Google on Tuesday announced that it has expanded its Google Sync service to support the iPhone and other handsets running on either the Windows Mobile or S60 platform. Users can configure the function to automatically push Gmail messages to the phone's native e-mail application. Other synced content includes Calendar information and contacts.
Google's e-mail push app for the iPhone, GPush, has finally arrived on the App Store. The app enables instant notification of new messages that arrive in a GMail inbox. Users can configure a variety of alert methods such as vibrate, ring, automatic presentation of the e-mail on the standby screen, or a count of new messages displayed on the GPush icon.
Apple has finally approved GPush, an iPhone app which allows push notifications when new Gmail messages have been received. The app is developed by Tiverias, and should be available for $1 for the first week of its release and $2 subsequently. The approval has unusual timing given Apple's recent rejection of Google Voice-based apps, which sparked an FCC inquiry.
UK phone maker INQ Mobile on Tuesday announced it will soon offer two new 3G handsets that will bring quick access to social networking site Twitter, push Gmail compatibility and the capability to sync via iTunes on PCs and, in a rare instance Macs. The INQ Chat 3G is the provider's first QWERTY phone while the INQ Mini 3G sports the more traditional candybar form factor with number pad. The phone are sold on pre-paid plans, and Twitter compatibility is new to either, as previous handsets from INQ had support for Facebook, Skype and instant messaging programs.
Google on Tuesday announced that its widely used applications and services are now out of the Beta phase, including Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Docs and Google Talk in both enterprise and consumer guises. The software giant does defend its decision to keep the beta versions of its apps around for so long, saying it differs from the traditional definition of beta as its Google Apps have service level agreements, 24/7 support and standards that meet or exceed non-beta software. Software tagged beta traditionally represents an unfinished product that is still being tested for bugs.
Google has announced plans to make the company's Gmail service available for user's offline through the Gmail Labs Settings tab. By using the Google Gears offline application technology, people will be able to browse their e-mails from a web browser when no internet connection is available. Once the application is activated, a new "Offline" link will appear in the upper right-hand corner of the user’s browser window allowing them to click and view all or most of their Gmail messages, depending on the size of the mailbox. In order to do this, Gmail synchronizes messages in the starred folder to a local cache.
Uncomplex has launched Mailplane 2.0, an update to its Gmail client for Mac. The latest version includes new add-ons, key shortcuts, advanced account notifications, a “do not disturb” mode and a simpler way to add attachments. The update also allows switching from multiple accounts without having to sign-in and sign-out repeatedly, and adds a Mailplane URL function that can be used to access searches and conversations from applications.
Aequitas Technologies is said to be shipping the iGala Wireless Digital Picture Frame, an eight-inch touchscreen viewer with built-in Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi allows access to Microsoft's FrameIt service, which lets people browse news, traffic and weather information. Users can also browse photos on Flickr, but a focus of the device is on receiving Gmail, as the frame can be associated with an account and have photos e-mailed to it from any supporting Internet connection.
Google today launched the surprise addition of Gmail video chat to its webmail interface. The feature lets contacts use Google Talk to start a two-way video or audio-only conversation with anyone currently online and can be started in the middle of a text chat. Like dedicated desktop apps, the web version carries a picture-in-picture view and can be stretched out or made full-screen.
Many Gmail users were unable to access their accounts Wednesday, confronted instead with a "502 server error." Although the problem was a minor inconvenience for some, certain businesses complained of significant setbacks to their overall operation until the problem was fixed. Representatives for Google were reluctant to give a solid time frame for a resolution, but reminded users that they were working diligently toward a solution.
uncomplex has released a public beta of Mailplane 2.0, an upcoming revision of its Gmail client. The app is effectively a site-specfic web browser, and is intended to make Gmail more seamlessly integrated with Mac OS X. Users can for instance quickly browse and attach files from iPhoto and iTunes libraries, and convert or resize images as necessary. Multiple Gmail/Google Apps accounts can be switched to without signing in and out, and the app can bet set to launch directly from Address Book, Safari, or anything else with a "mailto:" URL.
Google is warning iPhone users about the effects of Apple's v1.1.3 firmware update on Gmail. The company says that if users setup mail on their iPhones simply by tapping the "Gmail" icon, the v1.1.3 upgrade will convert access from POP to IMAP. The result is that messages read on an iPhone will also appear as read in the Gmail web interface, and any deletions will move messages to the web Trash bin, where they will be permanently deleted after 30 days.
Google is making even deeper in-roads into the Japanese cellular market, reports say. Citing anonymous sources, Reuters claims that Google has signed a new deal with NTT DoCoMo, the country's largest wireless carrier, permitting a variety of applications to appear on DoCoMo's i-Mode network. These may include the likes of Gmail, Picasa and Calendar, according to Reuters.
If confirmed, the move may give DoCoMo a temporary edge in its home market. While both DoCoMo and number-two carrier KDDI are a part of Google's Open Handset Alliance, KDDI has not announced any Google features for existing phones. National business paper The Nikkei notes that DoCoMo is trying to forge the closest possible link with Google, to the exclusion of competitors.
In brief: Google updates its Mac widgets, MacNN reviews iRemember 2.2, macProVideo teaches upgrades and color correction, and Custom Solutions slips subliminal messages into Macs. Mac users who regularly rely on Google's Gmail, Blogger or Search History widgets were recently asked to upgrade the software; the company now explains that it was informed of vulnerabilities by Thomas Roessler, of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards group. In particular, the Gmail widget would previously write tags in a subject header without checking, allowing malicious users to execute JavaScript that could assume control of a computer. Newer versions of the Gmail and Blogger widgets can be found here, while the Search History widget is located separately.
