12.18
Opinion/Review | Dec 2008 | M.McKennedy
Gmail Tasks (click for larger view)
Gmail…you must know what it is by now…Tasks…I can’t tell you how many tasks I performed today, countless. Did you remember all of yours? Gmail offers a helping hand. Introducing (at the time of writing this news is already nine days old so it’s not like this is “breaking” news) but here it is, tasks (a ToDo list), in Gmail!
Occasionally, while I am at work I think of something that needs to be done at home and I send an email to my Gmail address. I use email as a sort of ‘task list’ and since I use Gmail (see my previous rave about Gmail/Google here) as a gateway to (nearly) everything Internet related – email, spreadsheets, word docs, maps, calendar, photo storage (Picasa), and chat – it only makes sense that I would manage a task list in Gmail.
First impressions of Tasks in Gmail….the interface is clean, has a logical sense to it and it’s non-invasive, it just sits down in the bottom of the Gmail window until it has been expanded. It’s functional…It has a ‘pop-out’ option – if you want to take it outside of Gmail, tasks can be created directly from email and multiple lists can be maintained as well. It’s a handy tool to help organize a hectic work, home, school or play schedule. It’s simple to use (the image on the right shows all available options – this is not the default view) so it should attract not only the self-proclaimed ‘geeks’ of the world but also ‘Betty The Soccer Mom’ and ‘Larry The Lazy Guy’ who sits at a computer browsing YouTube all day!
Gmail Settings (click for a larger view)
To turn the Tasks feature on…log into Gmail then click Settings (see the image to the right -this might not look exactly like your Gmail account but you get the picture I hope), next click the Labs tab (or click here if you are signed into Gmail already) and select “Enable” next to “Tasks” and then click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the window.
Tasks (click for a larger view)
After Gmail refreshes, under the main menu (where ‘Compose Mail’ is…) under the “Contacts” link, you’ll see a “Tasks” link. Click this link to begin. (Note: the image to the right might not look exactly like what you see in Gmail – and if you accidentally close the Task module, you will need to click this link again to make it reappear. )
Gmail Tasks Minimized (click to view larger image)
This how the Tasks module looks when minimized – click the minus sign to expand or minimize Gmail Tasks, or click the Arrow to ‘pop-out’ the menu.
Tasks in Gmail is just another excellent example of how Google works to keep us using their products (and at the same time exposing us to Google Ads). If I have a computer turned on I always have some Google app. open. If I always have a Google app. open then the Google advertisers always have a way to expose me to advertisments (in a non-intrusive way of course). Keep it up Google….you have me hooked so far! Oh, and by the way…did I mention that Google offers every single product mentioned in the article for free? That is correct, you won’t pay a dime! If you don’t have a Gmail account you can sign up here to check it out.
