Gmail Mobile, which Google claims is designed to synchronize users' phones with their Gmail accounts, sizes photos and documents for small screens and allows users to “reply-by-call” to people whose phone number is stored in their Gmail accounts. The interface also is automatically optimized for the phone being used, and mobile users can access attachments, Microsoft Word documents and PDF files.
Before Gmail Mobile’s launch, the only way to access Gmail via a mobile phone was to use the POP download option.
Google’s new mobile plan coincides with the recent addition of customizable web clips and feeds to the Gmail inbox page, a vacation auto responder feature and the option to create contact groups.
Mobile devices that support the Gmail Mobile service so far include select phones from AT&T, Sprint, Cingular, T-Mobile and Verizon. Google says it is in the process of testing many more phones for compatible models.
The new mobile service is only available in English, although Google plans to roll out other language options over time, and the service is free to users in the U.S., although depending on the user’s mobile carrier, data transfer fees might be included.
Since its stormy launch in April 2004, Gmail has been the subject of ongoing debate and harsh criticism from advocacy groups who claim the free service violates privacy laws because it doesn't allow emails to be completely deleted from Google's servers.
California state Sen. Liz Figueroa, a Democrat from Fremont, even threw her contempt for Gmail into legislation that attempted to block Google's email service from functioning.
