Gmail

611 'Gmail' stories June 2011 - May 2020

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Announced on April 1, 2004 with an unprecedented 1GB of user storage, many assumed that Gmail was just one of Google’s April Fools’ pranks. For comparison, competing services only had 2 to 4MB for users to store email messages and attachments. Currently, Gmail storage is combined with that of other Google products with 15GB available for free.

Gmail was released in beta with an invite system and was not open to the general public until February 2007. In July of 2009, it finally dropped its beta status. As of February 2016, Gmail is the most widely used web email provider with 1 billion active users worldwide.

Besides email, Gmail has a number of features, including integration with Google Drive for sending large attachments and choosing images from Google Photos. Users can fully search their email with advanced spam filtering and labels to manage messages. Google also scans emails to show context-related advertisements.

Since launch, the email service has gone through a number of redesigns. Apps are available for Android, iOS, and the mobile web.

Google Voice gets Gmail integration and call transferring for G Suite customers

Abner Li May 28 2020 - 10:56 am PT

Google Voice call transfer

Back in February, we spotted Voice appearing in Gmail’s side panel. Google Voice integration in Gmail on the web is now official for G Suite customers, along with call transfer capabilities.

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Google ‘Discovery’ ads for YouTube, Gmail, and Discover now available, reach 2.9B users

Abner Li May 27 2020 - 11:09 am PT

Last May, Google officially announced that ads were coming to Discover. As part of that, the company previewed new Google Discovery ads for the Android and iOS feed, as well as Gmail and YouTube. They are now generally available around the world.

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Gmail

Gmail for web gets new Quick Settings menu on sidebar, starts rolling out now

Ben Schoon May 27 2020 - 6:52 am PT

gmail quick settings web

Gmail is one of the most popular email clients in the world and this week, it’s preparing to fix one of its few weaknesses. Starting today and rolling out over the next few weeks, Gmail’s desktop interface is getting a brand new settings sidebar that not only improves the UI, but makes several settings much easier to access.

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Google will let you hide Meet from Gmail’s sidebar on the web

Abner Li May 20 2020 - 8:40 am PT

Gmail

As part of Meet becoming available to the public, Google closely aligned the video calling service with Gmail. However, some have not liked how the integration appears on the web, with users now able to hide Google Meet in Gmail.

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New Gmail cards summarize key purchase and flight details on Android, iOS

Abner Li Apr 29 2020 - 12:04 pm PT

Gmail for Android

Gmail on the web has long recapped key details about flights and other travel arrangements at the top of emails. A similar summary capability with expanded use cases and card-based UI is now coming to Gmail for Android and iOS.

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Google readying Chat, Meet, & Tasks functionality directly inside Gmail for Android [APK Insight]

Abner Li Apr 24 2020 - 11:27 am PT

Gmail for Android Material Theme

Gmail on the desktop web today is home to more than just email. It’s long had text chat and video calling, while the last major redesign added Tasks integration. Google now looks to be bringing Chat, Meet, and Tasks functionality directly to Gmail for Android.

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Google details what coronavirus-related spam, malware Gmail is blocking

Abner Li Apr 16 2020 - 12:00 pm PT

Gmail

The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating many existing societal issues, including misinformation and cyberattacks. Google is working to protect users from the latter by detailing what coronavirus-related spam Gmail encounters and is automatically blocking.

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Google Meet adding Gmail integration, grid layout, improved low-light quality, more

Abner Li Apr 16 2020 - 9:38 am PT

Google Meet free

Meet — as the app is officially called now — has seen immense usage in light of COVID-19. Google today detailed a number of new features for the video conferencing service, starting with Meet integration in Gmail.

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Gmail dark theme

Google Tasks integration in Gmail gets more prominent with toolbar shortcut

Abner Li Mar 17 2020 - 12:44 pm PT

Gmail’s big Material Theme redesign in 2018 was accompanied by the relaunch of Google Tasks. The integration between the two services is now more prominent with an “Add to tasks” toolbar shortcut.

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Gmail adds support for saving and quickly pasting different signatures

Abner Li Mar 10 2020 - 12:54 pm PT

Gmail

With most people just sticking to a generic default for all correspondences, email signatures are an undervalued way to personalize messages. Gmail on the web is now adding support for saving and quickly accessing multiple signatures.

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Adobe’s new G Suite Add-on lets you access Creative Cloud in Gmail

Abner Li Mar 6 2020 - 9:56 am PT

Back in January, Google widely launched G Suite Add-ons to allow third-party integrations across products like Calendar and Drive. Adobe today announced a plug-in that lets Gmail users quickly access Creative Cloud.

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Gmail dark theme

Gmail

Gmail gets better at detecting malicious documents, over 50% come from Office docs

Ben Schoon Feb 26 2020 - 8:36 am PT

Lots of emails are sent with malicious intent, putting a heavy burden on Google’s Gmail to protect users. As it turns out, a lot of malicious attachments come from documents, but Gmail is getting better at detecting them.

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Gmail bug on Android disables the ability to empty trash, spam folders

Ben Schoon Feb 26 2020 - 6:57 am PT

Gmail for Android Material Theme

Whether you work online or not, we all get a ton of emails daily. If you’re trying to achieve “Inbox Zero,” though, there’s currently a slight hurdle on Gmail’s Android app. A bug on Gmail for Android is removing the ability to empty the trash or spam folders.

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Gmail on the web adding ‘search chips’ to help filter results

Abner Li Feb 19 2020 - 4:41 pm PT

Gmail search chips

Search in Gmail can be quite powerful, but that functionality is hidden behind operators and awareness of more advanced techniques. Google today announced “search chips” for Gmail on the web to simplify filtering results.

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Gmail 2020.02.02 hints at Inbox-like ‘Bundles’ with ‘Labels’ and ‘Smartmail card’ [APK Insight]

Abner Li Feb 13 2020 - 3:50 pm PT

Last April, Google killed Inbox with the promise that popular features would be migrated to Gmail. Nearly a year later, that has yet to occur, but the latest version (2020.02.02) of Gmail for Android today reveals that work is underway.

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Gmail for iOS can now add attachments from native Files app

Abner Li Feb 12 2020 - 12:22 pm PT

Some iPhone and iPad users unhappy with changes to the Mail app in iOS 13 have turned to third-party clients. Google announced today that Gmail for iOS will soon support the native Files app for browsing and uploading attachments.

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Google revamping Multiple Inboxes in Gmail with design tweaks, merged settings

Abner Li Feb 5 2020 - 2:58 pm PT

Gmail

Multiple Inboxes in Gmail allow you to break out important messages and have them appear next to your primary email feed. Google today announced a revamp of the power feature that adds visual tweaks and elevates them in settings.

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Google Voice appearing in Gmail side panel for some G Suite customers

Abner Li Feb 4 2020 - 9:31 am PT

Gmail

Last month, Google opened up the Gmail and Drive sidebar to third-party G Suite add-ons. On the first-party front, that space has only ever shown Google Calendar, Keep, and Tasks. Google Voice now looks to be making an appearance in Gmail’s side panel.

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[Update: Fix rolling out] Gmail dark theme missing for some on Android 10

Abner Li Feb 3 2020 - 11:09 am PT

gmail android dark mode

The highly anticipated Gmail dark mode widely rolled out to Android 10 in late October. Over the past day, several users have reported that the Gmail dark theme has gone missing from their devices.

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Third-party G Suite Add-ons for Gmail, Drive, and Calendar side panel rolling out

Abner Li Jan 21 2020 - 7:41 am PT

At Cloud Next 2019 last April, Google announced that the side panel found in Gmail, Calendar, and other productivity apps would open up to third-party developers. G Suite Add-ons are now rolling out of beta and will soon be generally available.

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Gmail simplifies and integrates sending emails as attachments

Abner Li Dec 9 2019 - 12:43 pm PT

Instead of having to forward individual emails or downloading them one-by-one, Gmail is improving its ability to send emails as attachments. Already possible today, the process is now simplified and more integrated.

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Interactive ‘dynamic email’ rolling out to Gmail for Android and iOS

Abner Li Nov 21 2019 - 11:57 am PT

gmail android dark mode

Google wants the future of email to be less static and more interactive. Its solution based on Accelerated Mobile Pages has found industry support, and “dynamic email” is now coming to Gmail for Android and iOS.

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Microsoft to add Gmail, Drive, and Google Calendar integration to Outlook.com

Damien Wilde Nov 20 2019 - 5:59 am PT

Gmail Outlook

Microsoft is set to allow you to add your Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar accounts to your existing Outlook.com accounts on the web.

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Gmail
Basics

How to add or remove category tabs in Gmail

Sandy Writtenhouse Nov 3 2019 - 11:50 pm PT

Category tabs in Gmail on MacBook

Gmail gives you built-in categories to better organize your inbox. These categories include primary, social, promotions, forums, and updates. On the web, these categories display as tabs across the top of Gmail while on your mobile device, they display as options in the menu. These categories can be helpful, but if there is one or two that you never use, they can just get in the way. In this short tutorial, we’ll walk you through how to add or remove categories and tabs in Gmail.

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