AppleInsider Staff
Google announced via its Mobile Blog that the "experimental user interface" is based on the HTML5 Web application released last year for the iPhone and Android devices. But the new iPad-specific layout is designed to take advantage of the 9.7-inch display on Apple's new hardware.
Google has created a two-pane view that offers a list of conversations to the left, and messages on the right. Users can access the new Gmail by going to gmail.com in Safari browser on the iPad. Mail sent to a Gmail account can also be accessed through the default Mail application included on all iPads.
Other Web applications from Google that have not been optimized for the iPad will default to either the desktop or mobile offerings, based on what the search giant feels works best on the display.
"As you use Google’s web-based applications on iPad, you’ll notice that you sometimes see the desktop user interface and other times you see the mobile interface," Google Mobile Product Manager Punit Soni wrote on the official blog. "We’ve evaluated the behavior of each Google web app using the iPad Simulator, and we are serving the interface we feel works best. If you’d like any help using our products on iPad, please click the 'Help' link within the product."
The company also noted that its popular Google Mobile App with voice search has been "adapted" to work on the iPad. The company is also looking for ideas to improve the software.
In addition, the built-in YouTube application offers HD videos and allows users to read and write comments, and the new Maps application takes advantage of high-resolution satellite and Street View images. It also includes a new terrain view, and allows users to search for local businesses and get directions.
Gmail joins a growing number of Web sites that have created new, iPad-specific designs for the iPad. This week, Apple added a section to its iPad Web site to highlight iPad-ready, Adobe Flash-free Web sites, including CNN, Reuters, The New York Times, Major League Baseball, Vimeo, The White House, Virgin America, Flickr, and Sports Illustrated.
William Gallagher
Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
Wesley Hilliard
Christine McKee
15 Comments
Can it manage more than one GMail account simultaneously? Or would I have to switch between accounts?
Can it manage more than one GMail account simultaneously? Or would I have to switch between accounts?
Coming in iPhone OS 4.0.
Notice too that the buttons and icons are bigger to accept finger input?
It's really remarkable, HP produces the iSlate with a touchscreen UI just like the iPad (and before the iPad too) and they don't get to change the web in short order like Steve Jobs can.
Steve is really throwing his weight around on this one.So I guess now we know what Eric and Steve were having coffee about the other day and what that
"they are going to see it anyway" comment was all about.
Notice too that the buttons and icons are bigger to accept finger input?
It's really remarkable, HP produces the iSlate with a touchscreen UI just like the iPad (and before the iPad too) and they don't get to change the web in short order like Steve Jobs can.
Steve is really throwing his weight around on this one.So I guess now we know what Eric and Steve were having coffee about the other day and what that
"they are going to see it anyway" comment was all about.
As far as the buttons go, the iPhone formatted version of Google's services have the larger buttons as well. They've had them since last year.
HP announced their slate device before the iPad, but it was a preemptive announcement. Manufacturers probably know more about the competition than they lead on and HP wanted to at least try to steal some thunder from Apple. It is the same thing with the Courier concept video. Apple for the most part announces products that are immediately shipping or close to shipping. The first iPhone was an exception to that philosophy. They don't do concept products or videos. They have a ton of prototypes in their labs that never see the light of day, but they don't just announce stuff just to announce it.
The HP is much further along than the Courier but for the most part the HP slate is Windows 7 with touch elements added, whereas the UI in the iPad is touch based from the ground up and the Courier is just vaporware until I see the hardware. Also, we saw limited use of the HP Slate.
If you want to really broaden things, the iPad is an extension of the concepts in the iPhone, so much of the foundation and drive for iPad web related development have been a long time in the making.
It was interesting listening to an interview on NPR yesterday (?) with the current head of the FCC. He spilled the beans about being a big Apple fan by saying "...in the future, when we're all using our iPads, or what have you..."*
*not an exact quote