Gmail Calender, Docs, SMS and user gadgets now in Labs

Click the Labs icon in Gmail (/Google Mail) today and you’ll find a bunch of new experimental features. The one most people seem to be talking about is the addition of SMS (text messaging) to Google Chat but be warned, for the time being this is for US-based GChatters only.

However, there are three other recent additions to Labs that to our mind are just as noteworthy.

It’s now possible, for instance, to add a Google Calendar gadget to the Gmail sidebar, as well as a Google Docs box. But we think the most interesting newcomer is the 'Add any gadget' option. More details after the cut.

If you’ve not explored Gmail Labs before, log into your account and click the little green phial icon at the top right (or click Settings followed by the Labs tab). You’ll find loads of experimental features to play with. As noted, the latest include a Calendar gadget (which displays a summary of your Google Calendar in the left-hand column), a Google Docs box (similar) and, if you’re Stateside, free SMS/text chat via a 406 area code number in Google Chat.

But note also the aforesaid 'Add any gadget' option. Enable this and a new tab will be added to Settings – Gadgets. Click this tab and you can now enter the URL of any old XML gadget (like http://www.google.com/ig/modules/youtube_videos.xml, being Google's own example), which will then be displayed in the Gmail sidebar. Nifty stuff.

[ Official Gmail Blog]