Mobile Gets Performance Tweaks, New Look
Google announced a new and improved Gmail web site specifically for mobile browsers that supports the latest Web standards, namely the iPhone, iPod Touch and Android platforms. Speed and responsiveness are improved, especially in bad or non-existent network situations. Thanks to aggressive caching, opening recently read messages and composing new email will still work fine.
iPhone and iPod Touch devices have to be upgraded to firmware version 2.2.1 to get the new code, but all Android phones will benefit immediately. The service leverages such technologies as HTML5 and Gears to work its magic.
The experience of using Gmail on these mobile platforms is now much closer to using the actual web site than before. Multiple messages can be selected out-of-order and operated upon immediately, using a floaty action bar. Use of the limited screen real-estate has been optimized, making the stars and labels on messages more prominent. Search and new email icons are now conveniently at the top of the message list as well.
After using the new site briefly, I can confidently say if I had to use a web-based Email application, this would be the one, for two big reasons: Caching and Search:
Caching: Since it leverages the Gears-like ability to cash anything that's been touched, and all the screens for creating a new email, it works great even when wireless or cellular signals are not available. Once you are back in range, everything is synchronized without any more effort.- Search: Google has always leveraged search as a big differentiator for Gmail, and now that power is easily accessable in the mobile site as well. One click to an icon gets you in to the search interface and finding that particular email quickly an easily. Search is also used when composing an email, letting you quickly find people by any part of their name or email address,then letting you select who you want to add out-of-order.
I will admit, I don't have an Android phone so I don't know how the new Gmail website stacks up against the native mail client. For those of you with Android phones, how is it working for you? Would you say it is better or worse than what's built-in?
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I like the new interface, but I am still hard pressed to think of a scenario in which I'd access the mobile web version instead of the mail client on my iPhone. In the past, I've only ever accessed mobile web Gmail if I've needed heavier-duty search machinery.
I absolutely love gmail mobile, I love gmail/google period. Everything I use google-wise is conveniently located on my phone. Gmail, maps, reader, calendar, docs, etc etc.
The new drop down when you select emails is slick, very handy.
gmail is developing every single day.
nice to have gmail around!
Google's commitment to the mobile market makes me want to ditch the blackberry for the android!
Its definitely an improvement on the old browser based gmail. I still prefer the standard Gmail client that comes on the Android, but very useful for a second gmail or managed domain mail client. Plus with gears can offer an offline mail client too.
Would this also be available to Ubuntu NBR 9.04 running Firefox 3, or only the mobile version of Firefox: Fennec ?
I'm currently building a carPC with a 9" touchscreen, and want to use gmail and google maps while driving around (obviously mainly using the maps while driving, and mail while stuck in traffic/parked).
Two Google products I use regularly: Sites and Groups. Both not on my iPhone. Need them, Google. Hurry.