Today the Official Gmail Blog posted a video and screengrabs of the new Gmail look, which will be rolling out soon. If you’re jonesing to update now, click on the “switch to the new look” link in the bottom-right of your Gmail, which will appear in the next few days. News of the updated Gmail interface first hit the Web on October 20, after watchdog Alex Chitu spotted a leaked video on YouTube. This new Gmail rollout comes right on the heels of Google Reader, which got the Google Plus treatment.
The new Gmail interface is all about ease of use, and aims to make users feel smarter through improved search, intuitive navigation and more streamlined conversations. You can also change the display density, and try out new themes. One big improvement is that users will finally able to adjust the size of the label and chat areas, respectively, which makes sense – some people use the chat feature more hazily, while others are obsessive labelers.
Adjusting the density of your Gmail is another handy feature. Gmail automatically adjusts density based on the type of monitor you’re using – but having the option to do-it-yourself is also useful.
Heavy Gmail users (read: anyone who stares at their Gmail for, um, most of the day) will appreciate the new HD themes. To update yours, go to the Settings menu.
The Biggest Improvement Yet: Smarter, Faster Search Box
Wow. This is a big improvement. Traditionally, Gmail Search has functioned in the same way as Google Search. You type in keywords, Gmail finds it. The new search box gives you the option to customize search, selecting which areas you’d like to search within, “from” line, “to” line, subject, has the words, doesn’t have the words, has attachment and a date range option. This looks rather similar to the filter-creator in Gmail, making it easier to create custom filters.
These advanced search options were already available in Gmail, except they were practically hidden. To access them, you had to click “Show search options” to the right of the “Search the Web” button at the top of your Gmail. Being able to create a filter right from the new, improved search box is a big plus – before, you had to do that manually by clicking the “Create a filter” link, which is also located to the right of the “Search the Web” button.
New streamlined conversations make it easier to keep track of email threads. Gmail integrates your Google profile picture, and makes each email feel even more like an ongoing conversation. It’s one of those features that won users over from the get-go, especially when other email services were treating emails like mail, and not like conversations.
Here’s the video from Gmail:
