Gmail's instant messaging Chat function is one of the more basic options around, but there are a few bits of formatting you can use to add nuance to your online communication. To bold a word, asterisk it like this: *Mashable* To add italics, just underscore before and after the word like this: _Mashable_ And to strike a word through, add hyphens before and after like so: -Mashable- 2. Customize Yo