Gmail is in for a major user interface overhaul. An eagle-eyed Google watch blogger earlier today caught a video from Google UI wizard Jason Cornwell demonstrating a “completely redesigned” interface on what looks like an imminent Gmail release.
Within minutes Google took it down — a “it was a mistake,” a Google PR person said — but not before mirror sites and YouTube postings were up. Check out the video we captured from one mirror, below. Cornwell says “we’ve completely redesigned the look and feel of Gmail to make it as clean, simple, and intuitive as possible.”
A radically revamped Gmail affects tens of millions of computer users globally, analysts say. Google’s latest Gmail member stats put it at just above 40 million. A new version was expected as early as November. This video points to an earlier release. We’ll see.
At Google I/O this summer, the same executive showed a few promised enhancements, but nothing compared to the the depth of detail you see in the video below. Check out the new action bar functionality, themes, profile pics glued to every message — and that customizable search box Gmail users have been pining away for.
Gotta love those Google watch blogs!
6 Comments
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
Austin Krause
“it was a mistake”
OR was it?
I think this was an effective viral marketing strat for a major company like GOOG.
Peter Macinkovic (@inkovic)
This has been available for months, hasn’t it? Go to Gmail > Themes > Preview
Has been available since Google+ launched
Austin Krause
@Peter
the look is the same, but there are a few new features in there that I don’t see available now.
MeymiGrou
The new Gmail is just amazing!!
Love it! (:
DaveG
Tweaks to the interface are nice, but the biggest improvement was glossed over – better searching and filtering right from the front end. Its about time Google improved this given they are THE search people!
Daniel
I tried viewing the video. It says it contains content from Google who has blocked it on copyright grounds. I’m currently logged into my gmail, and therefore google has it’s tentacles reaching everywhere. Kinda makes me think it really was a mistake–and that they monitor/control waaaaaaaaaaay too much of my online life!!