Exploring gmail and other google applications by a video production company Do you remember the first time you sent and received an email? It was probably back when AOL’s famous “You’ve got mail” was an exciting invention in technology. Fonts used to be generic, and emails used to be bland. Now, we can’t escape from our flooding inboxes, and there are more features available than we can keep up with. Email has come a long way from being a new, exciting thing to being a staple for communication. My, how time flies! Does anyone even use AOL for email anymore?
Now, Google has taken over the Internet. “Googling” is even defined in the dictionary. One of the best things about Google is that it is always updating its products and services to be more user-friendly and efficient. A great example is its email platform, Gmail. Gmail has some really great features for sharing and ease of use, which explains why its one of the most popular email platforms.
Comparable to the drag and drop features of the Apple iOS, Gmail gives its users the ability to drag and drop attachments straight into its email compose window — images, videos, documents — you name it. Images can be seen without having to open them and videos can be viewed without leaving your inbox. Now that’s convenience. On other email platforms, you need to worry about how big your attachments are, or your email won’t send — not with Gmail. Since Gmail is automatically integrated into Google Drive, every Gmail user has 15 GB of storage in their Google Drive, which makes it easy to share larger files like videos.
Did you know that you can also email videos to your contacts through YouTube? Since Google acquired YouTube in October of 2006, YouTube is also integrated with every Gmail account. If you find a video you enjoy on YouTube, right below it, next to “Share” and “Embed” is “Email.” Start typing in the To box, and you’ll find that your Gmail contacts will start appearing. Wha-la! Another great feature of using Gmail. 
Google has so many integrated applications and features to explore. It seems like the features are unlimited. I can see the world from my living room by using Google Maps and find out nearly anything I need to know from its search engine. If I have forgotten my phone, I am rest assured that I can make a phone call for free through Gmail to anyone in the U.S. or Canada.
Google Chrome is also another staple in the Google family. Have you checked out its enormous inventory of add-ons in the Chrome App Store? For example, by using one of the Gmail add-ons, you can see how many emails you have in your inbox at all times. With its Hangouts add-on, your chat windows can appear at all times, not just in your email inbox. Finally, I don’t have to flip around through my tabs to see if I have a new G-chat, also known as a Hangout, or email.
Speaking of Hangouts, if you enjoy video calling, Google made Hangouts for you. You can have a video call with up to 10 Google users at once, and you will definitely enjoy the Google Hangouts Effects. With these, you can wear a scuba mask or a mustache, among a number of animations and sounds, during your video call. These are a fun way to spice up a conversation!
If you weren’t questioning whether or not Google is trying to take over your life, you probably are now. But, rest assured, there are some amazing benefits to many of Google’s applications. Since it’s not going away anytime soon, it’s best to embrace them. After all, Google does seem pretty dedicated to making our lives easier, and a lot of its applications are free, which is always a competitive advantage.
What are your favorite features of Gmail or any other Google applications? We’d love to hear from you. MJR Visuals is a full video production and media solutions company, dedicated to defining imagination through video. To request a quote, send us a message through our contact form on our website.