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Google Launches Official Gmail Add-On Program (pcworld.com)

Posted by msmash on from the how-about-that dept.

Google is making it possible for developers to bring their services into Gmail using new integrations called Add-ons. From a report on PCWorld: It's built so that developers can write one set of code in Google's Apps Script language and have their integration run in Gmail on the web, as well as inside Google's Android and iOS apps for the service. For example, a QuickBooks add-on would let users easily send invoices to people who they're emailing. Google already offers Add-ons for its Docs word processing and Sheets spreadsheet software. This sort of system could be useful for users because it helps them get work done without leaving Gmail. It also helps draw users into Google's official email app, rather than use one of the many other clients that can access the service, including Microsoft Outlook.

14 of 32 comments (clear)

  1. ETA by snkhere · · Score: 2

    And to be discontinued in 3 years.

  2. This is fantastic news by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'll be able to share all my private details with even more corporations now.

    --
    "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    1. Re:This is fantastic news by Gr8Apes · · Score: 1

      I like it even better after the recent announcement that only web enabled access to Google's calendar will be allowed. That's just awesome to be able to track you all over.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
  3. Leery by TWX · · Score: 2

    I'd be real leery of this, Google has demonstrated a history of abandoning and closing-down projects that people have come to depend upon. If this really does appeal then the developer and the users need to keep in mind that the floor could be yanked out from under them at any time with very little in the way of notice.

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    1. Re:Leery by Curunir_wolf · · Score: 1

      I'd be real leery of this, Google has demonstrated a history of abandoning and closing-down projects that people have come to depend upon. If this really does appeal then the developer and the users need to keep in mind that the floor could be yanked out from under them at any time with very little in the way of notice.

      And they've inspired Microsoft to do the same! Azure, Office 365, Intune, all promoting services that get dropped and moving targets on how you should configure stuff. "Hey, you don't need backoffice servers, run all your management tools right here on the cloud!" ... 6 months later ... "Hey, we're discontinuing this service. Try something else!"

      --
      "Somebody has to do something. It's just incredibly pathetic it has to be us."
      --- Jerry Garcia
  4. Lock in *and* data mining! by DogDude · · Score: 1

    Whoa! Where do I sign up? This sounds like a great idea! I can give away EVEN MORE of my personal data to Google for CONVENIENCE! Yes, please!

    --
    I don't respond to AC's.
  5. Send invoices via email? by AuMatar · · Score: 1

    I anxiously await this technology to attach things to an email. They need a name for this innovation. Maybe attachments?

    --
    I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
    1. Re:Send invoices via email? by Threni · · Score: 1

      It obviously isn't that. That already exists. You're going to feel pretty dumb when you work this out. Perhaps start by reading the article?

  6. Exactly what I need by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 4, Funny
    I am thinking of a special Windows add-on, to support BHO , or browser-helper-object\s. Just blobs binary executables, sent as attachment and they will be recieved as email and then executed in the receiver's computer. It would be great if it can also disable the annoying dialogs asking for permissions that detracts from the seamless user experience.

    At the very least, we should be able to send ActiveX controls.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  7. PGP/GPG webmail plugin : Mailvelope by DrYak · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Have a look at Mailvelope.

    - It's generic (not GMail specific, should work on lots of webmail website, simply by encrypting/decrypting their TextArea)
    - It's multi-platform (Chrome Extension, Firefox plug-in, most OSes)
    - Enables PGP signing and encryption.
    - All the crypto is done locally on your computer inside the plug-in. The webmail site only sees encrypted blocks in the editor's input field.

    It has a few shortcomings :
    - Only works on "textarea" form field, so won't work for encrypting attachments.

    BUT:
    - You can still encrypt/decrypt files on your computer (this can be facilitated by by Mailvelope) and upload the *encrypted file* as an attachment.
    (This is a work around for GMail, Outlook, etc.) You get the security of encryption, at the cost of a few extra step.
    - Mailvelope provides an API and some provider (GMX.de) do integrate with the API and thus provide full support for attachment encryption (done by Mailvelope) without disturbing the end-user experience

    With the GMail Add-On program, Mailvelope developers could implement the necessary things on the GMail side of things as a Gmail Add-On, so it will correctly cooperate with the Mailvelope extension and provide seamlessly encrypted files *without* needing Google to spend time integrating vanilla Gmail with Mailvelope's API (integration done at the Gmail Add-on level isntead).

    --
    "Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
  8. Are people really dumb enough to fall for this? by Sloppy · · Score: 1

    The more specialized logic you add to your mailreader, the worse fit webmail is. IMAP, on the other hand, already is a standard interface!

    --
    As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
    1. Re:Are people really dumb enough to fall for this? by Sloppy · · Score: 1

      I understand why people do it; I just think the costs outweigh the relatively minor benefits. (And yes, I realize other people weigh things differently) Having a mailreader on your desktop(s) isn't a big deal. The only time it matters much, is when it's someone else's desktop, since a lot of mail clients make the initial setup somewhat of a pain in the ass. (And I get how a layman might not remember whether their server uses starttls vs ssl; I'll admit there are barriers to fast setup, where you want to ask your friend, "Hey, can I use your machine to check my email real quick?") But while maybe some people were having to borrow other peoples' PCs a lot more around the turn of the century, nowdays nearly everyone carries one in their pocket.

      And across from the relatively minor benefit of webmail, is the cost: it means you can't do encryption sanely, for example. And since it doesn't have a standard interface, now Google is proposing a proprietary one, to try to do some of the things that you could do with IMAP. That's just going to lock people into gmail specifically. I get why they are doing that, but from a user's PoV, this is wastful and harmful.

      Just Say No. Now that you have a smartphone, perhaps webmail is obsolete and it's time to start phasing it out. Whereever you go, there you are.

      --
      As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
  9. Might I suggest a small change? by OffTheLip · · Score: 1

    Add-ons Beta

  10. This couldn't possibly go wrong... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Yet another reason to run screaming for the door and leave Google and Gmail far, far behind.
    --
    Steve (AC because I've yet to register after all these years)