Google Adds Google Docs Previews to Gmail

It seems like just yesterday we were talking about how email was improving. Google has now added a feature to Gmail that lets you preview the contents of Google Docs documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in your inbox.

This works the same way YouTube, Yelp, Picasa, and Flickr album previews have already been working. Gmail automatically detects when you receive a document link and displays the name and type of document below the email. You can then click "show preview" or "open in new window."

If you click "show preview," you won't have to switch between the email and the document, making it much more convenient in many cases. The feature is available as a Gmail Lab, so you'll have to activate it for it to work.

This is just the latest of Google's frequent enhancements to Gmail. Earlier this week they released the "Got the Wrong Bob?" feature, which is the latest addition to Google's "embarrassment-reducing" email tools. It is designed to keep you from sending a message to the wrong person (something you've more than likely done at some point in your life).