Some readers of this blog spotted a new feature of the Google Voice extension for Chrome: desktop notifications. I didn't notice it, since Google Voice can't be used outside US.

"I've recently started getting notifications from the Chrome Google Voice extension every time I receive a SMS to my GV number. Of particular interest is the icon, which looks like an amalgamation of communications services' icons. Is it a harbinger of the new unified messaging service rumored to be on the way?" says Alec, a read of this blog.


Apparently, Google works on a new product called Babel that integrates Google Talk, Gmail Chat, Google+ Hangouts, Google+ Messenger. "You'll get a seamless messenger experience across Android, iOS, Chrome, Google+ and Gmail. From what we have seen, there is no mention of Google Voice or other services outside of the five we just mentioned, but that doesn't necessarily mean they won't be there at some point. As of now, this is being tested internally as a cross-platform service," reports Droid Life.

{ Thanks, Alec and Evan. }

A recent post from Gmail's Google+ page mentioned 2 new Gmail search features: enhanced contact suggestions with thumbnails and suggestions from your Gmail search history.

"If you've searched your email for 'supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' or other lengthy phrases, it just got easier to find what you're looking for. Autocomplete predictions in Gmail may now include your past Gmail searches. Past searches as well as the new contact thumbnails shown below are rolling out to all Gmail users globally, including Google Apps for Business customers, over the next few days."


Are contact thumbnails in Gmail search a new feature? Not if you've previously joined the Gmail Field Trail, which adds many other cool features that integrate Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive and Google Search.

Google updated the search interface for tablets to make it look more like the desktop interface. There's now a "search tools" button that replaces the wrench button, "more" is a regular menu and the icons for specialized search engines have been removed.

Here's the new interface:



... and here's the old one (screenshot from October 2011, when Google tested this interface):


This is a much more recent screenshot:

Google has always added great security features that protect user accounts: from SSL access to most services, Google Safe Browsing, Gmail's spam and phishing filters to 2-step authentication, phone number verification and Gmail's account activity monitoring.

Sometimes Google's security features are extra paranoid and block Google's own services. I tried to use the mail fetcher feature from a secondary Gmail account and Google mentioned that the authentication failed (it's been enabled before). I entered the right password and Google still couldn't authenticate. Then Google started to show warnings in my main Gmail account, at the top of Google search pages and even sent an email and an SMS message: "Someone recently tried to use an application to sign in to your Google Account. We prevented the sign-in attempt in case this was a hijacker trying to access your account."

Google sent me to this page which says: "We detected activity on your Google Account from a location you don't usually sign in from." The IP address is 209.85.192.147 (mail-pd0-f147.google.com) and it's from United States. Obviously, it's Google's own IP address.




How to fix this issue? Go to this page, click "Yes" and "Yes - Continue". From the Google confirmation message: "As a security precaution, Google may prevent an application from accessing your account if it's the first time we've seen this application sign in to your account, or if it's attempting to sign in from a new location."


Then Google sends you to this page and you need to click "Continue" and "sign in using the application you want to authorize access to your account within the next ten minutes."


Unfortunately for Google, it wasn't even the first time when Gmail's mail fetcher was enabled. Google should find a way to make Gmail's mail fetcher work without having to jump through hoops.

Smart Labels is a very useful feature from Gmail Labs that automatically categorizes messages. Right now, Gmail has categories for forum messages, social updates, notifications and promotions.

Gmail's code includes some new smart labels for travel, receipts and events. I've tried to search for label:^smartlabel_event, label:^smartlabel_receipt, label:^smartlabel_travel and they don't seem to work.


Google already categorizes your Gmail messages to enable the features added to Google Now a few months ago. Google needs to identify confirmation messages for restaurant reservations, hotel bookings, flights, events you purchased a ticket for, online orders and it's obvious that Gmail could create smart labels for each category.

Gmail's personalized ads are nothing new. Back in 2011, Google announced that Gmail would no longer show just ads related to the message you're currently reading, but also ads related to topics you're interested in. "For example, if you've recently read a lot of messages about cameras, maybe you'd like to see an offer from your local camera shop."

I've recently noticed some Gmail sidebar ads slightly different than the experimental format from 2011. You could hide the ad by clicking the "x" icon and even check other ads by clicking the "more promotions" link. The "sponsored promotions" page actually has a permalink: https://mail.google.com/mail/#pinbox (first spotted a few months ago). If you don't see any promotion, opt in here.



The ads look like regular emails, although features like "reply" or "mark as spam" aren't available. "It's a new type of ad you can save to your inbox or forward on. If you dismiss this ad, you won't see it again." Ads have permalinks like: https://mail.google.com/mail/#ad/76002.

Google Drive's shared folders have a new "grid view" interface that borrows the file preview feature from the standard GDrive UI. It's great for sharing photos, but it also works for other files.

"Over the next week, users who are invited to open a shared folder will notice a much improved visual layout of the folder's contents. You can even click on an item to preview and flip between the content. Want to keep the shared folder? Use the 'Add to Drive' button on the top right to store it directly in your Drive for fast access across all devices," informs Google.

Here's an example of shared folder (Android wallapapers):


And here's the old interface:


You can open any folder in the new interface. Just replace https://drive.google.com/#folders/FOLDERID or https://docs.google.com/folder/d/FOLDERID/edit with https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=FOLDERID, where FOLDERID is a long ID.

The new UI is better suited for quickly previewing files, while the old was great for switching between multiple documents and editing them. Google Drive seems to focus more on consuming content than producing it, a departure from the Google Docs heritage.

I wonder if Google Drive will start to include the photo albums from Picasa Web and Google+ Photos. This would make GDrive less disjointed.

{ Thanks, +Cougar Abogado. }

Avi, a reader of this blog, found a great way to illustrate the enhanced spell checking feature from Chrome 26. Just type this short text:

"Is tehre a solution to tehre problem for when tehre traveling?"

I've compared Chrome 25 and Chrome 26. The difference is striking: Chrome 25 shows the same suggestions for the 3 spelling errors ("there", "ether", "three", "Tehran"), while Chrome 26 shows different suggestions for each mistake.

Here's the contextual menu from Chrome 25:


... and here are the suggestions from Chrome 26:




The most interesting thing is that Chrome shows the same suggestions even if you disable "ask Google for suggestions", so they're generated locally (only the errors with a green underline are detected by the web service). Obviously, the web service is useful in other cases, but it's surprising to see that Chrome's context-sensitive spell checking works offline, even if only in a limited way.

A few weeks ago, a post from the Chrome blog mentioned that Chrome for iOS will integrate the omnibox with Google Search. "Now you can see your search term in the omnibox, instead of the long search URL. This will help you refine search queries and view more content on the results page. This feature will roll out in the coming weeks, so you may not see it right away after upgrading."

I've noticed this feature when using the incognito mode. It's almost like the experimental feature from Chrome OS: Google's mobile interface no longer includes a search box and the query is displayed in the omnibox, where you can change it. If you go to google.com, you'll still see the regular Google search box and the query won't be displayed in the omnibox.


The query is preserved when you switch to other search services like Google Image Search, Google Video. Unfortunately, there's a bug that replaces the query with the Google search URL when you pick an image search result and go back to the list of results.


I still think that integrating Chrome with Google Search so tightly is a bad idea. Removing an essential navigation feature from a web page and moving it to the browser makes Google more difficult to use (users will think there's something wrong, other browsers show a different interface) and a small Chrome bug can prevent users from editing a query.

Another side-effect of the integration is that Google will not show search suggestions in the incognito mode. It's a regular feature of the omnibox that will make Google more difficult to use. All of this for shaving a few pixels and showing more content.

Just when you thought that Google will start to focus and close even more products, April Fools' Day comes and Google announces a long list of new initiatives.

YouTube will pick the best video uploaded to the site: "We've been thrilled with all of the diverse, creative entries we've seen so far, and we can't wait to begin the process of selecting the best video. We'll be announcing the winner in 10 years."


Google Nose goes beyond keywords and helps you identify a smell.


"Google Nose leverages new and existing technologies to offer the sharpest olfactory experience available:

* Street Sense vehicles have inhaled and indexed millions of atmospheric miles.
* Android Ambient Odor Detection collects smells via the world's most sensible mobile operating system.
* SMELLCD™ 1.8+ high-resolution compatible for precise and controlled odors."


Google Maps has a new feature: treasure mode. "Archeological analysis has confirmed that our Google Maps Street View team has indeed found one of history’s long lost relics: a treasure map belonging to the infamous pirate, William 'Captain' Kidd. The map was found on a recent expedition in the Indian Ocean, as part of a deep-water dive to expand our underwater Street View collection. Captain Kidd was rumored to have buried his treasure around the world, and tales of a long-lost treasure map have lingered for generations," informs Google.


Visit Google Maps (disable MapsGL if the experiment is enabled) and find the treasure.



Waiting for Windows Blue? Here comes Gmail Blue: "the next big step for Gmail" is making everying blue. The new interface is inspired by nature. It's intimate, intuitive, realistic and organic.



Google Apps adds a new feature: Levity Algorithm. "Created in partnership with legendary improv comedians from Chicago's Second City Communications, the Levity Algorithm is carefully tuned to help you spice up even the most boring of work days. Send happier emails, hold more engaging meetings, write more mind-blowing presentations - and above all, turn those frowns upside down."


Google Japan found another creative way to enter text: using the Patapata device. It only has one button, but it's fun to use. "Not only ensure operability, seeking the comfort of the best press uncompromising, adopted the mechanical isolation of the single button type keyboard. Proven flap has been used for many years on the show song of yesteryear airport, and train station. Not only comfortable operation, carry in hand with sound refreshing wind brisk." (Google machine translation)



Google Australia has a great solution for renovating your house: Google SCHMICK. "Now you can give your house a lick of fresh paint for free on Street View with Google SCHMICK (Simple Complete House Makeover Internet Conversion Kit). Forgot to mow the nature strip? Deck it out with some fresh buffalo grass. Front steps falling down? Swap them out for doric columns and a pergola. Graffiti on the front fence? Cover it with so many palm trees people will think they're on the Vegas strip." Too bad that it's only on Street View.


Google also found an innovative way to make ATMs mobile. "The mobile ATM device easily attaches to most smartphones and dispenses money instantly and effortlessly– forever ending your search for the nearest bank or ATM. Just type in your personal pin code on your cell phone and access all your cash from the palm of your hand. Google Wallet Mobile ATM technology allows you to enter the amount of money you want to withdraw directly in your phone or use voice-activated dispenser."


Google Analytics lets you export data to old-fashioned floppy disks, CDs, sticky notes and even papyrus (or papyri). You can also send reports using fax machines, telegraphs, carrier pigeons and telegram messengers.


"Google Fiber to the Pole provides ubiquitous gigabit connectivity to fiberhoods across Kansas City. This latest innovation in Google Fiber technology enables users to access Google Fiber's ultra fast gigabit speeds even when they are out and about."