Thanks to a new Gmail Labs offering, the Google developed email client can now play voicemail messages from your Google Voice account. This is all done right within the emails informing you that you have voice mail. The whole thing goes something like this: someone calls you Google Voice number and leaves a voicemail; within minutes you will receive an email in your Gmail inbox. The notification email comes with these important details:

- From whom the voicemail originates
- An automated transcript of the message
- A Play Message link to play the message and see whether the automated transcript is accurate.

Until now, the Play Message link opened in a new page. What Google Voice player in mail does is play voicemail right inside Gmail. A Google Voice player will be displayed underneath the message after you enable the Gmail Labs feature. Here comes the kicker: messages you’ve played in Gmail will not be played again when you check your messages via your phone

If you would like to enable the Google Voice Player in Mail Labs feature, follow the 3 step tutorial presented below – which is actually a 2-step tutorial if you are already logged into Google.

Step 1 – Go to Gmail and log into your account. If you do not have one, perhaps this would be the best time to sign up (it’s free and you get tons of features to play with). If you already have a Google account and you are logged in, access Labs by simply clicking here (this will skip Step 2 of the tutorial).
Step 2 – In the top right corner of the screen, right next to your user name you should be able to see “Settings”; click it. Now locate “Labs” and click it as well.
Step 3 – Locate “Google Voice player in mail” and select “Enable”. Click “Save Changes” (at the bottom of the screen) and you’re done.