The Gmail Blog has announced they have been making structural changes to the Gmail code base to make Gmail iterate faster and share components with other Google applications such as Google Groups, Page Creator, and Contact Manager.

How do you know if you have the new Gmail? If you login to Gmail and look at the top right of the page and see a link for “Older Version,” that means you have the new Gmail. Honestly, I did not know I had the new version until I saw all the news at Techmeme about it.

Don’t have the new Gmail, or you do have it and don’t know what is different? Gmail 2.0 Screenshots from Google Blogoscoped has detailed screen shots of the various pages and new features.

Google Operating System describes the new features include “mail prefetching, updated contact manager and other small updates.” In addition to that, he explains there is a new JavaScript architecture. Also, look for new links to permalinks, new contact manager, photo picker, and mail prefetching.

Google says Gmail is so quick on Apple’s new Safari 3.0 browser that it only takes sub-200ms to open a new message. I am using Safari 3.0, and it seems that quick.

Related Topics: Google: Gmail

About The Author: Barry Schwartz is Search Engine Land's News Editor and owns RustyBrick, a NY based web consulting firm. He also runs Search Engine Roundtable, a popular search blog on very advanced SEM topics. Barry's personal blog is named Cartoon Barry and he can be followed on Twitter here. For more background information on Barry, see his full bio over here. See more articles by Barry Schwartz