Google has just launched HTML5 desktop notifications which display pop-ups whenever a chat message or new email arrives. Many users are constantly switching back to Gmail to check for new messages. But some may miss an important chat message because they weren’t looking at their Gmail window when it came in. With the new feature, Google Chrome users will have the chance receive pop-up notifications on their desktop whenever a chat message or new email arrives.

To turn them on, click on the Settings link in the top right corner of Gmail and scroll down to the "Desktop Notifications" section. If you just want to get notified about chat messages, or if you use Priority Inbox and only want to get notifications for important messages, you can customize your settings from there too.

This functionality is currently only available for people using Google Chrome, but Google will also make notifications part of the standard Web platform.