So here's the 3rd post in my "GMail Tips" Series! If you usually don't go around tweaking GMail, first check my earlier post on 10 GMail Features you must know!
- GMail Desktop Gadget
- FoxGLove - Browser for Google Lovers!
- Let's add a smile to your mail!
- Pimp your GMail with themes!
- 3rd Party Applications: GMDesk, AlwaysIdle, Greasemonkey scripts...
- Don't just type. Speak (And act?)
- Google Transliteration Bots!
- Labs: Reply Addons
- Labs: Canned Responses
- Labs: Label Addons
- Labs: Keyboard Shortcuts
For all those Google Desktop users, here's a great Gadget! Read, Send, Star mails & even log into different accounts simultaneously! Read more about it in the official announcement & on LifeHacker!
Most of the time, all you do is check mail, sign into GTalk and maybe read your Blog Feeds. Here's a Portable Firefox Package, that gives you the feel of Google Chrome and power of Firefox. Have a look on LifeHacker & DownloadSquad!
We all love emoticons don't we? So how about adding some emotions to your mail? Check out the small Smiley Icon in your Formatting toolbar, and see a huge list of emoticons! (Infact, there are 2 different styles! Check the button below the emoticons!)
I Loooove GMail!!
I've talked about it before, and like everyone else I'm in love with them! Have a look at my favorite themes!
It's not just Google which helps us enjoy every moment we spend using GMail. There are plenty of 3rd party tools to play with (But take care, since they aren't by Google). Like:
GMDesk - A standalone application made in Adobe Air which gets GMail on your desktop.
GAlwaysIdle - To always stay Idle on GTalk. (Really helpful :D)
Greasemonkey scripts - Add more features to GMail (and other Google Services) using these scripts in Firefox! (Caution: Use with care!)
GMail now allows you to do Voice & Video Chat! Though it isn't really of much use for me (Net speed in my campus are pathetic), it still is a great feature! Check the official blog to know more!
Surprise your friends by saying नमस्ते (Hindi) or Bonjour (French) or こんにちは (Japanese)! Or add bots in group chat just to see some crazy translations! All this instantly, using GTalk Bots! Add them in your contaact list now! (Like en2hi.translit@bot.talk.google.com)!
Long conversation, loads of replies. Getting lost in who's replying to what? Then "Quote" people!
Going on a vacation? Let your GMail send automated replies by scheduling it before hand!
Have a look at some of the Reply Addons in GMail Labs!
How often do you reply by saying "Nice mail" or "Thanks for mailing, will reply soon"? How about storing your frequent replies as separate templates? Check this out to know how!
Chances are you are a Label Freak like I am. And you have loads of labels, and love color coding them. Then add more colors to your Labels by using Custom Label Colors! And ofcourse, when you have a lot of them, you should use Label Keyboard shortcuts to access them faster! Read more here!
Though I've talked about it before, it's always good to remind right? Navigate through GMail without touching your mouse! And if the default ones aren't enough, add more Custom Keyboard Shortcuts!
Hope you're experimenting with these features (As they said!)
That's it for the moment! Tell me which of these do you like using? Anything that I missed? Do let me know by commenting! :)
PS: See my earlier posts in the GMail Tips series:
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16 comments:
Nice Post.
oh and i did check out the themes the other day, i currently have graffiti, next up is beach! :D
(phantasea looks good too.)
Beaaaach!!
(Ah I'm crazy about it!)
Oh btw try the translation bots too. मस्त है!!
genießen! (Enjoy!)
I missed out the Translation bots.. Here's the list of Translation Bots & Transliteration Bots that you can add on GTalk!
PS: For ex, to get नमस्ते (Hindi),
Translate: Hi (En2Hi)
Tranliterate: Namaste (En2Hi)
Enjoy!
its awesum....hw da hell did u create such an amazing bloggggg. :)
plz gimme sum tips
P. S. - m serious bt after compre..:D
lol Deepak!
Sure I would love to help.. I'm planning for a change of the template (This one is pretty buggy/boring)
Will start a Blogging Tips series then :D
GMDesk. LOL
:D
Not the best of names eh?
i love emoticons too, the bots tip was pretty useful...
@Nidhi: धन्यवाद!!
:D
Word RaSh; I've featured 'dis post over at our blog at http://www.reviewsrantsrandomness.com/2009/01/top-ten-gmail-tips.html. Its great, useful and I've given you full credit for it. Kudos, and keep up the good work. :)
@Meliasis: Thanks a lot for featuring my post! :)
how can i make a letterhead in my gmail.
@Roger: Hey!
Basically, the best way to do this would be to have a template for your mails, with a specific header/letterhead.
If you always want to mail with your letterhead, how about adding it in your signature? And when you start writing a mail, start after the letterhead.
For ex, your signature could be:
ABC Society
XYZ City | Contact: 12345678
(leave some space here)
Roger
Head, ABC Society
Every time you compose/reply, this text will appear. Now just write your mail in the "space" you left!
Another method could be to use Canned Responses. This could come handy if you need the Template only for some selected mails. Though I haven't experimented alot with it. :)
Hope this helps!
Gmail Team (or just Rash),
I got a couple of things but first, Man U fan? sharks, but I have to say congrats to their win against Chelsea.
Well, let's get in to the matter:
1) This was also posted in Google Community but I don't expect Google Team have a google number of eyes to spot this, so hopefully you'll solve it or suggest something:
When I get to a email from my Gmail inbox, read it and then deletes it, I want to view the next email and not head back to my inbox! Please advise. Thank you.
2) As for the signature, I don't know if you guys have fixed this but here goes:
My signature:
"Dear Sir / Mdm,
Sincer regards,
Muhammad Afandi"
BUT i will always see this instead:
"
--
Dear Sir / Mdm,
Sincer regards,
Muhammad Afandi"
Do I always have to delete the top part manually?
Please advise as well.
Thank you. And Google is the MAN. (or 6 MAN)
Oh, please cc to afandi2@gmail.com if you would, thank you.
@afandi2: Hey! Glory glory Man Uniteddd!! :P
Anyway I'm no way connected to the Google team (I don't think they would've even seen this blog), but still will try and help you out.
See by default to separate the sign from the mail, GMail adds a "--" before the sign. You may even notice that at times the sign is shaded in grey while rest of the mail stays black, just to keep the focus on the mail.
The best way to this (Which I use often), is to make a mail template using Canned Response. Since even Roger asked about this before, here's a step by step guide to do that:
1> First, Enable Canned Response (GMail Settings > Labs) if you haven't.
2> Compose a message and write your template as:
Dear Sir/Madam
Regards,
XYZ
3> Goto Canned Response DropDown Menu, select Create new Canned Response and specify a suitable name.
4> Next time whenever you reply/compose, goto Canned Response and Open the particular response.
That's it! You can modify & save the response(s) too and make a few templates for the most common mails you sent. Try playing around with it!
Hope that helps! ;)
PS: Don't forget to subscribe to stay updated with more such tips! :)
Thanks For the post......i am agree with you.....great share....i have read your blog and i saw that i have learn t so many things from your blog....it is very interesting.
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