Topic: Google

Google changes way emails are composed in Gmail

Summary: The new mechanism - currently available as a preview to some Gmail users - makes it easier to check previously sent or received messages while composing a new email. It also adds various other features, with more promised soon.

By David Meyer | October 31, 2012 -- 08:39 GMT (01:39 PDT)

Follow @superglaze

Google is changing the way emails are composed in Gmail, making it possible to write a missive while referring to older messages.

Before the changes were introduced for some users on Tuesday, anyone writing an email who wanted to check something in a previously sent or received message, would have to save a draft, then go check that older email, then return to the draft.

In the new mechanism, emails being composed pop up in separate windows, similar to chat windows. This makes it possible to navigate around the rest of the Gmail app without losing sight of the new message.

"Saving a draft, opening the old email, and then reopening your draft wastes valuable minutes," Google product manager Phil Sharp wrote in a blog post, adding that the new, chat-like compose format also makes it easier for users formulating multiple drafts at once.

The new mechanism also makes it possible to quickly add inline images to emails, and adds other minor features such as profile pictures in contact auto-suggest.

Right now, the features are available to limited users as a preview. According to Sharp, other features will be added over the coming months, after which Google will "enable it for everyone".

Topics: Google, Enterprise Software

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

10 comments

Log in or register to join the discussion

Finally able to do what rich mail clients could 15 years ago

Welcome to the world Outlook Express, Foxmail and so on. You guys are only 15 years behind. Very impressive indeed.

Way to show off the great UX that HTML/JS is so capable of providing. NOT!

LBiege
31 October, 2012 11:56

Reply 2 Votes
What they should be upgrading is their corporate culture

It has likely tanked so much that it would take superhuman effort to fish it from the figurative toilet. That actually brings an old SuperNews! episode to mind; however, no puns were intended. All concerned citizens and upstanding public servants should see the content at the below url:

http://current.com/community/93943807_epic-2012-election-impacting-scandal-amongst-casualties-florida-s-gov-rick-scott-google-part-1-of-2.htm

Those who view that content and follow the directions--and are not yet jaded beyond the point of no return--will likely be appalled and p.o.'d to the nth degree.

SB100
31 October, 2012 12:20

Reply Vote
LBiege is Spot On

I've been doing this for years in other clients. Why is this news?

bb_apptix
31 October, 2012 13:35

Reply Vote
Not sure what this is about

I have no idea why Google is touting this as some massively new capability, or why they're making it seem like it was so hard before (save a draft, go to old email, re-open draft). That's completely false. First, Google Mail saves drafts automatically. Second, there's a little pop-out icon in the draft window. Click it and it pops out (just like this new feature). So you can look at old email while editing the new.

I think the new behavior will actually be annoying; in the past, you had the choice to pop out to another window. Now, it will be forced on you? Ah well. Progress.

robo45h
31 October, 2012 14:02

Reply Vote
God such trolls...

"I have no idea why Google is touting this as some massive new capability"

Hey moron, that's cause they're not. They released a feature and said;
"It's there now if you want it."

Personally I don't. So I went to settings and hit the big "MAKE IT GO BACK" button and now I'm happy again.

Troll in a queen's clothing.

Naryan
31 October, 2012 14:08

Reply Vote
This is nice, but seriously.

If you needed to check your old email, you open another browser window and log into your email account from there.

baggins_z
31 October, 2012 14:34

Reply Vote
You can do this already, just open the compose message in a window.

You can do this already, just open the compose message in a window.

bradavon
31 October, 2012 22:58

Reply Vote
better user experience

It has had that ability to open a separate window for composing email for years now. But what they have done now has given its users a better user experience. The same as they are providing better security by implementing other new features, one of which is the most important, Two-Step Authentication which allows us to telesign into our accounts. I know some will claim this make things more complicated, but the slight inconvenience each time you log in is worth the confidence of knowing your info is secure.

Tgneg
1 November, 2012 17:13

Reply Vote
Realized there is no way to change FROM field

I use gmail for several email accounts and while trying this new interface, I realized there is no way to select another FROM address than default.

Did anyone found a way how to do this?

Tomas M.
5 November, 2012 16:17

Reply Vote
- Found the answer here
  
  "Google tried to streamline the "compose" window, so many advanced features will be more difficult to find. You'll have to click different icons to find text formatting options, add events or spell check your text. To send mail from another address, you'll have to "click into the 'To' field, then click the 'From' link to select which address you'd like to send mail from". Gmail is suddenly more difficult to use, but the interface looks better."
  
  http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2012/10/gmails-new-interface-for-composing.html
  
  Tomas M.
  5 November, 2012 16:47
  
  Reply Vote