Over the next couple of weeks, Google will be rolling out a new ‘People Widget’ for Gmail, which has been designed to help organize the content you share with your contacts. Once rolled out to your account, it will appear on the right-hand side of your Gmail page and display messages, phone calls, and chats you have had with your contacts.
The new widget doesn’t require you to install a new plugin or do anything; it will just start appearing for Gmail users over the next couple of weeks.
Features of the People Widget
Once the ‘People Widget’ has made it to your account, next to every email message, contextual information will appear about the contacts in each conversation. This includes recent emails you received from them, relevant Buzz posts, shared documents, and calendar events. This feature aims to streamline your communication by providing quick access to the history and context of your interactions with each contact.
For example, if you are discussing a project with a colleague, the widget will display any related documents you have shared, recent emails about the project, and upcoming meetings. This can save you time and effort, as you won’t need to search through your inbox or calendar to find this information.
Future Enhancements and Integration
Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites are not available within the widget at launch but may be added as updates to the new ‘People Widget’ in the future. This potential integration could further enhance the widget’s utility by providing a more comprehensive view of your interactions across different platforms.
Imagine being able to see a contact’s latest tweets or Facebook posts directly within Gmail. This could provide valuable context for your conversations and help you stay up-to-date with your contacts’ activities without needing to switch between different apps or websites.
Additionally, the People Widget could evolve to include more advanced features, such as AI-driven suggestions for follow-up actions based on the content of your conversations. For instance, if you discuss scheduling a meeting, the widget could suggest available time slots or even draft a calendar invite for you.
Overall, the People Widget represents a significant step forward in making email communication more efficient and contextually rich. By consolidating various types of information related to your contacts in one place, it aims to reduce the cognitive load and streamline your workflow.
Source: Gmail
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.