So I’m going though my Settings in my Gmail account and I notice a tab called “Labs”. Interesting I think to myself and click on it and it seems the Gmail Gnomes have been slaving away at the nifty little options in their experimental features for Gmail. Here are 6 Gmail Lab Features you should try:
YouTube previews in mail
Ever get a YouTube video in your email from a friend that asks you to “Hey man, check this out!”? Well now if you turn on this Gmail lab feature the link will expand inside the Gmail page. You won’t have to navigate away from your message and have to wait for Gmail to reload your Inbox, its all right there in your message.
Flickr previews in mail
Just like the YouTube video in your message if you have photophiles that are always sending you their newest photos in their favorite Photo Streams then this is for you. Expands Flickr links inside your message for you to preview.
Fixed width font
Are you old school and hate the default Ariel font? Can’t align your ‘text tables’ right? Well then this Gmail Lab feature is for you. You can now have an option to view your messages in fixed with font like Courier. Great ready for some ASCII art!
Default ‘Reply to all’
Always find yourself having to select the ‘Reply to all’ option at the bottom of a message because the top right button in each message is plane plane ol’ ‘Reply’? Well, now you can change that option to be ‘Reply to all’ to the enjoyment of all your friends and family I’m sure.
Mail Goggles
Have you ever sent a message late at night to your friends or co-workers after a long night of drinking? Are you an alcoholic? Well then this Gmail Lab feature maybe for you. When you have this feature activated you’ll be prompted to do basic math when sending a message during predefined time periods (customizable). If you are inebriated that message won’t go out because you’re too smashed to know what 8 x 7 is.
Undo Send
OOPS did I just send that…unsend unsend unsend!!! If you find yourself sending a message and needed to unsend that last message because of a misspelling, bad link, or accidentally sending it to the wrong person then you can turn on this little nifty Gmail Lab feature to give yourself 5 seconds to undo that sent message.