3 Ways to Get More Out of Gmail
I love Gmail, but, man, do I hate its Web interface. It's busy, ugly, confusing in places, and cumbersome. That's why I typically use a mail client (Outlook) to access my Gmail accounts.
Alas, a recent system failure left me without my primary PC, so until I get things up and running again, I'm stuck with my backup laptop and Web-based Gmail. Bleh.
Thankfully, there are ways to make Gmail a little easier on the eyes and a little more accommodating to the way normal people work. Here are three quick tweaks for optimizing your Gmail experience.
Turn on Message Sneak Peek It's incomprehensible to me that after all these years, Gmail still lacks a preview pane. To read a message, you have to click it -- a step that takes you away from your inbox. (This alone is one big reason Hotmail is actually better than Gmail.) If you're tired of going back and forth between inbox and message, turn on Labs feature Message Sneak Peek. Once enabled, just right-click any e-mail for an instant preview window. It's not quite a preview pane, but it's a damn sight better than the current system.
Turn off Conversation View Arguably one of the most confusing things about Gmail is the way it organizes conversations (i.e. messages with the same subject), stuffing them into one incomprehensible thread. If you want your inbox arranged out in a more traditional style, I highly recommend turning off Conversation View.
Give it a makeover Gmail must have studied at the Craigslist School of Ugly. If your eyeballs can no longer tolerate its mostly monochrome UI, head to Settings and click Themes. You'll find a couple dozen colorful options, and if you're feeling creative, you can always click Create your own theme. These don't do anything to change the fonts or layout, but at least you can minimize the drab.
Do you access Gmail on the Web? If so, what ways have you found to make it more pleasant? Or perhaps you think I'm being overly harsh on the service? In either case, let's hear from you in the comments!
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