Google Launches Official Gmail Add-On Program (pcworld.com) 32
Google is making it possible for developers to bring their services into Gmail using new integrations called Add-ons. From a report on PCWorld: It's built so that developers can write one set of code in Google's Apps Script language and have their integration run in Gmail on the web, as well as inside Google's Android and iOS apps for the service. For example, a QuickBooks add-on would let users easily send invoices to people who they're emailing. Google already offers Add-ons for its Docs word processing and Sheets spreadsheet software. This sort of system could be useful for users because it helps them get work done without leaving Gmail. It also helps draw users into Google's official email app, rather than use one of the many other clients that can access the service, including Microsoft Outlook.
PGP/GPG webmail plugin : Mailvelope (Score:5, Interesting)
Have a look at Mailvelope [mailvelope.com].
- It's generic (not GMail specific, should work on lots of webmail website, simply by encrypting/decrypting their TextArea)
- It's multi-platform (Chrome Extension, Firefox plug-in, most OSes)
- Enables PGP signing and encryption.
- All the crypto is done locally on your computer inside the plug-in. The webmail site only sees encrypted blocks in the editor's input field.
It has a few shortcomings :
- Only works on "textarea" form field, so won't work for encrypting attachments.
BUT:
- You can still encrypt/decrypt files on your computer (this can be facilitated by by Mailvelope) and upload the *encrypted file* as an attachment.
(This is a work around for GMail, Outlook, etc.) You get the security of encryption, at the cost of a few extra step.
- Mailvelope provides an API and some provider (GMX.de) do integrate with the API and thus provide full support for attachment encryption (done by Mailvelope) without disturbing the end-user experience
With the GMail Add-On program, Mailvelope developers could implement the necessary things on the GMail side of things as a Gmail Add-On, so it will correctly cooperate with the Mailvelope extension and provide seamlessly encrypted files *without* needing Google to spend time integrating vanilla Gmail with Mailvelope's API (integration done at the Gmail Add-on level isntead).
ETA (Score:2)
This is fantastic news (Score:4, Insightful)
I'll be able to share all my private details with even more corporations now.
Re: (Score:1)
Leery (Score:3)
I'd be real leery of this, Google has demonstrated a history of abandoning and closing-down projects that people have come to depend upon. If this really does appeal then the developer and the users need to keep in mind that the floor could be yanked out from under them at any time with very little in the way of notice.
Re: (Score:2)
I'd be real leery of this, Google has demonstrated a history of abandoning and closing-down projects that people have come to depend upon. If this really does appeal then the developer and the users need to keep in mind that the floor could be yanked out from under them at any time with very little in the way of notice.
And they've inspired Microsoft to do the same! Azure, Office 365, Intune, all promoting services that get dropped and moving targets on how you should configure stuff. "Hey, you don't need backoffice servers, run all your management tools right here on the cloud!" ... 6 months later ... "Hey, we're discontinuing this service. Try something else!"
Lock in *and* data mining! (Score:2)
Send invoices via email? (Score:2)
I anxiously await this technology to attach things to an email. They need a name for this innovation. Maybe attachments?
Re: (Score:1)
It obviously isn't that. That already exists. You're going to feel pretty dumb when you work this out. Perhaps start by reading the article?
Exactly what I need (Score:5, Funny)
At the very least, we should be able to send ActiveX controls.
Are people really dumb enough to fall for this? (Score:2)
The more specialized logic you add to your mailreader, the worse fit webmail is. IMAP, on the other hand, already is a standard interface!
Re: (Score:2)
I understand why people do it; I just think the costs outweigh the relatively minor benefits. (And yes, I realize other people weigh things differently) Having a mailreader on your desktop(s) isn't a big deal. The only time it matters much, is when it's someone else's desktop, since a lot of mail clients make the initial setup somewhat of a pain in the ass. (And I get how a layman might not remember whether their server uses starttls vs ssl; I'll admit there are barriers to fast setup, where you want to ask
Might I suggest a small change? (Score:2)
This couldn't possibly go wrong... (Score:1)
Yet another reason to run screaming for the door and leave Google and Gmail far, far behind.
--
Steve (AC because I've yet to register after all these years)