Filed under: Internet Tools, iPhone, iPod touch
New Gmail Mobile site released for iPhone (and Android)
Back in March I made a plea for a native Gmail application on the iPhone. As it turned out, Google was working on a new version of the Gmail Mobile site that takes advantage of HTML5 features like database storage to provide caching functionality on the iPhone and Android phones. The demo was compelling; a super-fast Gmail experience that includes long-awaited features like full label support, the ability to apply changes to multiple messages at once, and a floating action bar (dubbed the "floaty bar") that allows you to archive, delete, mark read/unread, add or remove a star, or mark messages as spam without having to scroll to the top or bottom of the thread you are viewing to do so.
The demo was certainly exciting, but though I was hoping would be released soon, I was fearing we were still a year away from seeing this new version of Gmail Mobile. Boy, was I wrong.
This sexy new web version of Gmail Mobile was released yesterday, and as a heavy Gmail user I have only one word for it: Glorious! Okay, I'm a blogger, so we know I never only have one word for something. But if you've been using the built in Mail app on your iPhone to avoid the clunky web version, it's time to try Google Mobile again.
While it's a huge, massive improvement on the previous version, the new Google Mobile is not without areas that could use improvement. For one, it is very slow to load. For me, I'm willing to put up with this since once it does load everything is significantly faster than it was. But it would certainly be nice to see an improvement in this regard, and that's something that was hinted at on the Official Gmail blog post announcing this new version. Another small annoyance is that the buttons are smaller than standard iPhone buttons, and there are more of them. It's manageable, but does require a bit of extra care and attention.
All in all, a very solid improvement, and one that makes working with email on the iPhone significantly more pleasant for Gmail users.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ed said 4:30AM on 4-08-2009
The only thing that bugs me now about Gmail is that if you add it to your home screen it always opens in a new page in Safari.
So I'm using Gmail in Safari then close Safari to use another app. Later I click on the Gmail icon on my home screen as though it were an app, and of course Safari opens it in a new page, so I've now got two (or more) pages open with Gmail on.
The obvious answer is to remember to close the Gmail page before leaving Safari, but I can't get into the habit...
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cornelius said 6:20AM on 4-08-2009
I think the new version has a different address, which you are redirected to if you have an old link on your home screen. If that's the case, try deleting that and re-adding Gmail to your home screen. That fixed that problem here.
Ed said 7:44AM on 4-08-2009
Yep, that works now, thanks. Nice touch.
Linda B said 7:56AM on 4-08-2009
Nice updates, but when will they give the ability to apply a label? Sure you can archive it, but where does it go once you archive it without a label?
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brianrharris said 9:26AM on 4-08-2009
Gee, I was just excited to type an email in landscape (yes I know you could do it before, but it is much better now - you can really see what you are doing). Makes waiting for iPhone 3.0 a bit easier.
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ShaneD said 10:30AM on 4-08-2009
It still sucks.
Can't apply a label.
Can't file an email to a sub-folder
Can't save picture attachments w/o opening another screen first
Even though the built in Mail app doesn't have threading, I can do all these things, and I can read any email from any folder offline on an airplane.
Plus, the new web interface no longer let's you set your favorite tabs. It always defaults Mail, Calendar, and Docs. So to get to Reader, I have to go to the More menu first every time, or save a separate bookmark just for that screen. What a waste. Bring back the tab settings!
Until goodle releases a offline native gmail app, I'll just use the apple mail app.
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woffiewoffie said 5:17PM on 5-24-2009
@ShaneD ...but then again. Gmail doesn't rely on folders. It's label based, isn't it? The only reason it moves using IMAP is that you label AND archive and the same time...
@Google Bring those Google Labs plugins (from big Gmail) to the phone...
spraximus said 11:43AM on 4-08-2009
Now if only I could get notifications, I could quit using Mail.
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phlavor said 12:56PM on 4-08-2009
Happy Dance! Happy Dance!
Already good enough to replace Mail. All it needs now is push.
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Birch said 3:37PM on 4-08-2009
They'd have to make it a native app (not just a webapp) for push notifications, which I too would love to see. Although, looking from Google's perspective, if they make it a webapp they just have to code it once and it will run fine on iPhone/Touch, Blackberry, Android, and most phone with full HTML browsers instead of porting it to each device. This also allows them to update the app on their end and all their users don't have to do anything to always have the updated version of the app.
phlavor said 3:57PM on 4-08-2009
@ Birch
Actually it just has to push to Mail to alert me that I have new mail and I can choose to view it through the web app. It almost works like that now. You responded to my comment, that generated an email to me, Mail on my iPhone checked my Gmail account as it does every 15 minutes (that's where push would come it), I got a vibration in my pocket prompting me to check my Gmail tab, now here I am responding to your post.
ITS LIKE THE FUTURE!
Birch said 5:13PM on 4-08-2009
Good point. It's a fine solution although it's a little clunky to rely on Mail's 15 minute interval checks rather than up to the second push notifications enabled by a Gmail app (in 3.0, of course) when dealing with a quick back and forth over email.
Michael said 11:59AM on 4-09-2009
Am I missing something, or is there no way to select multiple emails?
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Simon Ellis said 7:04AM on 4-10-2009
Still can't access it??
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Jason Clarke said 3:48PM on 4-10-2009
You have to be on the iPhone OS version 2.2.1 at least, and be using English as your language, according to the Google page announcing it.
Simon Ellis said 4:00PM on 4-10-2009
Yup got all of that. Still not happening for me. :(
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Simon Ellis said 6:32AM on 4-13-2009
Hey guys,
I think I may just be slightly stoopid, but I'm not getting the new version of this at all. I'm on version 2.2.1 (5H11) in the UK on O2. I've tried going to mail.google.com, http://gmail.com, www.gmail.com. I've tried logging out, restarting the phone and logging back in. I've tried to access it from the Google Mobile app. All to no avail.
If anyone has any ideas I'd be very grateful!
Cheers,
Simon
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Jason Clarke said 1:15PM on 4-13-2009
@Simon, the only thing I can think of is that maybe the new Gmail interface only works in US English mode. I sincerely hope not, but I can't think of why else you might not be seeing it.
Iso Grifo said 9:29PM on 4-13-2009
Is anyone else annoyed that you can't choose your tabs any more? I only use gmail and the reader, but now it's a pain to switch back and forth.
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woffiewoffie said 5:17PM on 5-24-2009
@grifo I have exactly the same problem. Maybe it depends on from which country you access it? I'm using it in Sweden with English interface as much as possible.
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