Google is one company that is constantly on the push to keep doing something new, and at Google I/O 2013, the company had many announcements. Gmail happens to always be at the receiving end of the big G’s attention, seeing how it has spiralled from being a no-name email service to the “choice of millions.” Today, they announced that Gmail will be receiving Quick Action Buttons, which should make going through your inbox a whole lot simpler.
The Quick Action buttons are designed to get you through your inbox a lot more efficiently and are designed to work with certain types of emails/content. For example, emails that require an RSVP would get the “Yes”, “No, and “Maybe” Quick Buttons which will pop up when you hover on the email. Google also said that they would expand this to show information such as flight information or to show ratings for restaurants you may have visited or plan to visit.
Along with Quick Action buttons, Google’s also integrated its Wallet service with Gmail, making it a lot easier to pay for services and transfer money to contacts. The option is only available to those who have a Google Wallet account (which must be linked to your bank account, or have Google Wallet balance). The recipient doesn’t have to be a Gmail user, but must have a Google Wallet account to receive the payment. Sending funds from a bank account or Google Wallet balance is free, but a flat fee of 2.9% or $0.30 is levied on all credit/debit card transactions. Google limits people to $10,000 per transaction and $50,000 over a five-day period. The feature, as of now, will only be rolled out to American Gmail account holders over the age of 18 years in the coming months.
Google Wallet Integration |
Google says these quick actions will roll out to Gmail in the next few weeks, but does not detail whether the rollout will be global or location based. Either ways, we’re hoping that this feature be available within the month across all Gmail accounts to see whether the buttons actually work the way Google hopes they will.
