Google brings back offline Gmail access

Google has revived the ability for Gmail users to access the web-based email system even when they are not connected to the internet.

The company had shut down the capability in May as a result of the decision to kill Gears, Google's erstwhile tool for allowing web apps to run offline. On Wednesday, product manager Benoît de Boursetty announced the return of the functionality, with Gmail the first Google web app to benefit.

"Gmail offline will be available today, and offline for Google Calendar and Google Docs will be rolling out over the next week, starting today," de Boursetty wrote in a blog post.

Those wishing to use Gmail's offline capability must install Gmail Offline, an HTML 5-based Chrome Web Store app. When wanting to use Gmail offline, they must use the app, rather than going to the usual Gmail website.

According to de Boursetty, the offline modes for Google Calendar and Google Docs will be accessible through their usual interfaces, with a setting available through the gear icon at the top right corner of the web app.

"When you're offline in Google Calendar, you can view events from your calendars and RSVP to appointments," de Boursetty wrote. "With Google Docs you can view documents and spreadsheets when you don't have a connection. Offline editing isn't ready yet, but we know it's important to many of you, and we're working hard to make it a reality."

Offline functionality for Google's key productivity apps is essential for business users of the company's Chromebooks. The netbook-like devices are built around the web and web apps, but the absence of offline modes for such apps has meant the Chromebooks' utility is drastically diminished when a connection is unavailable.