Google has added a new feature to its Gmail which allows users to post tweets and do some ‘social networking’. Though, it looks like a Facebook-cum-twitter app, it doesn’t have  all the features supported by a good social networking site like Facebook. This means that though people may use this as alternative for twitter service, Google can’t lure facebook users to their new service.

This edition of techblog tells you how to add facebook to your Gmail.

Some of you may have notice that Google mail supports widgets and Google itself is promoting many widgets like Google calendar. But recently Google extended support for third party widgets through a back-end service provided by Google labs.

You need to go the Google labs settings in your Gmail and look for the option ‘Add a gadget by its URL’  ( developed by Dan and Dong).

You need to change the option to ‘Enable’ and then go to the settings page of Gmail (Google mail – for UK users). You will be able to find a new tab – Gadgets – in the settings page.

Once you click on that tab you will be redirected to a page where you can add the URL of the Gadget (widget) that you want to add to your Gmail.

In the text box enter the following URL

http://hosting.gmodules.com/ig/gadgets/file/104971404861070329537/facebook.xml

Then click on the add button.

Once you have done that you will be to see the widget link in the sidebar of Gmail (see the picture shown below)

When you click on that menu item (‘Facebook) you will be directed to your Facebook account.  And as you can see in this picture, you will be able to access your Facebook account  directly from your Gmail (Google mail).

You may note that since it is a widget you don’t have to give any details to the widget directly. This means that you don’t have to share your username or password with a third party (and you will communicating with the Facebook site directly).

Adding Twitter to Gmail

You can add the twitter widget in the similar way as you did for the Facebook widget.

The only difference is the URL that you need to enter. In this case you need to add the following URL:

https://twittergadget.appspot.com/gadget-gmail.xml

That’s it

Now you have Facebook, Twitter and Buzz in your Gmail (Goole mail) !