X
Tech

New version of Gmail being tested

Gmail was launched on April 1, 2004, and has revolutionized the way many of us use email. The interface has remained largely untouched since it launched, but get ready, it's soon to undergo a change in what they describe as a "New Version".
Written by Garett Rogers, Inactive

Gmail was launched on April 1, 2004, and has revolutionized the way many of us use email. The interface has remained largely untouched since it launched, but get ready, it's soon to undergo a change in what they describe as a "New Version". Only a select few people have access to use the new interface -- mainly employees and trusted people outside the company called "Trusted Testers".

Unfortunately, there are no leaked screenshots to look at yet, but if you are one of the lucky few testers, I would love to take a peek.

How do I know they are working on a "New Version"? Well, Google lets every-day users who are fluent in both English and another language translate small snippets of English text into the language of their choice. This is how they can offer services in several languages without spending a dime on professional translators. Unfortunately, exposing sensitive information in this manner makes it hard to keep a secret.

One of my readers, who wishes to remain anonymous, stumbled across an interesting snippet of text (which I confirmed exists) spilling the beans on a new version of Gmail that is either currently being tested, or about to be released to testing in short order. It's small, but telling -- here is a screenshot of the text he was asked to translate.

gmailnewui1.png

What do you hope the new version of Gmail has in store for us? Do you think the transformation will be as large as the one Google Docs recently went through?

Editorial standards