Gmail gets emoticons :-)
The Gmail team, which recently announced Gmail for Mobile 2.0 and autoreplies, is at it again on Friday with the introduction of Gmail emoticons.
"The black-and-white days of text-based e-mails have had their day," Darren Lewis, Gmail engineer, said in a blog post. "Following the evolutionary path blazed by colored labels, we present, in all their technicolor glory, emoticons in your mail."
Emoticons have been available on Google Chat for quite some time, but this is the first time they've made an appearance on Gmail. Besides obvious gestures like smiling or winking, the new emoticons will enable users to input images of hugs and kisses instead of "XOXO" and pictures of drinks, cake, or exclamation points to help them get their points across better.
Although the announcement was made to add functionality to Gmail, Lewis did say that all the emoticons made available in this release that weren't already offered on Google Chat have been added "for your enjoyment."
Emoticons have been available on Google Chat for quite some time, but this is the first time they've made an appearance on Gmail. All the emoticons made available in this release that weren't already offered on Google Chat have been added.
(Credit: Google)
Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has written about everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Don is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and posts at The Digital Home. He is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.





http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=34056
I agree with hillary cliton.
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One hopes Google will continue to follow, and add stationeries
TO GMAIL===STOP FOLLOWING THE CROWD AND GET "ORIGINAL". SURPRISE US FOR A CHANGE.
YES. GMAIL IS FREE TO ME AND I GRACIOUSLY THANK YOU FOR THAT. AN OUTSTANDING MAIL SERVICE THAT I BELIEVE CANNOT BE BEAT. I DOUBT YOU'LL EVER SEE THIS, SO THAT MEANS I'VE SAID MY PEACE TO THE MASSES, TILL NEXT TIME . PENDRAGON.