Lifehacker releases an update to Better Gmail
In a long-awaited and highly-anticipated move, Lifehacker’s Gina Trapani has released an update to the Better Gmail extension for Firefox.
The popular extension, which collects all of the popular Gmail Greasemonkey scripts together, became broken when Google suddenly brought out a new and vastly improved Gmail interface. But to her credit, Gina quickly got back to work, updating the scripts so that the extension would work again.
The update includes one that I have been waiting eagerly for to return - the ability to integrate Google Reader into the Gmail page - and also a surprising new feature - being able to “skin” your Gmail page with a grey background and a slightly different layout. Click on the following thumbnail to see the grey skin with the integrated Google Reader.
There are also some other useful features such as hiding the invitation box (which is pretty much useless now that Gmail has opened up to the public) and messages being highlighted in orange when you mouse over them.
Although there are still two highly sought-after features which are still missing from the Better Gmail update and these missing features have prompted some Gmail users to continue to use the old Gmail version in the meantime. The features are being able to insert an automatic HTML signature into an email window and bringing the automatic signature to the top of the email window, instead of Gmail placing it at the bottom of the email by default. Users are hoping that these two features will not be long in coming.
Don't miss another post! Subscribe by RSS feed or by email today!
Share this post! 4 comments, add yours!
Dear Sir,
I have received the last update of Better gmail. Now I cannot use my labels anymore. some of them are just not there. (they are not shown) The emails still are. My question is the following. Does it install automatically?, If nto, how do I do that? I have downloaded it several times, but I cannot find it on my computer, to install it myself.
What I woudl like is to see, which version I am using. However, this I also cannot find.
Thanks for your answer,
Best regards,
Nicolaas Hoff
When the extension is installed, close and re-open Firefox. Before re-opening Firefox however, make sure Firefox really is closed by checking the Windows Task Manager (CTRL + ALT + DEL). Sometimes Firefox doesn’t close properly and you need to close it down via the Task Manager in that case. If Firefox doesn’t close properly, then the extension update will not load properly.
Then go to your addons box again and click on the Better Gmail extension. Choose “settings” and you should now see the new features being offered.
Two other things - make sure you have the latest version of Firefox and make sure you have the new Gmail interface. If you still have the old Gmail, the Better Gmail extension will not work.
Hi Mark,
This will undoubtedly be the silliest question you’ve ever had on this. Apologies in advance.
I liked the idea of an HTML signature (feedburner headline animation) so downloaded (and installed, it’s all there) Gina’s Better Gmail2. I think the version is 0.3.4.
All I thought I had to do then was click Settings in gmail and Allow HTML …
And here’s the dumb thing. I can’t for the life of me see this Allow HTML.. anywhere in settings.
What am I doing wrong ?
Cheers,
Gerry
Gerry : As yet, the new Gmail does not allow HTML signatures and Better Gmail has not been updated by Lifehacker to support HTML signatures in Gmail 2.0.
Until Gina Trapani updates her extension to support HTML signatures, you either have to wait or you have to downgrade your Gmail to the old version AND install the OLD Better Gmail if you want to use the HTML signatures feature.
I’m frustrated at losing the HTML signatures feature as I loved having it.