Skip to main content

Are ‘Shelfies’ the next big trend? Google adds shareable selfies to Gmail

shelfies next big trend google adds shareable selfies gmail shelfie
Image used with permission by copyright holder

On April 1, 2014, Google marks the 10th anniversary of Gmail, and to celebrate, it is launching a new feature called “Shareable Selfie,” or “Shelfie” for short. Since selfies are all the rage right now, Google thought it would celebrate Gmail’s birth with a gift of custom imagery that’s all about the user.

“When Custom Themes launched back in 2012, we urged you to find ‘your perfect image and make Gmail your own,’” wrote Gmail Software Engineer Greg Bullock, in the Gmail blog. “And you did. Many of you rushed to take photos of yourselves to upload as your Gmail Custom Theme, which you started referring to as ‘selfies.’

“As the pioneering platform for selfies, Gmail is committed to being at the forefront of innovation in the selfie space. And we think it’s a tragedy that your handsome hair, luscious lashes, and beautiful brows have been trapped in your own inbox. Until now, that is,” Bullock added.

Katty Perry
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Now, Google gives users the ability to share those custom theme selfies with others. “With just a few clicks, your mom, your aunt, or that girl you have a crush on can set your Shelfie as their Gmail theme so they can enjoy checking, reading, and writing emails while seeing your friendly face in the background.” To use the new feature, simply refresh your Gmail page, and set your theme. You can use a photo in your Google+/Picasa account, or snap a new shot with your webcam. Not feeling photogenic? Use one of the top-trending Gmail Shelfies or see what’s currently trending on the Gmail Google+ page. The current top-trending Shelfie, as of this writing, seems to be of Miss Piggy, but prior ones include Katy Perry with her cat, Monkey, and snowboarder Sage Kostenburg – possibly marketing collabs.

Of course, as you’ve probably guessed from the date, it’s another Google attempt at an April Fools’ joke, albeit a terribly weak one when you compare it to Google Maps Pokemon (we’re beginning to wonder if Googlers do any actual work during this time). But besides the joke, April 1 really is Gmail’s birthday, and this is an actual feature you can use. As for Gmail being responsible for the selfie phenomenon? No so much. If you, like us, are old enough to remember, Gmail was once so exclusive you had to beg an existing user for an invitation.

(Via Official Gmail Blog)

Topics
Les Shu
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I am formerly a senior editor at Digital Trends. I bring with me more than a decade of tech and lifestyle journalism…
Sony camera Black Friday deals: Save on camera body and lenses
sony-a9-best-mirrorless-camera

The deals season has officially started and Black Friday deals are coming out of the woodwork to get us items that we might normally pass on. And if there is one company that has been dominating again and again this year, it is Sony. We've seen flush rosters of Sony Black Friday deals, such as Sony headphones and earbuds deals where you can get a pair of headphones for as low as $10. Meanwhile, Black Friday Sony TV deals are getting us up to a thousand dollars off on an 8K TV. So, the big question becomes, what are photographers getting from Sony this year?

We've already seen the Sony brand pop up in the mirrorless and point and shoot categories for our investigation of the best Black Friday camera deals. Now, we wish to go more in depth and see what else we can snag from the brand, including lenses. If you're not set on a Sony, there are great GoPro Black Friday deals, Nikon Black Friday deals, and Canon Black Friday deals available as well.
Best Sony body Black Friday deals

Read more
Sony Alpha 7R V mirrorless camera is $400 off for Black Friday
sony alpha 7r v mirrorless camera deal best buy november 2023 release render

If you're thinking about getting a new mirrorless camera from this year's Black Friday deals, here's an offer that you shouldn't pass up -- the Sony Alpha 7R V for $3,500, following a $400 discount from Best Buy on its sticker price of $3,900. It's still not affordable with the savings, but this mirrorless camera will quickly prove that it's worth every single penny. We're not sure how much time remains before its price goes back to normal though, so if you don't want to miss out on what we think will turn out to be one of the most popular Sony camera Black Friday deals, you know what to do -- add it to your cart and check out immediately.

Why you should buy the Sony Alpha 7R V mirrorless camera
Among the benefits of a mirrorless camera is they're less bulky because of the absence of the mirror found in a DSLR, so instead of an optical viewfinder, you'll compose your shots on an electronic viewfinder or an LCD screen, according to our digital camera buying guide. You'll get these with the Sony Alpha 7R V and more, as it's capable of recording 8K 24p/25p and 4K 60p/50p video, and taking 61MP photos. It's powered by the Bionz XR image processor, which can process massive amounts of image data while reducing latency.

Read more
GoPro’s latest action camera is $50 off for Black Friday
The GoPro Hero 12 action camera recording water on a beach.

GoPro is the best action camera brand for adrenaline junkies and outdoor lovers, so there's always high demand for GoPro Black Friday deals. The latest release, the GoPro Hero 12 Black, was just rolled out in September, but surprisingly, its price has already been slashed for the shopping holiday with a $50 discount from Best Buy, so it will be yours for $350 instead of $400. We're not sure how long this offer will remain online though, so if you want to get the action camera for cheaper than usual, you should proceed with the purchase immediately.

Why you should buy the GoPro Hero 12 Black
The GoPro Hero 12 Black continues the brand's tradition of stepping up the capabilities of its action cameras with every succeeding generation. It's capable of recording 16:9 videos in 5K resolution at up to 30 frames per second, and 4K resolution at up to 60 frames per second, and it adds High Dynamic Range, allowing you to capture all of your most memorable adventures with extreme detail. The action camera features HyperSmooth 6.0 stabilization that does magic on shaky footage, and up to 8x slow motion for moments that the human eye will never see on its own.

Read more