GAFE

Gmail is a free, advertising supported email service provided by Google. Gmail can be accessed as a secure webmail, as via POP3 (post office protocols) or IMAP4 (internet message access protocols). Gmail was launched as an invitation only beta release on April 1, 2004. Later, in February 7, 2007 it became available to the general public. As of June 2012, it became the world's most used web-based email. It has over 425 million active users worldwide. 


How to use it:

Gmail is one of the most efficient and easy to use mail services ever created. First, you have to create an accoubt. It is fairly easy because they ask you basic questions regarding security and access to the email adress. Ofcourse, it does ask you to identify the slanted letters to verify that you are no android. After you create an adress, you must create a profile since Gmail is also used a social network (Gmail includes a instant messaging system). Then you get this screen:

As you can see, you have different buttons on the left side that help you manage your account: 

          • Compose (the one in the box) 
          • Inbox
          • Starred 
          • Sent Mail
          • Circles 
          • Notes 
          • Work 
          • Important 
          • All Mail 
          • Spam
          • Trash 
          • Personal 
          • Receipts 

Also, on each individual mail bar there are three mini clickers on the left hand side. The first one is the checked box, when you check a mial it becomes highlighted and you are able to move it to another tab or delete the mail. The second one is the one that is shaped like a star, when you click on that button you are starring that particular message. The third one is the importance button, you click on the ones that are considered important conversation to be able to find them quiclkly and efficiently.  

Noticed that the theme is different than the normal theme you would find in a Gmail homepage. This is as it is because you get to customize your inbox. On the display destiny button you get the following options: 

           • Comfortable 
           • Cozy 
           • Compact 
(These three button are used to customize the thickness of each email bar you get, it goes from thickest to thinest as you go down). 

           • Settings (In this option you can change the location, language, external content, browser connection, conversation view, desktop notifications, text styles and many other things).
           • Themes (Here you able to change color themes, general features, inbox style, accounts, and filters. There are HD themes and Custom themes). 
           • Send feedback (With this button you have the opportunity to send an email to Google to send your own feedback about anything you wish). 
           • Help (An additional window/tab will appear on your computer that talks about the damages that can be casued to Gmail). 


Customization: 

          When you make a Gmail account, now you are able to use that account and cusatomize your Google Chrome application on your computer, create a direct account with YouTube and a direct account with Blogger. This makes it a lot easier for other Google users to interact with each other even if they are wishing to communicate outside of the actual social network/chat on Google. As mentiones prevoiusly, there is a button called "Themes" that allows you to personalize your account according to your tastes, but it also limited because it does not have an infinite number of themes. 

What are some cool things it can do?:


     Storage: Gmail service currently provides more than 10 GB of free storage per account, but users can rent additional storage that is shared between Picasa Web Albums and Google Drive. Gmail will provide 15 GB of storage can be rented apart from the 10 that is already provided by Gmail. 

     Gmail Labs: They are a sort of label that allow users to test new or experimental features on Gmail (bookmarking, keyboard shortcuts, etc.). Users can end up enabling their labs. This allows Gmail to obtain user input about new features that are being used by their clients. 

     Spam filter: It is a system of spam filtering that features a community-drivensystem that tells other Gmail users about emails that are being spammed numerous times by different users. This allows Gmail to identify future similar messages and spam it before it arrives to the users inbox. 

     Gmail mobile: It is the access to Gmail in smartphones. It is available in more than 40 different languages. It has the exact same features as the Gmail you use when you access it from a computer. The design is particular for all the features to fit effectively and creatively on the mobile screen. 

     Social Networking: Google Buzz is integrated with Gmail allowing users to share media as a social network (sharing links and status updates). In 2011 it was discontinued and replaced with Google +. The Gmail system also has a instant messaging system in which you can chat with other Gmail users while they are online. The messaging window is similar to the one seen in Facebook.  

     Google voice: It is similar to the voice system in Apple's IOS6 because you can record what you want to send to another person by using the option in the chat, the computer processes the information and the message appears on the chat window. You can also call another person with the Google Voice (similar to Skype).  

     Google chat: The Google chat in the instant messaging system that is provided in the Gmail account when logged in to the email. It allows you to see which users are online and chat with them just like in any other social network (Facebook for example). 

     Offline Google Mail: The offline Google mail is the common email that everybody knows. The messages you get to your inbox and to your chat window when you are offline are automatically saves until you log in to your account in later moments. 

     Gmail Search: Google made a linkage between Google Search and Gmail. By logging in into your Gmail account you can search trough the Web anything you want and you can bookmark certain searches or websites onto your Google account and store or share that information at any time as long as you are logged on. 



How can teachers and students use Google at CNG: 

          I believe that teachers and students at CNG will be benefited by shifting to Google because all of the different apllications that Google has are beneficial for education. Now, they can be more interaction of students and teachers outside of school and projects can be made with other interesting tools that Google or one of it's apllications can provide. Also, there can be a common knowledge about this, that would be helpful because now every student and every teacher will now how to use the programs that are being used for teaching so there would be less problems regarding understanding of students of the material that is being taught.