Google has become the E.F. Hutton of the tech world: whether it’s a widget, an app, or an idea, when Google talks, people listen. In the case of the company’s new Gmail feature, People Widget, email startups are also taking notice. The feature lets users see social details of their contacts while using Gmail.

The idea isn’t exactly new, says Venture Beat’s Anthony Ha. Startups like Xobni and Rapportive have already peeped the concept. Heck, even Microsoft had something similar for Outlook. But Google’s ability to seamlessly integrate the feature into Gmail is what’s important here. Although People Widget doesn’t yet integrate with Twitter and LinkedIn, it also doesn’t require the user to install a plug-in: like Cousin Oliver on The Brady Bunch (or Cousin Pam on The Cosby Show), People Widget will just show up one day—soon.

Read more at Venture Beat ^[1].