How to archive new Gmail messages without opening Gmail

Got the latest version of Gmail for Android? If so, you can now scan the first few lines of your email or even archive a message without actually opening Gmail.

First, you’ll need to make sure you’ve updated the Gmail app for Android to the latest version.
Launch the Play Store app on your handset, tap the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner of the screen, tap My Apps, and make sure Gmail is listed in the “Up to Date” section.
Also, keep in mind that your phone must be running Android version 4.1 or better for the new Gmail notifications to work. To check your handset’s Android version, tap Settings, “About phone,” then check the number next to “Android version.”

Just tap and hold, then drag down to reveal the Archive and Reply buttons.

All set? Now, the next time you get a new Gmail message, try this:

• Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the Notifications pane; you should see an entry for the Gmail message you just received.
• Tap and hold the notification, then pull down until you see the first few lines of the message, along with the Reply and Archive buttons. (Note: If a specific Gmail alert combines multiple new messages, the Reply and Archive buttons might not appear.)
• Tap Archive, and the message will be immediately filed in your All Mail directory. Tap the Reply button, and Gmail will open directly to a newly composed reply.

Source: http://heresthethingblog.com
How to archive new Gmail messages without opening Gmail

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How to Set an “out of office” message with the Gmail app

 

So, your bags are packed, you’re in the airport and you’re about to step on a plane heading for someplace warm, and then it hits you: you forgot to activate an “out of office” message for your email account.

Well, if you’re using Gmail, good news: Gmail for Android just added an auto-responder feature that lets you set up an “out of office” message directly from your Android phone, no PC or Mac required.

You can now set an out of office message directly from the (updated) Gmail for Android app.

Here’s how…

• First, you’ll need to install the latest version of the Gmail app. Launch the Play Store app, open the sidebar (tap in the top-left corner of the screen) and navigate to the “My apps” section, then tap the green Update All button to install any pending app updates, including (potentially) Gmail.
• Next, launch Gmail, tap the three-dot menu button in the top-right corner of your screen, tap Settings, then tap the Gmail account for which you’d like to set up an “out of office” message.
• Tap “Vacation responder,” then enter a starting date, and end date, a subject line (“Gone fishing!”), and a message for anyone who tries to email you during your well deserved break. You can also check the box next to “Send only to my Contacts” if you only want your family, friends and colleagues to know you’re away.
• Flip on the switch next to “Vacation responder,” tap the Done button, then sit back and relax. 

Via http://heresthethingblog.com

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Free phone calls through Gmail 8 things you need to know

If you’re in the U.S. or Canada and you’re a Gmail user, heads up: you can make free phone calls through your PC or Mac to any domestic cell phone or landline. As always, though, there are a few ifs, ands, and buts.

Google has been offering free domestic voice calls to U.S. and Canadian Gmail users for a few years now—and indeed, just last month, it extended its offer (again) through 2013.
Making voice calls through Gmail is a cinch. Just launch your favorite web browser, open your Gmail inbox, and click the little handset icon in the bottom-left corner of the page.
When you do, a dialer will pop up on the screen. Type in a phone number, click the blue “Call” button, and within a second or so, you’ll hear a familiar “brrring, brrrrrrring!” through your PC’s speakers.

Just click the headset icon to launch Gmail’s phone dialer.

So, free phone calls through Gmail, really? Yes, really—for now, anyway.
But like I said, there are a few things to keep in mind, starting with…

1. Only U.S. & Canadian Gmail users can make free calls

…and then only to U.S. and Canadian mobile and landline numbers. If you’re an international Gmail user, sorry—no free calls for you.

2. Domestic calls over Gmail are free through the end of 2013 only

Beyond that, no guarantees. Google first began offering free voice calls through Gmail back in 2010; since then, it’s extended the generous offer three times, most recently last month. Will Google keep footing the bill for Gmail voice calls in 2014, or will the party be over in a year’s time? Good question.

3. If you want to make international calls with the Gmail dialer, you’ll have to pay up

Rates range from two cents a minute (for landlines in France, Germany, and the U.K.) to a whopping $6.90 a minute (for calls to satellite phones). You can check the complete list of international Gmail calling rates right here.

4. You don’t need a headset to make Gmail voice calls

If your PC or laptop has built-in speakers and a microphone (and nowadays, most do), you can start making Gmail calls right away, no headset required. That said, your callers will probably hear you more clearly if you do use a wireless or (ideally) a wired headset.

Click a phone number in a Gmail message and the dialer will pop up automatically.

5. You can click any phone number in a Gmail message to dial

If you need to call someone who sent an email to your Gmail account, look for their phone number in the body of the message (like, say, in their email signature) and click it.
When you do, the Gmail phone dialer should pop-up automatically, complete with the number you just clicked.
All you have to do is click the blue “Call” button to start chatting.

6. You must make your free calls through the Gmail interface on your computer

In other words, no—you can’t make free Gmail calls through your iPhone or Android phone (or not officially, at least).

7. Replacing your landline or cell phone with Gmail isn’t the best idea

For one thing, you can’t add a third party to a call using the Gmail dialer. More importantly, though, you can’t make 911 calls through Gmail.

8. You can receive calls through Gmail if you have a Google Voice number

Sure, your friends and family can call you through Gmail, but they’ll need a number to dial first.
You can get one in a flash through Google Voice, a clever (and free) phone service that will (among other things) transfer incoming Google Voice calls to any of your various home, office, or mobile numbers.
Once you’ve signed up for Google Voice, your Gmail dialer will “ring” whenever someone dials your Google Voice number.
Not working? Go to your Google Voice account, click the Settings button, click the Phones tab, then make sure that your Gmail account is selected in the “Forward calls to” section.
Keep in mind, though, that Google’s offer of free domestic calls through Gmail only covers your outgoing calls; incoming calls don’t count.

Tip

You can port your mobile number to your Google Voice account, if you wish; that said, doing so will automatically terminate your mobile service, meaning you may owe an early termination fee if you signed a contract with your wireless carrier.

Original post is in http://heresthethingblog.com
Free phone calls through Gmail: 8 things you need to know

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