Offline Usage of Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Docs is Possible (Again)

If you were a regular user of Google Gears that introduced the ability to use popular Google Apps offline then you would agree that when the service was shut down, it was frustrating to say the least. Users have been demanding that Google restores offline usage for the main apps like Gmail, Calendar and Docs in some form, and looks like the prayers have finally been answered.

You can now use Gmail offline using the Gmail Offline beta (or Offline Google Mail) chrome extension. This add-on uses HTML5 technology to let you read, send, organize your Gmail even when your internet connection isn’t working. The changes are synced when you come back online.

As you see in the above screenshot, the interface of offline Gmail is the one that Gmail has in tablets like iPad. Yes, unlike Gears, here the interface is completely different when you are working offline. It isn’t bad though; it is smooth and gets the job done.

When you are online and working in the regular Gmail, messages are automatically synchronized with the offline app in the background.

The offline functionality has been introduced in Google Calendar and Google Docs too, and it is being rolled out slowly. In both the tools, the feature is available in the menu on the top right.

In Calendar, events can be viewed and RSVP’ed in the offline mode. The Google Docs offline mode is, however, more constrained. You can only view your documents in the offline mode and cannot edit them. Google says that the offline editing feature should be available soon.

Overall, I think this is great news and I am eagerly waiting for the functionality to arrive in Google Reader because that is one service I’d want to use in the offline mode more than anything else. What about you?