Google Goes HTML5: Demos Experimental Version of Gmail

Written by Frederic Lardinois / February 18, 2009 6:08 PM / 9 Comments

Google's VP of Engineering, Vic Gundotra, showed both a new mobile version of Gmail running on the iPhone and HTC Magic today, as well as a new mobile version of Google Maps running on the Palm Pre. The new mobile Gmail app, which Gundotra demoed at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, makes extensive use of new features that are only available in HTML5. Among these new Gmail features were offline access, even in the browser, as well as support for labels.

Offline Gmail in the Browser

The mobile version of Google Maps on the Pre only made a short appearance, and it didn't look like it really featured anything new, but the experimental version of Gmail looked very impressive. Besides adding support for labels, the most interesting new feature (if Google ever releases this version) was offline access. To make this work, Google makes use of the AppCache and client-side storage features in HTML5, both of which Safari on the iPhone fully supports. Gundotra also stressed how fast the app ran.

Hopefully, Google will ship this new mobile version of Gmail soon, as it looks to be a major update of the current Gmail web app. It will also be interesting to see if Google decides to use the same technology to bring offline access to Google Docs to mobile phones (and standard browsers) as well.

Gmail Demo on iPhone and HTC Magic

Video courtesy of AndroidCommunity.com

Google Maps on the Palm Pre

Video courtesy of PreCommunity.com

Comments

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Awesome for this feature...google do amazing update.

Home based bussiness

Posted by: zapper | February 18, 2009 6:51 PM

This is a cool demo, but it only covers the client-side capabilities for HTML5. What is an App today without some significant way to communicate with and aggregate various services? And, more importantly, services that support full-duplex and push-style communications. I would like to see a similar HTML5 demo that also excersices HTML5 communication standards such as Server-sent Events and
WebSockets.

http://www.kaazing.org/confluence/display/KAAZING/What+is+an+HTML+5+WebSocket

--Ric

Posted by: Ric Smith | February 18, 2009 6:58 PM

it's sound good the new gmail. I'm using gmail from the beginning and I think is the best. I can't wait for the new one :)

Posted by: Ken the tech | February 18, 2009 7:07 PM

This is awesome, shear HTML awesomeness.
http://tr.im/gk8j

Posted by: Goodmars | February 18, 2009 11:17 PM

Hi Frederic, here’s a video in HD from the front of the stage:
http://vimeo.com/3268086

And a demo of the mobile audio search to make things complete: http://vimeo.com/3267862

Posted by: Erwin Boogert | February 18, 2009 11:35 PM

Great addition. I have been using gmail for a while and it is the best out there.

Rich Mesquita
IT
http://www.mypetvideos.tv/ThePublicWorks

Posted by: Richard Mesquita | February 19, 2009 8:03 AM

very nice blog. google do amazing update.

Posted by: muhabbet | February 20, 2009 9:16 AM

I wrote a tutorial about the technologies behind the GMail offline demo. You can find it here: http://blog.msc-mobile.com/2009/03/03/1236073555483.html

Posted by: Alexander Ilg | March 3, 2009 1:59 AM

The new version of Google with all its added features seems to be quite interesting and beneficial enough.

Posted by: Website Design | April 14, 2009 2:45 AM