Gmail Labs is set on accepting all available feedback from its users in order to upgrade its service with new and exciting features. As a first step in this direction, the company launched 13 new settings which will permit users to use them in any way they like and then directly tell engineers their thoughts on possible improvement.

For now, the developments are available in the United Kingdom and in the United States and they represent a significant change in the company’s strategy. Up until this point Google’s products were tested by its staff for several months before their public release.

The new list of settings offers features such as Old Snakey which allows users to classic Snake game in Gmail, Superstars which lets users place icons on their mail, Quick Links which gives users an easy one-click access to any bookmark-able URL in Gmail, Pictures in Chat which adds portraits in the chat sessions and the rather amusing Email Addict which blocks Gmail’s access for 15 minutes in order for users to take a break from their work.

Gmail product manager Keith Coleman explained for BBC News that their plan is to collaborate with all interested users so that the end result will offer the best possible content. For now, the features were only verified for a safe PC run and no other filtering such as product analysis and design analysis were scheduled. Mr. Coleman admitted that some of the ideas presented in their offer are considered rather bad and the users’ impute will surely determine whether everyone is on the same page.

The users’ feedback and help in the refinement process are considered highly important in Google’s initiative and the results are expected to surface over the next few months.