If you use Google's apps, you likely find yourself spending an inordinate amount of time in Gmail. And with good reason. Gmail is where the majority of the activity is happening, so it tends to be where you live. That said, you're likely still interested in keeping tabs on your schedule and what's happening with your work.
Wouldn't it be great if you could keep an eye on your other Google apps - like Calendar and Docs - without having to open multiple tabs or traverse from window to window? Now, thanks to the latest feature releases from Google Labs, you can. Introducing Google Labs Calendar and Doc gadgets for Gmail.
The new Gmail gadgets are designed to make your Gmail interface more inclusive by providing views into your other Google apps - without having to leave your Gmail inbox. No more jumping around. Now, you can see everything in one spot.
While the real estate is constrained, the view manages to provide just enough detail, giving you access to upcoming meetings and appointments and a glimpse of the latest documents on file.
But you can do more than just view the contents. The Docs gadget allows you to search your documents, and both gadgets enable you to create new items on the fly. The Calendar gadget also gives you the option to have a "mini calendar" present for reference.
To test drive these gadgets for yourself, simply head over to Labs and enable the Calendar gadget and the Docs gadget. Save your new settings and switch back to your Gmail interface. Now, you'll see two new collapsible areas below Labels that give you a view into your Calendar and your Docs.
The rate of innovation coming out of Labs seems to be on the upswing. Lately, we've seen a steady stream of Google Labs features for Gmail, like Labels enhancements, Mail Goggles, and Canned Responses. And they're beginning to answer very real workflow issues - okay maybe not with Goggles - that enhance the functionality of Gmail and make it a more competitive platform.
It will be interesting to see what users choose to install and adopt from Labs - and equally interesting what they choose to ignore - because that will determine what Google decides to bake into future features of Gmail, itself.
I think it's safe to assume that these two latest gadgets from Labs are leading candidates for core Gmail functionality, especially given how simply and effectively they combine access to the most popular Google apps in the place where most users live and breathe - their inbox.
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Comments
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You forgot the third big one - adding gadgets by url. Go check out your Labs and you'll see it at the bottom. While the gadgets I've tested work in Gmail, they often look funky because of the size constraints.
But I guess you can now start writing gadgets for Gmail, which to me is far more valuable than iGoogle. Also, I wish they would allow this to integrate with the gadget that puts your chat window on a right sidebar. It'd be great to split gadgets between the left and right sidebar.
Posted by: Amit | October 27, 2008 9:12 PM
Very handy I've been waiting for this feature for a long time.
Posted by: Daniel | October 27, 2008 9:13 PM
Most of the lab enhancements should already be in Google.
Posted by: free ps3 | October 27, 2008 9:31 PM
yay!
Posted by: Sarah Perez
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October 27, 2008 9:33 PM
Very useful we can access all gadgets from one palce
Posted by: venkat | October 27, 2008 10:46 PM
@Amit Absolutely agree. It's definitely an interesting addition, but a little more enigmatic. ;)
Posted by: Rick Turoczy
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October 27, 2008 11:05 PM
And more evidence that 2008 is Google's "Year Of Integration".
Whilst we've not seen the plethora of huge product releases in 2008 (Sites + GPhone, anything else) we've seen a lot of integration (loosely using the "gadget" approach). Why oh why isn't Google Reader integrated with anything? ;-)
My feeling is that this integration is being driven by the Enterprise dudes and not the Consumer wing of Google.
Oh, and my prediction for the near(ish) future - more integration around social networking (OpenSocial etc) - keep an eye on Blogger as they slowly move closer :-)
Posted by: Mike Riversdale
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October 28, 2008 1:06 AM
Now they need one more lab feature: Move some of the items/gadgets on the right side, because the left side is full (we can't see all of them.)
Posted by: Jeton | October 28, 2008 2:18 AM
Well, it seems there is a lab feature for that:
Right side chat
&
Right side labels
Cool.
Posted by: Jeton | October 28, 2008 2:24 AM
Now using gmail with calendar & Docs on the left & Chat/labels on the left.
Early days, but the ability to create new documents or open recently used ones is very useful already
What's more, with the add a gadget by url labs feature, I also have twitter from gmail with betwittered (http://hosting.gmodules.com/ig/gadgets/file/106092714974714025177/TwitterGadget.xml)
Slightly the wrong size, but fun still1
Posted by: David Miller | October 28, 2008 3:24 AM
Now if only they added a Google To-Do List...
Posted by: theharmonyguy | October 28, 2008 5:03 AM
Great, was waiting for this. I hope they take things one step further: I'd like to be able to select 1 or more documents from Gmail and attach them to an email.
Posted by: Samuel Driessen
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October 28, 2008 5:36 AM
since they add the ability to add gadget URL, wonder if i can add RTM this way without the FF extension (safari users would love it :)?
Posted by: Naor
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October 28, 2008 7:30 AM
I agree with theharmonyguy. I'm no longer impressed with anything Google does until they can manage to get basic task management (which they've been promising for years) into their suite.
Posted by: craig | October 28, 2008 7:49 AM
Best news since IMAP support!
Posted by: mesut tepebas | October 28, 2008 9:09 AM
This is great. I have been wanting the gadget functionality for Docs and Calendars in gMail for so long.
Posted by: Travis | October 28, 2008 9:52 AM
Nice enhancement to the application to allow for easier navigation and simplicity, what every user wants.
Craig
www.budgetpulse.com
Posted by: Craig | October 28, 2008 9:53 AM
Finally some useful features in the Gmail Labs!
Posted by: jmartens | October 28, 2008 10:46 AM
@naor To get RTM in, just use add gadget by URL and point it here:
www.rememberthemilk.com/services/modules/googleig/rtm.xml
It doesn't fit quite right into the available space at this point, but it's THERE.
Posted by: tarrkid | October 30, 2008 10:08 AM
Why in my gmail setting there is no "Labs" icon...how do i install the labs features then???
Posted by: Sharon | November 6, 2008 1:03 AM
TwitterGadget.com does an auto-resize when inserted into gmail for twittering from your gmail account (http://www.twittergadget.com/gadget.xml), fits perfectly, works nicely.
Posted by: John | November 16, 2008 6:00 AM