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October 28, 2008

Google Gadgets in Gmail

People spend a lot of time in email applications, so it makes sense to have links to other applications and useful information next to the email. Some would like to see their bookmarks, others would find useful to have their agenda and the list of to-do items.

Gmail Labs lets you add two gadgets in the left sidebar: Google Calendar and Google Docs, so you can add events, see your agenda and open recently-edited documents. There's also an experimental feature that lets you add any gadget by entering the address of its XML file, but I couldn't find gadgets that work and look well.

"We realize this isn't very user friendly right now; it's a sandbox mainly aimed at developers who want to play around with gadgets in Gmail. We're not tied to the left-nav as a primary way to extend Gmail -- in fact we think it is relatively limited and doesn't offer scalable real estate. There are also some downsides to the iframe-style Gadgets we're using today -- they can sometimes slow down the page. We're fanatical about speed, so we'll be keeping a close eye on performance," says Dan Pupius.

To make room for the gadgets, you could try these experimental features from Gmail Labs: Right-side chat, Right-side labels (move Gmail Chat and the list of labels in a right sidebar) and Navbar drag and drop (reorder containers).

{ Thanks, roody. }

24 comments:

  1. Ummmm...I think new iGoogle interface is better. that import best gmail interface.

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  2. The Right-side chat feature is a great way to make room, but unfortunately, the behavior of the chat box is kind of annoying when it is on the right side of the screen: when you point to one of your chat contacts with your mouse, the pop-up containing contact information appears on the chat box instead of on the side of it. So you cannot just move your mouse down to go to your next chat buddy.

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  3. Oh, could this cover the 'calendar integration' some people have been wanting? :)
    Probably not enough functionality in the gadget, though :-/

    ps : hitting enter on the word verification seems to consistantly fail ('Required field must not be blank' error) & clear my comment :-/ (in Chrome 2.149.30, anyways) - i need to click on 'Finish'

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  4. About time they done something like this.

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  5. How do I drag gadgets to the right side of the email list? They appear to drag, just not dock there.

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  6. @Aubrey:
    The drag&drop feature from Gmail Labs lets you reorder containers in the left sidebar. There are two distinct features that move Gmail Chat and the list of labels in a new right sidebar.

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  7. This feature will make "Remember the Milk" obsolete in Gmail. They also had a gadget like feature before.

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  8. It's very nice, specially the Calendar one.

    I was very excited about this, but many of the gadgets I wanted to add didn't work weel, for example the Google authenticated gadgets like Bookmarks and Reader or "Recommended pages".

    Also, the combination of labs settings doesn't seem to work very well, my "Chat below labels" setting when using them in the right gets reset every now and then, and some other weird behavior.

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  9. Wow, those are indeed some really cool gadgets! nice!

    Huf
    www.anonymity.cz.tc

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  10. That is a nice extra feature to gmail.

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  11. give me a built in task list, so I dont have to rely on remember the milk!

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  12. the task list gadget doesn't work
    only iframes gadgets semm to be working

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  13. iframes bad... agreed
    Not being an html guru, I am unaware of a _good_ alternative. What would that/those be?

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  15. if google put the calendar and docs on gmail i was sxpection a full view with all features like when you open it on a new windows.
    It kinda pissed me off, that why i dont even have it enebled because i dont find it any helpfull just in a little box on your left side :P

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  16. The calendar gadget is very handy. Keeps me from forgetting that I have a meeting today. :-)

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  17. I moved the labels and chat to the right side, with the labels on top, but the switched themselves and now chat is stuck on top. Can't seem to switch them back. Annoying. Any thoughts?

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  18. This is really Google thinking in the right direction, having one service to service all (no pun intended).

    Getting an integration between Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calender, Google Reader would be the best thing possible!

    Also, Rememberthemilk has a gadget that works as a good to-do-list within Gmail.

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  19. Here is a simple countdown widget for GMail: http://www.google.com/ig/directory?type=gadgets&url=gadgets.feth.com/noodly/noodlyCountdown.xml

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  20. Access your favorite bookmarks on your Gmail page. G-marks is
    specifically designed for Gmail, but may be used where ever gadgets
    reside.

    http://hosting.gmodules.com/ig/gadgets/file/117336448282898488901/bookmarks.xml

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  21. If anyone else can't find a way to switch the Chat & Labels boxes:

    It's on the 'Chat' tab on Gmail's Settings. There's a dropdown-menu to "Show Chat module above/below Label list".

    If the above anonymous has an issue besides this, He (gender-neutral he) can go to the either or both of the two feature's discussion groups (on the by now difficultly avoidable & increasingly ubiquitous Google), via the corresponding 'Discuss' link in "Labs" tab in Gmail Settings.

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  22. I'd like a 2 minute timer for doing a GTD pass through my email and I'd like it on the right side please :)

    Thanks

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  23. I think there should be a gadget for posting on Blogger from Gmail. That'd be great! :)

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  24. Just wondering why I can't transfer my Chat on the right side of the gmail even if it was already been enabled on the Lab settings.. any idea?

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