Gmail and Google Calendar to add Offline Support

Gears will enable offline functionality for Gmail and Google calander within six weeks, meaning you can continue to use both web application and your online content while you are not connected to the Internet. The search giant currently offers offline functionality in Reader and Google Docs but Gmail and Google Calendar are next.

Some users have already seen the offline option "accidentally" turned on in Google Calendar. Gmail is to receive offline functionality in the same time frame as Google Calendar. According to sources close to Google, the feature will enable you to mark messages for offline viewing and editing and you will be able to compose new messages in offline mode. Next time you connect to the Internet, all changes will be synchronized and messages created in offline mode will be delivered to recipients.

Google is apparently set to enhance Gmail contacts with SyncML, an industry standard for data synchronization. It will enable two-way contacts and calendar synchronization between Gmail and web applications or devices (computer, MIDs). Google currently allows web services to securely read users' Gmail contacts but prevents them from editing or updating Gmail contacts directly, unlike Yahoo! and Windows Live contacts APIs. This limitation is the reason why Plaxo still doesn't enable two-way synchronization with Gmail contacts. Google is apparently using SyncML internally to enable contacts synchronization with the iPhone.