Sunday, August 8, 2010

Gmail offers multiple account login

I know I am not the first one to report this and I don't feel like I have "scooped" anyone.  But, since I use Gmail quite a bit, and recommend it to many I found this new feature to be one of the most compelling in a while.

You are able to link 3 accounts to a single browser and switch between the 3 from the same browsing experience without closing the browser, playing with your cookies or any kind of hacking at all.

Here's what you do according to the Google Blog post.  You need to sign into your "default" account first at http://www.google.com/accounts  then you should click on the "Edit" link next to the "Multiple sign-in" feature listed in the first section.   By default it should say "off".   Then you need to read a few details and click checkboxes to make sure you understand and then you log into your second and 3rd.

I found this all worked, as advertized.  One disappointment, is that it is only for the default account and 2 additional.   I also, by chance discovered that it is information stored in the browser cookies.  So on my dual booting laptop,  multiple account sign on wasn't present in the second OS and I had to set it up again, which leads me to believe they are just managing this with a smarter cookie and it may even be on a per browser basis.  

Of note!!!!  I didn't find a way to remove one of the accounts, so choose your additional two wisely until that changes.

Happy Gmailing.

-- CafeNinja
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