It looks like Google is getting ready to reveal a new, more polished interface for Gmail, if only to distract us from the embarrassing quietness we’re seeing on Google+; it remains to be seen whether the overhaul is part of their wider Google+ initiative or not, but visually the interfaces have a lot in common.

Google ‘accidentally’ uploaded a video of  guided tour by user interface technician Jason Cornwell of the Gmail redesign. Said a Google spokesperson directly afterwards;

“Oops, you weren’t supposed to see that. Stay tuned, we’ll be sharing more info on Gmail’s new look soon.”

The biggest change to the 40-million-strong email suite is an improved search option for those wanting to sift through their email backlog for particular snatches of conversation; they’ve also tweaked the chat mechanism pretty nicely.

In related Google news, the company has dropped its policy of requiring users to go by their legal names on the Google+ social network.

Says digital rights advocates Electronic Frontier Foundation:

“We’re cautiously optimistic that Google+ will do the right thing to ensure that all of its users feel free to express themselves on the site.”

[Source: GoogleSystem]