Google is working hard to improve its offline presence. Now you can access your email, documents and calendar anytime you want with a new web app.
This move is to support those users who really need to access to it's services with no Internet connection. Moreover, the app will be very helpful for airplane passengers or while waiting in a place that has either expensive Internet connection or no coverage area.
Google announced this in the Gmail Blog. Gmail users can now read, compose, delete, organize and manage their email without an Internet connection. Very useful to check important emails before an abroad meeting.
What happens with the emails I compose and click send?
Those emails you compose and send without connection, are saved in draft and sent in background when you are connected again to Internet. In the same way, received emails are downloaded when you connect to Internet again.
When can I start using it?
Actually, offline Gmail was an old project brought back to life. It was introduced first in 2009. Now it is back again in and you can use as a Google Chrome App. Offline Gmail looks like Gmail app for tablets. That is because that app was designed to work with or without Internet access.
Regarding Calendar and Docs, their offline version will be available this week. The bad news is that you cannot edit documents in offline mode. But hey! Google is working on it, so we can expect those features soon.
At the moment, the apps are available for Google Chrome. Nevertheless, Google says that it intends to release offline apps designed for other browsers once they support the functionality.
What about you? Do you think that this app is useful?