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If you've been annoyed by the inability to delete all of the spam in your Gmail account with one fell click, you can rest easy now-that feature should soon be available. Google's mail service should also allow users to apply their filters to old e-mails, and not just incoming ones.

"Delete all spam messages now" is the straightforward command that will obliterate Viagra ads by the hundreds. "There's also a link that lets you empty the trash," Google wants you to know. Some users are reporting that the features are already available to their accounts; other Gmail addresses haven't yet gotten the upgrade.

This is a significant step for Google. Granted, it's only a step that brings them up to the level of other players (in this one respect), rather than set them ahead, but that makes it even more important. The page promoting these features says the rollout should be completed "in the next few days."

The timetable on the filter upgrade isn't mentioned, but the search engine giant is promoting the filter's newfound versatility with a sense of humor. "Delete all the emails from your ex-girlfriend" is one suggestion (among seven). If that's not an issue for you, don't fret-"you can think of many other nifty applications for this new feature," Google assures users.

No, this isn't earth-shattering news. Neither of these items will change the way the world works. But they are functional upgrades to a service that many people use every day. Any improvement on something as common as that is definitely noteworthy. Now go check your e-mail and (if your account has received the upgrades) delete a few dozen offers of money transfers from Nigeria.

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Doug is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest eBusiness news.