Google makes Gmail easier to organise

Google has admitted that some common Gmail tasks are too complicated

Google has updated Gmail to make it easier for users to organise their inbox, allowing them to add labels to their emails to arrange them into categories.

Previously Gmail users had to label messages by using the 'More actions' menu and then the 'Archive' option. Google has now added buttons and menus to the top of the Gmail inbox so that users can label and archive emails in a single step.

Google engineer Emil Eklund said in the Gmail blog that it was not always obvious to users how they should use labels. " It hasn't helped that some common tasks have been more complicated than they should be," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Google's mobile division has introduced voice search on the Android mobile platform, although it will only be available to T-Mobile G1 customers in the US.

UK users have responded to the news of the launch on the Google Mobile blog with questions on when the feature will reach the UK.

Google explained that users will be able to start searching by voice with just the touch of a button.

"On the home screen search widget, look for the microphone button right next to the search box and the search button. Press that button, wait for the 'Speak now' prompt, and then say your query," said Android software engineer Jeff Hamilton.