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"Here's a fact that will make you feel old: Gmail is 10 years old today.\nOn April 1, 2004, Google introduced the beta version of its webmail feature, originally available by invitation only. Ten years later, Gmail boasts more than 425 million users. \nSee also: The Illustrated History of Twitter\nRecently, in the wake of security revelations, Google announced it would encrypt all Gmail messages. This led us to an obvious question many of us don't usually think to ask: Where exactly does an email go when you click \"Send\"? To learn the answer, check out the animated whiteboard video above.\nHave something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.\nBONUS GALLERY: The Many Faces of Gmail\n\n\nThe Many Faces of Gmail: A 10-Year Retrospective\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2004: Launch\nAccording to Google lore, a user \"kvetched about spending all her time filing messages or trying to find them,\" and asked Google to solve her email woes. This led an engineer to start working on the service as a \"20% time\" project, company-slang for employees' passion projects. Gmail would famously stay in beta until 2009, five years after launch. \n\nImage:  Screenshot, Google\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2006: Chat and Calendar\n2006 was a year of rapid expansion for Gmail. Google launched chat in February, Gmail for domains three days later and Google Calendar in April.\n\nImage:  Screenshot, Google\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2010: Priority Inbox\nThe August 2010 launch of Priority Inbox separated incoming mail into three folders: \"Important and unread,\" \"Starred\" and \"Everything else.\" The service intended to help users bogged down by subscription emails \n\nImage:  Screenshot, Google\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2011: Visual Upheaval\nThe massive design update in 2011 was Google's first real attempt at reducing visual clutter. Profile pictures were added to conversations, HD themes were added and the option to display your inbox as \"comfortable,\" \"cozy\" or \"compact\" helped users with different screen sizes. \n\nImage:  Screenshot, Google\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n2013: Categories\nThe latest visual update separates incoming emails into separate tabs, further reducing inbox clutter and sparing users the stress caused by an endless stream of email notifications from social networks. \n\nImage:  Screenshot, Google\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Gmail for Android (2008 vs. Now)\nGmail got its first Android app in 2008. It was made available for T-Mobile's G1 phone. Today, the app has been downloaded on Google Play close to a billion times.\n\nImage:  Screenshot, Google\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nGmail for iOS (2011 vs. Now)\nThe long-awaited Gmail app for iOS devices arrived in November, 2011. The app has been regularly updated ever since, now allowing users to switch between up to five separate accounts.\n\nImage:  Screenshot, Google\n\n\n\n\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2014/04/01/illustrated-email-video/>