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December 2, 2008 2:30 PM PST

Gmail comes to the desktop in gadget form

Posted by Josh Lowensohn
(Credit: Google)

Google has put out an official Gmail gadget for its Google Desktop product, giving users the option to run multiple instances of different Gmail accounts as standalone gadgets. The tool includes several useful Gmail features like keyboard shortcuts, mail, and contact search, along with the option to star messages. Users can also compose messages in a little pop-out window, which keeps them from having to fire up their browser.

The app is currently Windows-only and requires Google Desktop version 5 or higher, leaving Mac and Linux users of Google Desktop out in the cold. Anyone looking to use Amnesty's Generator program to convert it for other platforms like OS X's Dashboard are also out of luck, as Google has not offered it as an iGoogle, Web-ready widget.

Originally posted at Webware
Josh Lowensohn is an associate editor for Webware.com, CNET's blog about cool and otherwise useful Web applications and services. If you've found a site you'd like profiled, shoot him an e-mail. E-mail Josh.
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Add a Comment (Log in or register) 10 comments
by mrorie December 2, 2008 3:25 PM PST
Checking multiple gmails at one time would be handy (currently I just have iGoogle set up in Firefox and Chrome, and use either browser to check two accounts as needed), but the requirement to have Google Desktop is a bad one; my company has restricted its installation.
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by Josh.Lowensohn December 2, 2008 3:31 PM PST
Same here, which is why I couldn't dig in further from my work machine. Having all our files indexed in Google's servers is an IT security nightmare. Too bad you can't get the widget part as a stand-alone product unlike Yahoo's offering.
by close5828 December 2, 2008 3:56 PM PST
I still don't get why people trust Google so much w/ their data, let alone e-mail.
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by hartman06 December 3, 2008 6:51 AM PST
I don't get why end users trust "the cloud" so much...
by Haasbat December 3, 2008 10:27 AM PST
Because Google, "the cloud," or whatever name your culture calls it, is the new world diety, quickly replacing FSM. I can hear the chanting already. And yes, I am a follower.
by idfubar December 4, 2008 4:46 PM PST
What other choice does one have? I'm an infrastructure geek and even I've suffered data loss - isn't Google a safer bet for me?
by emad8080 December 2, 2008 4:24 PM PST
thanks
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by streamline35 December 2, 2008 8:27 PM PST
I'd get it if it didn't require google desktop
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by kanstar December 7, 2008 11:10 AM PST
Same here, Google desktop is a resource hungry app. I look forward to Google presenting option for a standalone app for Gmail... what say Google? Will it work like in offline mode? Where will the data be stored like .pst or temporary file till it connects?
by dragonbite December 3, 2008 6:22 AM PST
Won't work on Linux? Oh well, give it time.
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