Gmail

611 'Gmail' stories June 2011 - October 2019

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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.com rolling out refreshed design for account switcher on web

Stephen Hall Oct 28 2019 - 11:54 am PT

Google is today rolling out a redesigned version of the account switcher across its web apps. If you use Gmail, Drive, Calendar or other Google apps on the web (on your personal account, no G Suite accounts yet), you may notice the new design which matches recent mobile designs.

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Google combining Gmail and Google Account profile photos

Abner Li Oct 21 2019 - 12:04 pm PT

Gmail

Before today, your Gmail and Google Account profile images could be set independently of each other. Most people might have not been aware of this distinction, and Google is now combining them.

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Gmail for Android dark theme begins rolling out [Gallery]

Abner Li Sep 10 2019 - 4:06 pm PT

Gmail for Android

Following Android 10’s public launch last week, many users have been waiting for all of Google’s apps to offer darker looks. After a brief tease on Android.com, a dark theme is now rolling out to Gmail for Android today via a sever-side update.

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Gmail for Android, Google Assistant, Maps dark mode teased on Android 10 site

Ben Schoon Sep 3 2019 - 8:34 am PT

gmail android 10 dark mode apps

Dark mode is Android 10’s most popular feature, and on Google’s official site for the platform, we’re getting a first look at some big dark mode makeovers. Here’s a peek at the Gmail for Android dark mode update, and the same new paint job for Google Assistant and Google Maps.

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[Update: Widget dark theme] Gmail for Android updated with ‘swipe-to-switch’ account gesture

Abner Li Aug 29 2019 - 1:50 pm PT

Gmail for Android

With its Material Theme update last year, Gmail for iOS added a very convenient gesture for switching accounts. After appearing on other Android apps over the past month, swipe-to-switch is now available in Gmail for Android.

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‘Out of office’ Google Calendar reminders coming to Gmail, Hangouts Chat

Abner Li Aug 29 2019 - 11:00 am PT

Gmail

At Cloud Next 2019 in April, Google announced a slew of upcoming Gmail and Hangouts Chats features to help boost productivity. “Out of office” Calendar integration will begin rolling out to those two apps in the coming weeks.

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How to stop receiving spam events in your Google Calendar

Kyle Bradshaw Aug 27 2019 - 10:33 am PT

Google Calendar Spam

Over the past few weeks, spammers have been desperately trying to inform us that our “iPhone X Max is here” by using a trick that adds events to your Google Calendar without your direct permission. Here’s how you can stop events from Gmail spam from appearing in your Google Calendar on Android and the web.

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Gmail’s new spelling and grammar check works in real-time on the web

Abner Li Aug 20 2019 - 10:21 am PT

Gmail

At the moment, Gmail’s built-in spell check functionality has to be enabled manually and brings users into an editing mode. Google is now rolling out real-time spelling detection that can make automatic corrections, as well as grammar suggestions.

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Gmail for Android

Gmail for Android gains buggy dark theme in settings

Abner Li Jun 20 2019 - 9:50 am PT

Many Google apps now feature dark themes ahead of system-level support in Android Q. In recent weeks, more and more G Suite services have been updated, with the latest dark theme partially live in Gmail for Android.

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Gmail

Gmail’s interactive ‘dynamic emails’ available to all G Suite users next month

Abner Li Jun 10 2019 - 10:40 am PT

Back in March, Google announced support for “dynamic emails” that can live update and allow users to take action directly within the Gmail interface. Based on AMP, these interactive messages are launching for all G Suite customers in July.

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Gmail for Android

Gmail Smart Compose now available on iOS & Android for G Suite users

Abner Li Jun 3 2019 - 12:46 pm PT

At last year’s I/O, Google announced Smart Compose in Gmail to autocomplete messages. The machine learning-powered feature first rolled out to consumer accounts and is now coming to Gmail on Android and iOS for paid G Suite accounts.

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Gmail confidential mode launching for G Suite users in June

Abner Li May 29 2019 - 11:59 am PT

Gmail dark theme

Confidential mode was one of the security features introduced as part of Gmail’s big Material Theme redesign on the web last year. It launched for consumers first, and is coming to all enterprise G Suite users next month.

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Ads are officially coming to Google Discover later this year

Abner Li May 14 2019 - 9:13 am PT

Google Discover ads

Over the past year, more and more users have spotted ads appearing in Google Discover. At Google Marketing Live today, the company officially announced two types of advertising from Google Ads that can appear in the article feed to the left of Android’s homescreen.

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[Update: Live] Gmail for Android preps Google Tasks integration [APK Insight]

Abner Li May 13 2019 - 7:30 am PT

Last April, Google redesigned Gmail on the web with the Material Theme and a number of features like snoozing, nudges, and Smart Reply. Aimed at boosting productivity, another effort was a new side panel with widgets for Google Calendar, Keep, and Tasks. Google Tasks integration could now be coming to the Android app.

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RIP: Inbox by Gmail is now officially dead as app workarounds stop working

Ben Schoon Apr 19 2019 - 10:16 am PT

Inbox by Gmail

Earlier this month, Google’s Spring Cleaning killed off some beloved products, but none with more outrage from users than Inbox. The unique email app technically closed up shop on April 2nd, but workarounds kept it working for quite a while after. Now, it seems that the Inbox by Gmail app is officially dead.

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Google Pay adds Gmail importing for automatically adding tickets, loyalty cards from your inbox

Ben Schoon Apr 15 2019 - 9:07 pm PT

Google Pay Curve

Back in February, it was spotted that Google was testing out a new feature for Google Pay which would import data from Gmail automatically. Now, it appears that the feature is starting to show up for more users.

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[Update: Live] Google adding prominent help button to web Gmail, Calendar, and Drive

Abner Li Apr 15 2019 - 7:45 am PT

G Suite Google Docs

Google Help features a wealth of support articles for every product the company offers, especially its G Suite services. Gmail, Calendar, and Drive on the web will soon gain a prominent ‘?’ button for “quick access to a range of help and support content.”

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Google details what’s next for Hangouts Chat: Guest access, Meet/Voice integration, PWA to replace Electron

Abner Li Apr 10 2019 - 2:25 pm PT

Hangouts Chat

Google announced this morning that Hangouts Chat is coming to Gmail. That integration was teased earlier this year as one of the legacy features coming from classic Hangouts. At Cloud Next 2019, Google detailed public Guest access, Meet/Voice integration, and a Progress Web Apps to replace Electron clients.

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Hangouts Chat coming to Gmail as Hangouts Meet adds live captioning & public streams

Abner Li Apr 10 2019 - 9:00 am PT

Hangouts Chat for Gmail

This October, Google is retiring Hangouts “classic” for G Suite enterprise users. Ahead of that, a number of legacy features will be added to the Hangouts Chat and Meet replacements. At Cloud Next 2019, Google announced Chat integration in Gmail, while public streaming and live captioning are coming to Hangouts Meet.

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Gmail

Gmail Smart Compose can suggest your subject line too, rollout starts today

Ben Schoon Apr 4 2019 - 11:19 am PT

Gmail just celebrated its 15th anniversary earlier this week, and that delivered a slew of new features for the service. While there’s a big list we’d love to see Google draw from, one new feature that’s rolling out starting today is the ability to use Gmail Smart Compose in your email’s subject line.

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Gmail

‘Simplify’ extension gives Gmail a cleaner look courtesy of Inbox co-founder

Ben Schoon Apr 4 2019 - 6:23 am PT

Simplify Gmail

There are some pretty great Chrome extensions out there today, and lately we’ve been finding some killer ones for making Gmail look a bit nicer. With the death of Inbox, many users have been switching to Gmail, but are looking for a cleaner experience. Simplify does just that, and all without sacrificing some of Gmail’s best features.

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Google Inbox

This Chrome extension brings the look of Inbox over to Gmail

Ben Schoon Apr 1 2019 - 12:57 pm PT

Inbox is on its last legs, as the service is set to be killed off tomorrow. While there’s no true replacement out there yet, Gmail is where most users will end up. Now, there’s a free Chrome extension that makes Gmail for web look a lot like Inbox did.

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As Inbox dies, here are the best features that still haven’t made it to Gmail

Ben Schoon Apr 1 2019 - 12:30 pm PT

Inbox by Gmail

On April 2nd, Google is set to kill off its popular email app Inbox. While it wasn’t for everyone, Inbox by Gmail built up an audience of diehard users, and many of them are not happy about its closing. That’s for good reason, as Inbox packed some truly useful features that still haven’t been replicated in Gmail. Here’s what Inbox features haven’t made their way to Gmail just yet.

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Gmail

Gmail can now schedule emails natively, Smart Compose rolling out to more devices

Damien Wilde Apr 1 2019 - 6:01 am PT

Gmail dark theme

To mark Gmail turning 15 years old (Happy birthday Gmail!) Google is adding a few new abilities to the best email platform on the market. We are finally getting the option to schedule emails in Gmail natively alongside the rollout of Smart Compose to more devices.

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