Google prepping Gmail 2.0
It might be a good idea to scrutinize your Gmail account more closely than usual these days. Not only is Google in the process of rolling out IMAP support, but it looks like some users are able to access a new version of Gmail. If you notice a new option that says "older version" or "newer version" at the upper right-hand corner, you're probably in. It should be right between the "settings" and "help" tabs.
Google Blogoscoped has a series of sreenshots showing some of the differences. Gmail 2.0 reportedly loads faster, although it's a bit early to say how much faster. And there's a much more detailed contacts section. There's a new contacts manager and the option to add images for contacts directly from Picasa Web. There also appears to be an option to "filter messages like these" from the Gmail "More Actions" drop down box.
If your account has the new interface, please let us know in the comments if you've noticed any other differences.
Google Blogoscoped has a series of sreenshots showing some of the differences. Gmail 2.0 reportedly loads faster, although it's a bit early to say how much faster. And there's a much more detailed contacts section. There's a new contacts manager and the option to add images for contacts directly from Picasa Web. There also appears to be an option to "filter messages like these" from the Gmail "More Actions" drop down box.
If your account has the new interface, please let us know in the comments if you've noticed any other differences.













Comments
31
Subscribe to commentsAndrewOct 29th 2007 9:29PM
I have noticed that it is faster and the new contacts section is a lot better organized.
MichaelOct 29th 2007 9:35PM
Not too many differences...I would have hoped for more AJAX features like in Yahoo Mail...but I still feel that GMail is superior to the rest.
It does indeed load much faster and the new contacts section is great...
kastonieOct 29th 2007 11:03PM
talk about some garbage, People are now able to look at the new 2.0 interface and my gmail account still didnt even get IMAP yet....man..im tired of being patient
markchiangOct 29th 2007 11:12PM
In "more actions" drop down box, I have a new option called "Mute".
You can see screen shot here
http://markchiang.blogspot.com/2007/10/gmail-20.html
piXelmanOct 29th 2007 11:25PM
kastonie, you don't happen to have "Basic HTML" turned on at the bottom of your Gmail do you? With Basic HTML turned on, you don't have access to the IMAP section on the Settings tab.
SteveOct 29th 2007 11:50PM
The Chat feature now works in Safari :)
jstudioOct 30th 2007 12:00AM
The new spam filter overkills. It tagged more than 50 messages as spam that are not. This may not result from the 2.0 upgrade. But I have to pay much attention to the spam folder from now on. ehh..
MikeOct 30th 2007 12:09AM
I noticed that it's much faster. Messages load almost instantaneously.
The filters are pretty handy as well.
koolioOct 30th 2007 7:57AM
I can't wait anymore. I have 2 accounts with GMail, the one I always use doesn't have IMAP, and the one I don't use has IMAP option. WTH wrong with GMail.
WoopsicleOct 30th 2007 7:58AM
my account was upgraded to the new interface. But the new interface has crashed my Firefox 2.0.0.8 about 5 times today. Using the older versions instead.
Marat LevitOct 30th 2007 7:59AM
This morning I noticed the "Loading..." text was a bit different. When entering the Gmail page I saw the "Older version" text.
The new UI is not different. Emails loads in a flash, there is no waiting time, you click and it's there.
The contacts have had the biggest change I've seen so far. Split up into three columns, you have your Groups, Contacts and their Information.
Everything else is pretty much the same. As most I'm hopping for a few more changes, like a folder system, a brand new look and my personal request, different signatures for different accounts (accounts which I get Gmail to retrieve for me).
Thank you,
Marat Levit
www.mlevit.wordpress.com
LitaOct 30th 2007 7:59AM
I have the newer version and.. Is it just me, or has anyone else's Gmail Notifier add-on for Firefox stopped working?
rao.murlidharOct 30th 2007 7:59AM
Don't know when will this feature will roll out. my imap hasn't yet been activated. yawm. i know my default language is english(US).
Settings > General > Language > Gmail Display Language > English(US).
Is there anything to be done?
ah forgot and numerous logins and logout with cookie clearing.
:(
MarcOct 30th 2007 6:24AM
Very Nice, Very Fast - Well Done Gmail!
zunerOct 30th 2007 8:01AM
Hovering over any contact under the FROM field shows his photo as well in a "snap preview" kind of overlay box.
Mark O'NeillOct 30th 2007 8:16AM
I have the new interface but the contacts window does NOT open in Firefox. Is anyone else having this really irritating problem?
I blogged about the whole situation at http://www.betterthantherapy.net
TomOct 30th 2007 8:36AM
I still don't even have the IMAP option!!! C'mon google, roll stuff out already!
KevinOct 30th 2007 8:57AM
the feature that got my attention that something was different was when i logged on yesterday and the chat was enabled. i use the stand alone app to chat and therefore disable it in gmail. so I clicked on "turn off chat" on the bottom and there was no page reload, it just turned the chat function off and left it on the page.
apparently you can also just sign in from the chat client without having to click "turn on chat" at the bottom. once you sign on it changes the bottom to "turn off chat".
pretty, pretty, pretty cool IMO
SaskwatchOct 30th 2007 1:20PM
I have problems with 2.0 in Firefox as well. The Contacts window does not open, and GMail notifier extension does not work either. I am not so much worried about the extension. I am sure the developer will update it at some point, but I wish I knew what was going on with the Contacts window.
Lastly, I have mixed emotions about any real changes to the UI. Some sites have take AJAX to overkill level, and there is something refreshing about the simplicity of GMail's interface. Now on the other hand, Yahoo! has taken great stides in improving the interface for both Search and Mail. It would have been nice to have seen Google incorporate some of the features like Drag N Drop, auto-complete searching, etc. Let's face it, it is time to snazz up the interface just a little - IMHO.
EleventeenOct 30th 2007 2:41PM
If you really want Gmail skinned differently, load up the 'Stylish' extension in Firefox (or use comparable Greasemonkey scripts). There's lots of keen looking skins available.