Google announces Gmail Blue on April Fool's Day

New Delhi: Quite like on April 1 every year, Google has lined up a series of April Fool's Day hoaxes. Google released a YouTube clip declaring that the world's most popular video website will shut down till 2023 and also announced its olfactory new feature Google Nose. Google has introduced another video announcing the all new Gmail Blue e-mail client.

The Gmail Blue announcement is another April Fool's prank from Google. The video says, the compose button will turn blue while you click on it to create a new message.

Everything will appear blue from labels to body text in Gmail Blue, explains a Google executive in the video. Another Google executive tells that the company tried different colours - orange, brown before they nailed down the Blue colour - the reminiscent of nature.

Everything will appear blue from labels to body text in Gmail Blue, explains a Google executive in the video.

"Starting today, you'll get to experience the next big step for Gmail, Gmail Blue," says Google in a blog post. The company has employed efforts to make people believe that Gmail Blue is the next face of Gmail; however it fails.

Watch the video below to see Google's bogus Gmail Blue. Google had launched Gmail nine years ago on April 1, 2004.

How to Switch Back to Old Gmail Compose (Temporarily)

Response to Gmail's new compose feature has been less than celebratory. Many users are confused by the minimalist design and hidden tools, preferring instead to interact with the typical icons and options from old Gmail compose.

SEE ALSO: 10 Pros and Cons of Gmail's New Compose Feature

But Google rolled out new Gmail compose to all account holders Thursday, rendering it the default. It seems Google no longer offers users the choice to work in the old compose window — at least, not explicitly.

To "temporarily switch back to old compose," tap the Compose icon as if you were creating a new email. Then click the arrow on the bottom-right of the window. Select the option from the drop-down box that reverts your interface back to the old design.

But who's to say Google will keep that option around for long? You may prefer to dive into the new Gmail compose, anyway, since it's becoming more mandatory by the day.

What changes would you like to see in Gmail? What works? Share your opinions in the comments below.

Mashable composite. Images courtesy, Google, Sweetclipart.com.

BONUS: 10 Keyboard Shortcuts for Gmail Power Users

How Much the World's Most Iconic Logos Cost Companies to Design Them

The price tag for some of the most iconic logos of all time varies drastically. While some of the most iconic brands in the world cost hundreds of millions of dollars to create, others got away with a check for just $15. Some spent nothing.

A good logo is crucial for a company's branding strategy.

While Pepsi recently redesigned its bottle, it decided to keep its logo, which it redesigned in 2008 for $1 million. (Signing Beyonce as a multi-year brand ambassador cost the company $50 million.)

Stock Logos—a site that offers, well, stock logos—has compiled a list that reveals how much Coca-Cola, Nike and other companies spent creating their logos.

But you'll be surprised which companies spent millions and which spent the cost of a movie ticket on their iconic images.

Microsoft: $0

Microsoft

 Google: $0

Although Google's famous, rainbow logo has gone through minor alterations over the years, the original design was created in 1998 by Google co-founder Sergey Brin on the free graphics program called GIMP. Then Ruth Kedar, a mutual friend of Brin and Larry Page from Stanford, got to work on other logo prototypes.

Coca-Cola: $0

 Coke's famous logo was created by its founder's partner and bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, in 1886. According to the soft drink's website, Robinson "suggested the name Coca‑Cola, thinking that ‘the two Cs would look well in advertising’. He wanted to create a unique logo to go with it, and experimented writing the company’s name in elaborate Spencerian script, a form of penmanship characteristic of the time."

The best things in life are free.

Twitter: $15

Twitter bought rights to the now-famous Twitter bird for $15 on iStockphoto. Artist Simon Oxley, a British citizen living in Japan, might have only received $6 for his work—without a credit. However, the bird has undergone a recent makeover.

Nike: $35

Nike co-founder Phil Knight purchased the famous swoosh logo from graphic design student Carolyn Davidson in 1971. Knight was teaching an accounting class at Portland State University, and he heard Davidson talking about not being able to afford oil paints in the halls. That's when he offered her $2/hour to do charts, graphs, and finally a logo.

"I don't love it, but maybe it will grow on me," Knight said, after doling out $35 for the swoosh.

Enron: $33,000

Paul Rand was paid $33,000 for creating the Enron logo in the 1990s. Rand also created logos for ABC, IBM, UPS, NeXT, and Westinghouse.

Pepsi: $1 million

Arnell Group redesigned Pepsi's logo to the tune of $1 million in 2008. According to Stock Logos, "The listed prices include a complete branding package unless otherwise noted."

A 27-page document, titled "Breathtaking," was full of pop-culture buzz words explaining Arnell's methodology for the redesign. The report was mocked using phrases like: "Emotive forces shape the gestalt of the brand identity."

BBC: $1.8 million 

The BBC made over its logo in 1997, switching from slanted fonts and splashes of color to the simple, letter boxes typed in Gill Sans.

Accenture: $100 million 

 

Accenture

The consultancy's change from "Arthur Andersen" to Accenture was one of the most expensive rebrandings of all time. 

Google to Cut 10% of Motorola's Workforce

Google's Motorola is planning to cut 10% of its global workforce, the Wall Street Journalreports.

The news comes from an internal company email which explains the reasoning behind the job cuts. "While we're very optimistic about the new products in our pipeline, we still face challenges," it says.

"These cuts are a continuation of the reductions we announced last summer. It's obviously very hard for the employees concerned, and we are committed to helping them through this difficult transition," a Motorola spokesperson said.

Google plans to shed jobs in China, India and the U.S. A total of about 1,200 employees will lose their jobs.

This is a second major wave of layoffs in the company after Google decided to cut the Motorola Mobility workforce by 20% in August 2012. In December 2012, Google sold off Motorola's set top business to Arris for $2.35 billion.

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