One of the great things about web and mobile apps is the ability to access your data or account at a central location, regardless of where you’re doing it from. It’s one of the main reasons why cloud computing is so relevant, and why apps like Google Calendar and Google Docs are so vital. What happens though if you’re stuck somewhere without an internet connection? One of my concerns when the Chromebook was announced was just that. If I decline the data plan, and I’m not in Wi-Fi range, does my Chromebook become a stylish paperweight? It was hinted at Google I/O 2011 that there would be some sort of offline access to apps in the future, but we didn’t have details at the time. Now we do, in the form of some new Chrome Web Store apps.

Google rolled out Gmail Offline today, available in the Chrome Web Store. The app uses HTML 5 technology to allow users to browse, read, and organize their Gmail accounts, even without an internet connection. The app incorporates seamlessly with Gmail, adding a online/offline toggle button in the browser. Offline apps for Google Calendar and Google Docs will be rolling out over the course of the next week. It’s nice to know that in a world that feels like we’re always “wired-in”, and even though technology is bounding in that direction, that we’re not dead in the water when we find ourselves without an internet connection.