Pulse2 Technology and Social Media News » GMail

How To Track If Someone Has Read Your Gmail E-Mail

Amit Chowdhry — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:50:46 +0000

Daniel Larsson of Right Inbox sent me an e-mail to inform me about a browser extension he created that allows you to track sent e-mails and receive a notification when it has been opened. The browser extension works for Google Chrome and Firefox.

This could be a great tool for people that send out press releases, for e-mail marketers, and other professionals so that they would know whether their e-mails are simply being deleted or if they are being ignored. Some people may not like being tracked, but I can predict that every e-mail they receive from bigger e-mail chain companies like Groupon and LivingSocial have some sort of tracking mechanisms on them. Below is a demo video of how it works.

Useful Gmail Tips, Tricks, and Tools

Amit Chowdhry — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 01:32:15 +0000

Millions of people spend hours per day on Gmail, but do not know a lot of the time is unproductive because they do not know the tips, tricks, and shortcuts. Below is a list of some simple tips and tricks to make the most of Gmail.

Many of these tips requires you to go to your Settings on Gmail. To access your Settings, you will need to click on the Gear icon at the top-right of Gmail:

Advanced Search In Gmail

Gmail’s search engines works well for basic queries. However there are some advanced search operators to help you filter your e-mails. Some of the search filters include:
from:
to:
subject:
label:
in:anywhere
is:unread

Note: there is a full list of search queries here.

How To Use A QR Code To Log In To Gmail

Amit Chowdhry — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 04:06:31 +0000

Google has announced a new way to log in to your Google account from a public terminal without having to entering your password into the computer. You can use an Android phone smartphone and a QR code to log in. This method is similar to how Google sets up your smartphone for the two-step log-in process that was introduced in February 2011.

Using a smartphone, visit the website:
https://accounts.google.com/sesame and scan the QR code that is generated. From there the Google login prompt will appear on your phone and logging in will log you into a session on the desktop. If you are wondering how to find a QR code reader for your smartphone, you can use Google Goggles on the Android Market or part of the Google Search app on iOS.

[PCW]

Google Adds Custom Signatures and Vacation Responders To Gmail iOS App

Amit Chowdhry — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:39:06 +0000

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has updated the Gmail iPhone app with new features. The new Gmail iOS app has custom signatures for messages and a vacation responder. You can set them up through the gear icon at the top of the new menu. The app also supports nested labels. Scribbles has also been added to the Gmail iOS app.

Scribbles is a feature that allows you to open up a canvas and draw a picture. You can make sketches using different colors and adjust the brush sizes. These can be attached with messages within Gmail. Last of all the company has added a notification sound for incoming e-mails.

[9to5Mac]

Google Reintroduces Gmail App Into Apple App Store

Amit Chowdhry — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 04:35:50 +0000

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) launched the Gmail app for iOS two weeks ago. However it contained a bug that broke notifications and displayed an error message. Google immediately removed the app from the Apple App Store. Now Google has fixed the bug and notifications are now working again.

The app has multiple account support with mobile specific signatures. Google is also working on improving HTML messages such as pinch-to-zoom. If you already have the Gmail app installed, you will need to uninstall it and install the new version.

Gmail Blog]

Gmail Gets Redesigned

Amit Chowdhry — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:53:16 +0000

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has redesigned Gmail to have a new look. At the bottom right of your Gmail account, a new option will appear that will ask you to switch to the new Gmail look. The new Gmail look has streamline conversations to help you read through e-mail threads. Each e-mail thread will have profile pictures for your contacts.

There is a new Display Density feature that allows you to adjust the spacing between elements in the e-mail service. If you prefer a denser view, you can change the density manually in the Settings Menu.

The new Gmail has HD Themes, which allows you to set up high resolution themes with imagery provided by iStockphoto.

Gmail has updated the navigation panel on the left to make it more customizable. You can resize the labels and the chat areas. You can also hide the chat area entirely by clicking on the chat icon in the lower left.

Lastly the Gmail team has improved the search engine. When you click the dropdown in the search box, you will see an advanced search panel that makes it easier and faster to find what you are looking for.

Gmail iPhone Application Coming Soon

Amit Chowdhry — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:11:43 +0000

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has completed a native Gmail iPhone application and has submitted it to the Apple App Store according to MG Siegler, a contributor at TechCrunch and a partner at CrunchFund. According to Siegler’s sources, the Gmail app will be optimized for the iPhone and will have Push Notifications. The Gmail app will have key functionalities like one-click starring and Priority Inbox. The app is currently pending approval. [ParisLemon.com]

Google Launching Redesign Of Gmail

Amit Chowdhry — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:06:19 +0000

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) is launching a new Gmail interface. The new theme will have an action bar that uses icons instead of text labels. Profile pictures will be placed next to e-mail messages and there will be a flexible layout that adapts to any windows size. Chat/labels sections can be resized and there will be new high-definition themes. [Google Operating System blog]

Google HTML5 Chrome Gmail, Calendar, and Docs Apps Has Offline Access

Amit Chowdhry — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 22:09:25 +0000

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) has announced offline access to Gmail, Calendar, and Docs through its HTML5 Chrome web application. ‘

The Gmail Offline Chrome Web store app is based on the Gmail web app for tablet, which was built to work with or without access to the web. Once you install the Gmail Offline app from the Chrome Web Store, you can continue using Gmail after losing your Internet connection by clicking the Gmail Offline icon or go to a “new tab” page on Chrome. You will still be able to read, reply, send, and organize e-mails. All of the actions will be synced online once you connect to the Internet.

Google has not added offline editing to Docs yet, but they are working on that feature. When you are offline on Google Calendar, you can still view events from your calendars and RSVP to appointments.

[TechCrunch]

Gmail Adds Preview Pane To Labs

Amit Chowdhry — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 04:07:42 +0000

The Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) Gmail team has added a new feature to their e-mail service that allows you to quickly view your incoming mail without having to open it. The full message appears on the right pane, the message preview and actions appear in the middle pane, and the navigation is on the left frame.

To enable the feature, visit Gmail’s Lab page and enable “Preview Pane” by Peter B and Michael K. After that, you will notice a toggle button in the top right corner of the message list. The button allows you to switch between preview view and list view.

If you have more vertical space on your monitor, you can move the preview pane below the message list:

There is a 3 second delay between marking a conversation as read after previewing it. This can be changed in the General tab of Settings.

[Gmail Blog]