Google announced the release of an innovative new mobile client, Gmail for mobile devices. This freely downloadable Java application delivers Gmail users the look and feel of Gmail through an interface that's optimized for handheld devices.

Gmail users can already access their accounts through the browser on their mobile devices, but this application comes extra with search, conversation view, and automatic synchronization with the desktop version -- with the following new benefits:

• Up to five times faster access and use by automatic pre-fetching of messages
• Drastically reduced clicks and scrolling to access email
• Fewer keystrokes for reading, composing, or searching mail
• Attachments, including files and photos, viewable and automatically resized to fit the user's phone

users can go to gmail.com/app from their mobile browser to download the app. If users don't already have a Gmail account, they can sign up for an account via SMS by going to gmail.google.com and clicking on "sign up for Gmail".

The application is available completely free of charge from Google (carrier mobile data charges may still apply). It is currently compatible with all J2ME-enabled phones in the U.S. and works with a variety of carrier service plans.