New Gmail App For iPhone Is Unusable, Shows Errors Upon Launch

Well, that was a big disappointment. Google just unveiled its first native application for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch this morning, and the app is a mess. It’s unusable. It doesn’t even launch properly, displaying an error message upon startup.

Within moments of the application becoming available in iTunes, Gmail users took to Twitter, posting complaints, screenshots and generally ranting about the sorry state of what could have been a much better Gmail experience.

One of the app’s most promising features was its support for push notifications. This is something that the iPhone can’t do for Gmail by default. Unfortunately, none of the features Google promised in its blog post are accessible, because, for many users, the app is stillborn. You can’t even log in. (See below screenshots).

Twitter reactions are harsh:

Follow @parislemon@parislemon
MG Siegler

I'm shocked – SHOCKED – that Google was unable to launch an unbroken iOS app.

about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @Scobleizer@Scobleizer
Robert Scoble

The Gmail app is really a piece of crud. Not worth loading. Very disappointed. Discussing it here: plus.google.com/u/0/1110910895…

about 1 hour ago via Twitter for MacReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @edlamblet@edlamblet
Eduardo Lamblet � 

“@jsnell: Deleted the Gmail app. Well, that was easy.” // Second that! #gmailappios #fail

32 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @ljsgecko@ljsgecko
Laura Jane

Google. You were on thin ice with the greader and gmail updates. And now the G+ app update makes it nearly impossible to share pics #Fail

about 15 hours ago via Twidroyd for AndroidReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @woainidepigu@woainidepigu
Jeffrey Liu

@Google — Making interfaces uglier, one app at a time. Gmail fail.

about 18 hours ago via DigsbyReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @SolidMail@SolidMail
�

Gmail App on iOS is out and boy it is ugly and clunky! Please someone tell me how to use multiple accounts!? #FAIL

about 1 hour ago via Tweetbot for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @kevsweetwater@kevsweetwater
Kevsweetwater

Gmail app = FAIL no push notifications wtf !?!?!? Sends too Dev/null. DELETE

about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

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kerry morrison

Native gmail app launched an hour ago. This is what is shows on launch. #fail #facepalm http://t.co/OvWbgbrA

about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @opasco@opasco
Olivier Pasco

Google just released a GMail app for the iPhone and first thing it does at power-up is to report an error with notifications. Fail!

58 minutes ago via SeesmicReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @kyledhebert@kyledhebert
Kyle Hebert

Already an issue with the Gmail iPhone app: the forward and reply buttons only appear at the end of a message not the UI.

17 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

Apparently, not everyone thinks the app is bad news, however. And some have been able to load it:

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Michael Gartenberg

The new @gmail app is #awesome

about 1 hour ago via Twitter for MacReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @Ross@Ross
Ross Mayfield

I like the Gmail iPhone app because I can use it for one account, and the mobile web app for another

44 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

After installation, here’s what the app looks like (thanks to screenshots from Twitter users across a number of different cellular providers):

The real question is here is how were these problems not caught during testing, either on Google’s part or Apple’s? (Conspiracy theory: Apple did catch the errors, but approved the app anyway).

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A Look Back On Our Mobile First CrunchUp And 6th Annual Summer Party At August Capital

We had a blast yesterday at our Mobile First Crunchup and 6th Annual Summer Party at August Capital. At our CrunchUp, we had some amazing speakers and special guests. Even Chamillionaire managed to make a certain speaker sweat and started a debate on why Android doesn’t have a decent phone.

Later in the day, the drinks were flowing at August Capital and even Ron Conway was spotted enjoying a margarita or two. Our summer party was a huge success and we want to thank everyone who came.�We hope you had as much fun as we did.

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Mike Isaac

Annnnd Chamillionaire takes the mic at #crunchup.

July 29, 2011 4:11 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @Shirls@Shirls
Shirley Hornstein

+10 to @tristanwalker for making sure his kicks match the orange #crunchup after-party bracelets perfectly. Inside information?

July 29, 2011 3:47 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @harrymccracken@harrymccracken
Harry McCracken

Kevin Systrom of Instagram says that an Android version is "absolutely" going to happen. #crunchup

July 29, 2011 3:51 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

Follow @orenjacob@orenjacob
Oren Jacob

"Get a room guys." @erickschonfeld to @chchien and guy from U of Florida. #crunchup . #QOTD

July 29, 2011 4:04 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

Here’s a deeper look at the CrunchUp:

• MG Siegler sits down with HTML5 developer Joe Hewitt


• Erick Schonfeld talks with Instagram founder Kevin Systrom and Churn Labs founder Omar Hamoui


• Jason Kincaid with Bump's Jake Mintz, Soundtracking's Steve Jang, and Google's Matias Duarte


• Blockboard, a neighborhood app


• Next Jump’s mobile app, Ella


• Chamillionaire on Android


• Android's Matias Duarte

A huge thank you to our sponsors who made this all possible. We couldn’t have done it without you. For more pictures, please check out our Flickr page.

target=_blank>http://chilp.it/4d117e

Zuckerberg Surprised That People Are Surprised He's On Google+

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg joining Google+ was a major media event, with everyone from Forbes to The Daily Mail covering the fact that the founder established a Google+ profile, building Circles that include former Facebooker Dustin Moskovitz and current Facebook CTO Bret Taylor.

While many were doubtful that the real Zuckerberg would join a competing social service, tech blogger Robert Scoble texted Zuckerberg himself to confirm, tweeting out “Name drop moment. Zuckerberg just texted me back. Says “Why are people so surprised that I’d have a Google account?”

In case anyone is still doubting that it is the real Zuck on there, Scoble tells me that Zuckerberg indeed meant Google+ account when he referred to Google account. But the real question is, why are people so surprised that Zuckerberg would chose to be on Google+?

Perhaps the answer lies in the precedent set by Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who seem to have shied away from interacting on Facebook as themselves. (According to Steven Levy, Brin is actually on Facebook as a pseudonym. Google Chairman Eric Schmidt is also rumored to be on the service, independently of when Mike�impersonated him).

Page’s and Brin’s behavior aside, plenty of other founders (Myspace Tom�for example) have shown that it’s perfectly normal to partake and enjoy competitive services, and that it shouldn’t necessarily be considered an act of espionage. I for one just hope Zuckerberg is more prolific on Google+ than he is on Twitter.

Follow @Scobleizer@Scobleizer
Robert Scoble

Name drop moment. Zuckerberg just texted me back. Says "Why are people so surprised that I'd have a Google account?"

about 23 hours ago via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

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