GMail Labs
Google launched a new tab called "Labs" accessible from all users' "Settings" tab in their GMail account on June 5th, 2008 at 6pm. They will use this area to test experimental GMail features, largely developed as part of Google's 20% time strategy in which engineer's are encouraged to spend one day per week working on projects outside of their job descriptions. Features in the lab will come and go at Google's description, and some may work they way out of the lab into the core GMail offering as is done with the traditional Google Labs program.
The current GMail Labs features are:
- a module for quick links (saved searches, important messages)
- superstars (additional star icons)
- pictures in Gmail chat
- fixed width font
- custom keyboard shortcuts
- mouse gestures
- random signature
- signature tweaks (places the signature before the quoted text)
- custom date format
- muzzle (hide the status of your contacts in Gmail chat)
- play Snake inside Gmail
- email addict (blocks the screen for 15 minutes)
- hide unread count
