Google Docs gets mobile sorting and sharing, Gmail unveils inbox styles (including Unread First)

A pair of updates late yesterday brought out minor but useful improvements to Google’s web-based email and mobile version of their online productivity suite, Google Docs. In Gmail, you will soon be able to conveniently switch between several predetermined inbox styles. In addition to Classic and Priority Inbox, new styles will include Important First, Unread First and Starred First, sorting your messages accordingly. We in particular are going to love the Unread First style as this has has been for far too long a glaring omission of the Gmail web interface.

True, you’ve been able to filter all unread messages by typing in “is:unread in:anywhere” into the search field – even save that query as a handy shortcut in the lefthand column using Quick Links from Gmail Labs. However, the new inbox styles are going to be much more convenient and within reach in a new tab above the message window. “After you’ve settled on a style you like and used it for about a week, these tabs will go away”, Google explains in a blog post. If you change your mind later, switch to a different inbox style from the drop down menu next to the Inbox label or from the Settings page. Google Docs for mobile also got a little love…

When accessing Google Docs on mobile devices, you can now use several new sorting and sharing features on  your smartphone or a tablet. You can sort, narrow and share multiple docs in your mobile docs list, software engineer Hossein Attar explains. Also handy, you are able to select one or more documents and hit the new Share button (ah, finally!) to share them privately or publicly via email or URLs. The company also confirmed that by next week everyone should be able to insert Google Docs videos into Google Sites and embed them elsewhere on the web – even caption them.

The search company announced recently a slew of new Google Docs features to roll out gradually in the second half of this year , including the offline mode. Hey Google, how about giving us who don’t like the new editor (because it lacks HTML view) a toggle to switch to the previous one? And while we’re at it, Apple fans are still awaiting that official Google Docs app you have on Android.