GMail

The old dark grey Google bar is out and it will be soon replaced by a new thicker bar that is unified across all Google products.

Most people don't realise how many of Google's services are available as apps for the iPhone and iPad. Using these apps you can get a snappier interface and usually more features compared to the browser based services. Here is a collection of the currently available apps in the iTunes App Store.

The new Gmail is coming. Main features are the following:

• New Google+ like look and feel
• Display density automatically adapts to window size
• You can adjust the size of chat and label areas
• New themes with high-res images
• Redesigned conversations
• Profile pictures in emails
• New customisable search

If you like what you see, in the first week of November you’ll be able to switch to the new look by clicking on Switch to the new look in the bottom-right of Gmail.

Gmail is great for the most part, but many claim it's not as fast as offline apps. Here are 5 tips that will make your Gmail significantly faster.

Rapportive is a free Gmail add-on that replaces the right sidebar that contains the ads by default with a column of information about the sender of the email. It pulls information from various public sources generating a quick and informative report about the person emailing you. It's extremely useful when you receive an email from an unknown person as you can quickly learn about him. And it's also beneficial with your friends and colleagues as it tells you their latest tweets, so you know what's happening to them, which gives context to their emails. You can also add notes to profiles that help you recall an acquaintance.

ActiveInbox brings simple and free GTD based project management for Gmail.

It's main feature is the ability to categorize emails as: Action, Someday, Waiting on. It also allows you to group emails into Projects. This functionality could theoretically be simulated with the built in labels, but it would not be so easy and elegant as with ActiveInbox.

GMail is about to introduce a fantastic new feature that will hopefully save us time and make us more efficient where it counts. GMail Priority Inbox will sort your email into important and less important emails based on your previous reading and replying history. Thus enabling you to pay attention to those messages that you really care about first.

How does this help us designers specifically? Client emails or messages from your boss are always a priority. By marking these important over time you can teach your GMail to treat them as priority emails. Automatic subscription notification emails from various websites like creativebits, special offers from companies you did business with before and other less important notes can wait.

You will find the Priority Inbox tab under Settings once it is activated. Is yours active already?

Most web services like Twitter for example require a unique email address for each account you create. What if you want to create two or more accounts, but only have (or want to use) one Gmail address?

You Gmail address has a unique feature. If you put a dot in between any of the letters within your id the email still arrives to the same mailbox. So for example if you email address is: john.doe@gmail.com all the below addresses are valid and will arrive to the same inbox:

• j.ohndoe@gmail.com
• jo.hndoe@gmail.com
• j.o.hndoe@gmail.com
• j.o.h.n.d.o.e@gmail.com

You can use each to sign up for a different Twitter account and stay organized within one Gmail account.

GMail Labs now offers embedding images into emails. Once you switch it on you will get a small picture icon in your toolbar. The interface is very similar to what you're used to in google sites. You can upload the files which appear as small thumbnails. Once you select the required image you have the option to resize them within your email message to thumbnail, medium, large and original dimensions.

Question is why would one use this option? I personally hate embedded images in emails. Do you like them?

PS. Now that GMail has the feature to embed images, image support in signatures can't be far away. Now, that is something I would use for branding.

If you're one of those who enjoy the gMail themes rolled out last November, but were missing the option to create your own theme, you'll be glad to find out that the new option to choose your own colors.

Just go to Settings / Themes / Choose your own colors (last option in the list) to start tinkering. The interface is a little confusing at first. You need to click the different elements and change the colors by clicking the correct swatch from the drop-down menu. When you're done, just click save in the bottom right corner. Enjoy!

Wonder when themes are coming to Google Apps...