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Last month, I reviewed my, which included helpful widgets that you could easily embed in the screen real-estate surrounding your inbox. You can access all of them from Gmail labs, a service that lets you test (and use) these additional features while they're being tweaked by the developers at Google. (To access labs, click on the green beaker in the upper right side of Gmail, near where your e-mail address appears in bold lettering).
More on Gmail and Google Apps on CIO.com Beware the and see why these. This week, I've tried out some additional helpful add-ons, in a quest to make the free e-mail service more customized for me and my needs.
The only drawback: The more of them I add, the slower Gmail runs. But I don't care. Any time I lose in load time is made up for my toggling between tabs (and the apps in them) fewer times a day, increasing my productivity. Tasks How it helps do no evil: Think of tasks as a very lightweight post-it note for your Gmail inbox.
Simply add an errand or to-do item, such as 'write article on Gmail add-ons,' and the item will appear as part of a list form at the bottom of your Gmail page (it almost looks like a Gmail Chat window). All you have to do to add a new task is click 'enter' and type it in. When you're done, click on the check-box next to it. Tasks list This is an especially worthwhile add-on if you're a list-y type of person, and you feel like you're getting through your day by (in this case literally) checking the boxes. One other really cool feature is in the way Tasks integrates with incoming e-mails. Whenever you have an e-mail open in Gmail, you see a drop down menu beside it that says 'more actions.'
This allows you to do things like archive or filter an e-mail. After you start using Tasks, an 'add to tasks' option will appear in that drop down menu also.
So if you receive an e-mail from your boss with a subject line of 'new deadline for project,' you can easily add it to your task menu. How to set it up: Go to Gmail labs (as described in introduction), scroll to the tasks add-on, and click 'enable.'
Notice, also, that the developer made a list of keyboard shortcuts there for you to use. Don't forget to click 'save' at the bottom of the Labs page. Doing no good: I could imagine a scenario where you try to integrate the tasks in this box with stuff on your Google Calendar. I'd like to see it as a full blown gadget (Google's term for widget), too, instead of the chat-like box. Right Side Chat How it helps do no evil: Ever feel like the right column of your Gmail account looks lonely?
Well, right side chat allows you to move your Gmail chat box (which is instant messaging service to chat with your Gmail friends as well as your AOL Instant Messenger contacts) from its default space on the left and over to the right. Pretty simple, but helpful, especially if you install more of these add-ons and don't want to cram the left side. How to set it up: Go to Gmail labs and click 'enable' and save. When you return to your inbox, it will reload and move the box to the right. Doing no good: Whenever I pop up my tasks list, it obstructs the right side chat window.
Quick Links How it helps do no evil: Have an e-mail that you know you'll be reopening quite a bit? With quick links, you can create a shortcut to it that appears in the quick links widget on t.