Gmail

Google is rolling out an update for the Google Drive for Android app today that it says brings a long list of performance improvements and polish.

Google says the update also includes enhancements to PDFs with “the ability to see completed form data.”

The updated Google Drive for Android app, version 2.2.183.15, should be available to all through Google Play over the coming week.

Google released updates to other Android apps today including new features for Google Docs and Slides and improvements for Gmail.

Improvements to Gmail for Android incoming

Jordan Kahn May 13 2015 - 12:03 pm PT

Google is rolling out some improvements to Gmail for Android that it says are based on recent feedback from users.

Updates include quick access to recent conversations, contact info and more by tapping on avatars, and improved support for non-Gmail addresses:

– Tapping on people’s avatars now lets you see recent conversations, contact info, and more.
-Support for non-Gmail addresses (IMAP) is now more reliable and adding additional accounts is a smoother experience.

The updates will be available in the latest Gmail for Android app for all in the coming days.

Earlier today Google rolled out updates to its Android apps for Google Docs and Slides.

Inbox by Gmail gets custom morning, afternoon, and evening snooze times in latest update

Stephen Hall Mar 31 2015 - 12:38 pm PT

Google has announced today that a useful new feature is coming to Inbox by Gmail, namely the ability to customize morning, afternoon and evening “Snooze” times. Once you have the update, all you have to do is open the app, slide left on an email, tap “Pick date & time,” and select the time you’d like to snooze to. You should see a prompt at the bottom of the app asking you if you want to make this your morning, afternoon, or evening time.

Gmail for Android adds ‘All inboxes’ tab, smarter search, more

Stephen Hall Mar 30 2015 - 1:34 pm PT

Google announced today that a new version of Gmail is now available, featuring several notable enhancements. First up, you’ll notice that the new version brings the oft-requested ability to view all of your mail in one place; just tap “All inboxes” and you’ll get a look at all of your email across added accounts. This is probably the most monumental change here, but there are a few other minor updates as well…

These days, many of us have more than one email address. If you’re a student, you may have one account for school, one for a campus group you lead, and one for your blog. If you’re a parent, you might have one for family and one for your business. However many email addresses you have, today’s improvements to the Gmail app for Android make it easy to manage all your mail from all your accounts (yes, even @yahoo and @outlook) while you’re on the go.

Messages from Yahoo, Outlook.com and other IMAP/POP accounts now have the familiar stacked conversation view (as has previously been available for Gmail conversations only), search has been updated with better auto-complete, and the app also has some nifty updated animations. Finally, you’ll find larger attachment previews and the nifty ability to “save to Drive with a single tap.”

You can grab the Gmail app on the Play Store for free as usual, and you should start seeing the update rolling out if you haven’t received it already.

Service disruption hits Gmail, temporarily knocks out some syncing and other functions

Mike Beasley Mar 30 2015 - 8:26 am PT

Update: Google says Gmail is back up and running for all users.

Some users (myself included) may have noticed issues syncing mail changes on their Gmail accounts this morning. Google has now acknowledged on its system status page that a “service disruption” is current affecting the email service. The company says the issue currently only affects IMAP connections to the email service, and while most users will see problems, some may not.

While this isn’t a total outage, users can expect to see slow or nonexistent syncing of their mail across devices for the time being, with other features like sending and receiving mail possibly being affected as well. Google has published the following update on the downtime:

Google reportedly working on new service that lets users receive & pay bills directly in Gmail

Chance Miller Mar 24 2015 - 12:47 pm PT

According to a new report from Re/code, Google is soon planning to launch a service that will allow Gmail users to manage, pay, and receive all their bills directly within Gmail. The service is dubbed Pony Express right now, although it’s unclear if that’s a codename or what Google actually plans to call the service.

iCloud users report Gmail “too many rejections” errors, extended delivery delays

Jeremy Horwitz Mar 17 2015 - 10:46 am PT

Numerous complaints in Apple’s discussion forums have spotlighted a problem preventing iCloud.com and me.com email addresses from receiving Google Gmail messages, with delays lasting hours or days.
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Gmail for iOS updated w/ share sheet support, ability to archive & reply to email via notifications

Chance Miller Mar 5 2015 - 9:25 am PT

Google this morning has released a major update for Gmail on iOS. The update bumps the app to version 4.0 and packs a handful of new features. First off, Gmail on iOS now supports the ability to archive and reply to messages directly from a notification, a feature many have been requesting since iOS 8 launched.

Widespread Google service disruptions reported including Gmail, Hangouts, & Play Store (Updated)

Chance Miller Mar 5 2015 - 8:27 am PT

Update: Everything seems to be returning to normal as of 12:30 ET.

According to a number of reports on Twitter, several Google services are having issues this morning. User tweets show that Hangouts, the Play Store, Gmail, Play Music, OAuth, and other services are having unusual performance issues. Some users are receiving authentication errors on their Android devices and unable to do anything that requires a Google log-in…

Sundar Pichai says Google Apps Inbox support coming “imminently”

Chance Miller Feb 20 2015 - 6:28 am PT

Yesterday, Google announced that it was expanding support for Inbox to iPad, Safari, and Firefox users, but curiously left out from the expansion was Google Apps for Business and Education users. In a tweet recently, however, Google’s Senior Vice President of Android, Chrome, and Apps Sundar Pichai said that Inbox support will begin to roll out to Apps users “imminently.”

Google Inbox makes its way to iPad, now works with Firefox and Safari on the web

Stephen Hall Feb 19 2015 - 7:38 am PT

Google has this morning announced that its Inbox email app experience made for Gmail is officially expanding to tablets, and both the iOS (you can read more about the iOS update over at 9to5Mac) and Android versions of the app (which actually received the update in December) are now ready to go.

Since the app was launched, its web interface was tied down to Google’s own Chrome browser. But Google announced change to that requirement today as well…
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Google removes Sparrow email client from iOS and Mac App Stores

Chance Miller Feb 17 2015 - 8:35 am PT

Google acquired the popular email client Sparrow back in 2012 and announced that the entire team would be joining Google to work on Gmail. Since that acquisition, Sparrow apps received only a handful of updates and have been seemingly neglected in favor of Google’s new Inbox initiative. Over the past few days, however, Sparrow appears to have received the final nail in its coffin as it has been removed from both the Mac App Store and iOS App Store (via TechCrunch).

Google shares stats on Inbox adoption, opens invites for 24 hrs

Jordan Kahn Jan 29 2015 - 9:30 am PT

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Google today shared some stats on its recently released Inbox email app experience, an alternative to Gmail that provides a unique Gmail meets Google Now take on email for both desktop and mobile users. It’s also opening up invites to all for a 24 hour period starting today.
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Screenshots show Google’s upcoming Calendar iPhone app w/ Gmail, Photos, & Maps integration

9to5 Staff Jan 19 2015 - 9:16 am PT

It appears that Google could soon release its promised redesigned Calendar app for iPhone after first making the announcement and releasing the app for Android last November. The Next Web this morning shared a handful of leaked screenshots that provide a first look at Google Calendar for iOS, including info cards that indicate Gmail, Photos and Maps integration will be key features of the app.
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China tightens blockade on Google, blocking email app access to Gmail [Update: restored for now]

Ben Lovejoy Dec 29 2014 - 4:31 am PT

Update: The FT reports that access has been restored for now at least, with a slight pickup in Google’s stats appearing to confirm.

China has tightened its firewall blockade of Google services, reports Re/code and the WSJ, with email apps no longer able to access Gmail via IMAP, POP3 or SMTP. While web access to Gmail has been blocked since June – believed related to the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre – users had remained able to access mail using email apps like Apple Mail and Outlook until Friday …
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Hangouts in Gmail gets updated, lets you set a status message

Stephen Hall Dec 17 2014 - 10:45 am PT

Google has updated Hangouts in Gmail today to allow users to set a status message. The Hangouts area, if you weren’t already using it, looks much more like Hangouts in Google+, showing you a small avatar for each contact. There’s also a Hangouts icon at the bottom that will show your most recent Hangouts message, truly bringing a Hangouts-like experience to Gmail–albeit in mini form. To get the updated version of Hangouts in Gmail, just click your own contact name, where you’ll find a button labeled “Try the new Hangouts.” After that, just click your own contact again where you’ll find you can now set a status message (and even use Emoji if you’d like!).

Here’s the official announcement from Google, really bad pun and all:

Status messages for Hangouts in Gmail are “available” starting today! Status messages make it easy to tell your Gmail contacts what you’re doing – whether you’re going on a trip, working from home on Tuesday, or thinking about adopting a puppy.

You can see your friends’ statuses by selecting the “Contacts” tab on the bottom left corner of Hangouts. If you’re not already using Hangouts in Gmail, simply click on your photo above the chat list and select “Try the new Hangouts”.

Gmail now supports Content Security Policy to prevent extensions from loading unsafe code

9to5 Staff Dec 16 2014 - 1:08 pm PT

Google has made several strides to improve the safety and reliability of Gmail in the past year, such as serving images through secure proxy servers and requiring an encrypted HTTPS connection. Looking to continue to that trend, Google announced on Tuesday that it has improved the security of Gmail on the desktop by adding support for Content Security Policy (CSP).
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Gmail now supports Irish language Gaeilge

9to5 Staff Dec 11 2014 - 7:36 am PT

Google announced on Thursday that Gmail now supports the Irish language Gaeilge. The historic language is not spoken as the first language of many people in Ireland, but a larger number of people speak Gaeilge as a second language. Gaeilge is also the national and first language of the Republic of Ireland.
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PSA: Google is guaranteeing Inbox by Gmail invites for the next 90 minutes

Zac Hall Dec 3 2014 - 10:31 am PT

If you haven’t already received an invitation to use Inbox, Google’s alternative Gmail experience for handling your email, then you’ll want to jump on this opportunity as soon as possible.

The Inbox team, which is doing a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything), says anyone that emails inbox@google.com from their Gmail account between 10 am PST and 12 pm PST today is guaranteed to receive an invitation granting access to the Inbox apps and site.

For more information on Inbox by Gmail, check out our extensive hands-on with the app from when it launched earlier this fall, and grab Inbox for Android from the Play Store or for iOS from the App Store.

PSA: You can now get a Google Inbox Invite right here, right now

Seth Weintraub Nov 5 2014 - 3:00 pm PT

Inbox is that oh so Googley way of doing Gmail we told you about last month. Until now though, it has been invite only and invites were a precious commodity. But as of right now, you can pick up your free/easy invite via email to Google.

[tweet https://twitter.com/inboxbygmail/status/530066644400218112]

Get yourself on the Inbox bandwagon by Clicking here!

Google provides Inbox for Gmail users with three additional invites

9to5 Staff Oct 30 2014 - 12:36 pm PT

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It has been just over one week since Inbox for Gmail was released as Google’s intuitive new emailing solution for Android, iOS and Chrome, and many users have been eager to get their hands on the exciting new product. For those still waiting, you’re in luck, as Google has just provided Inbox users with three additional invites to send out.
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Google makes three Inbox invitations available to the app’s current users

Mark Hearn Oct 24 2014 - 2:23 pm PT

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Earlier this week, Google launched Inbox, a new email management app that’s currently available on an invite-only basis. Almost reminiscent of when Mountain View launched Gmail as a beta product in the spring of 2004, the now social media-driven internet worked itself into a frenzy of tweets, +1s and likes from people vying to get hold of an invitation.

Inbox for Gmail: hands-on and first impressions

9to5 Staff Oct 22 2014 - 1:01 pm PT

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Google this afternoon announced Inbox for Gmail, its all-new emailing solution that is intended to coexist with the regular Gmail platform. Inbox for Gmail is available on an invite only basis for Android, iOS and Chrome. I am fortunate enough to have received an invite to Inbox for Gmail, and I have been giving the iPhone app a rundown to see how it works. For the most part, Inbox is everything that you know and love about Gmail in a sleeker package.

Google’s new Inbox app is a marriage between Gmail and Google Now (update)

Mark Hearn Oct 22 2014 - 10:16 am PT

Today, Google unveiled a new email solution called Inbox, which looks like a marriage between Gmail and Google Now. Currently available by invitation only, this new app takes bits from your email like purchase invoices and bank statements and groups them together for fast access. Like Google Now, Inbox adapts to the way you operate, highlighting key pieces of emails like flight plans, photos, documents and upcoming event information.