Getting the best out of Gmail

Jeremy Wagstaff   |  Mon, 05/04/2009 10:00 AM  |  Lifestyle

I've found myself explaining the benefits of Google's email service, Gmail, to friends and colleagues recently, so I thought I'd dedicate this week's column to the subject.

Simply put, used well Gmail can organize your life.

Gmail works the way you work, with emails slotting into "conversations"- what you might call threads, or collections of related emails.

It lets you organize your emails on the fly, via colored labels, stars and - most important - pushing them out of the way so you have a clean desk before you go home.

But you have to be ready to do some tweaking.

First off, use Firefox as your browser. Some of these tricks won't work in Internet Explorer or other browsers.

Second, make sure you have Labs loaded. Labs is a feature of Gmail that includes lots of bits and pieces that Google hasn't yet decided to take mainstream.

You can see whether you have Labs enabled by going into Settings and checking for a tab called Labs.

My two favorite features in Labs are what are called gadgets - little blocks that you can add to the columns on the left or right of the main list of emails.

One lets you view all your Google Documents, the other your Google Calendar.

I find having both of these features sitting in my Gmail page speeds up my life considerably.

For example, just start typing a word in the name of a Google Document into the field at the top of the Google Docs gadget and it will start searching for matches. I can think of no easier way to find a file.

Having your next appointments visible in Gmail is also a real advantage.

The most important thing, however, about Gmail, is the labels. I've talked about this before, so I'll be brief.

Adding labels to your emails helps you organize yourself in a way that putting stuff in folders doesn't.

Not only can you add as many labels to an email as you like - something folders won't allow - but you can also shuffle the way you view your emails.

For example, you can set up a search which finds emails matching one or two labels, creating a virtual folder for yourself.

(Another Lab feature you may want to play with is one called Multiple Inboxes, which allows you to view not only your inbox but another collection of emails - ones that match a search of labels, or whatever you want - alongside it, or below it. It's a great way to keep on top of more than one project.)

Labels can be colored, which makes things a lot more interesting. Applying them can also be automated, via filters, which also speeds things up.

I also like the way that you can empty your inbox with a couple of mouse clicks, without having to delete things or assign emails to a specific folder or label. If everything in your inbox has been dealt with, just hit "Select: All" and then Archive.

Your inbox will miraculously empty, and you're free to go home.

Other tips you might find useful:

Install something called Google Gears and you can take Gmail (and Google Docs) offline. Useful if you're not on a good connection or between WiFi haunts.

Xoopit is a plug-in that lets you not only view and search through your Gmail attachments more easily, but also tries to find out information about your correspondents via Facebook etc.

If you want a Label to appear at the top of the alphabetical list, add an exclamation mark before it

Use stars-click on the star before the sender in the list-to mark emails you need to attend to.

Another great plug in from Remember the Milk allows you to view and add to your to-do list within Gmail. (Gmail offers a simpler version itself if you need something simpler).

If you find yourself emailing the same groups of people, use Groups in the Contacts page to create clumps of contacts.

Of course, Gmail is not without its faults. And some people just don't make the transition, preferring their email in physical programs like Outlook.

Nothing wrong with that, but after several years with Gmail, I know I'd never go back.

(c) Copyright 2009
Loose Wire Pte Ltd.

This article cannot be reproduced without written permission from the author. Jeremy Wagstaff is a commentator on technology and appears regularly on the BBC World Service. He can be found online at jeremywagstaff.com or via email at jeremy@loose-wire.com, or on twitter at loosewire

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