Google Mail (or Gmail) is really useful. It’s free. It’s powerful. It’s heavy (with features of course). It’s free from banner ads and ads within signature. I’m sharing top 10 Gmail features, tips & tricks which will enhance your Google Mail experience.

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Is your Gmail account compromised?

I’ve already discussed about how to secure your Gmail account from hacking. But it’s all about keeping your account safe by using a strong password, enabling two step verification and other method(s). But what if your Gmail account is hacked (or compromised)? The hacked would have already changed the password, security question & answer, mobile number associated with the account. So you can’t recover your Gmail using those primary account recovery methods.

But wait! Google allows you to recover your Google account using Knowledge Test process. All you need to do is answer few questions as thoroughly and accurately as possible; the strength of your answers will determine if they can return your account.

Your detailed answers will help them ensure that you’re the actual account holder and only you get access to your account.

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1. Choose A Strong & Unique Password

Use a strong password for your Gmail account that you do not use on any other site.

2. Enable Two Step Verification

Two step verification adds an extra layer of security to your Google Account by requiring you to have access to your phone – as well as your username and password – when you sign in. This means that if someone steals or guesses your password, the potential hijacker still can’t sign in to your account because they don’t have your phone.

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Gmail Labs is a testing ground for experimental features that aren’t quite ready for primetime. They may change,break or disappear at any time. If (when) a Labs feature breaks, and you’re having trouble loading your inbox, there’s an escape hatch. Use http://mail.google.com/mail/?labs=0.

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Recently, one of my friend asked me “Hey Niks, do you know Gmail Labs”? I replied – “I know Google Suggest Labs”. He smiled and said it’s alright, Gmail Labs is something different! Well, this enticed me to know what Gmail Lab is and how can it help. Although, all these years Google has been making my experience with Gmail more pleasing, effective and productive, so what’s with Gmail Labs? Actually, Gmail Labs is full of experimental new features that you could choose to use or not use. However, many people might still don’t know about Gmail Labs or haven’t taken time to review all the exciting features. With that in mind, I thought sharing Top 10 excellent features worth turning on that can increase your daily productivity.

Offline – I found this to be the best feature among all. This allows you to work offline and work with your messages without even having Internet connection. What this means is that you could be using Gmail, lose your Internet connection, and never know the difference. Your inbox messages, attachments, etc. are always synced with your desktop, and you are free to use offline.

Email Addict – Too much on Gmail? Enable this features and a link would appear at the top of the page, blocking your Inbox and chat screen for 15 minutes and allowing you to take a break. Email Addict is superb for people who have trouble stepping away from their computer!

Undo Send – This is very helpful for me, I often find myself saying –Oops, Send so soon?? So, this gives me a grace period of five second to correct my error. You will see a new “Undo” link with every sent mail, just click “Undo” and it will take you right back to compose message where changes can be done.  

Message Translation – Got online friends who happen to speak other language? This new feature in Gmail Labs automatically translates your inbox messages to the language you can understand. You can simply click on the translate link, which automatically appears when an email in different language than your default one. Now language would not be an obstacle for users!

Multiple Inboxes – Multiple Inboxes allows me to implement multiple input boxes. So, now it is possible for me to systematize and underscore the new inbox messages displayed under one setting. I now have better customized view of my mails and it is easy to handle them at a glance as well. However, you should know that this feature creates multiple inboxes for labels, and not for your secondary Gmail accounts.

Mouse Gestures – This is extremely useful for person like me who relies more upon mouse than hitting keyboard shortcuts. I can now navigate my mails using Mouse Gestures. Hold right-click and move the mouse left to visit to a last conversation, move it right to visit to the next conversation, and move up to visit back to the inbox view. So simple!

Canned Response – Canned response is a no newer but has two interesting features that can help you save time. It has the ability to store email as templates and then skill to automatically reply to emails using those templates. So guys don’t waste time typing similar response when you can type it once and save it!

Inserting Images – I always use to get irritated whenever I had to attach images in the email coz of the process. And now the newest Gmail Labs is making my work lot easier when I have to send an image!

Task – Managing my task was never this easier with Gmail! But now, I can create my due dates, to-do list, sub-tasks and loads of things using incredibly simple interface in Gmail window!

Hide Unread Counts – This features is great for people that are lazy to manage their inbox and don’t care about unread mails! It hides the unread counts of Inbox, label etc!

Beyond doubt Gmail has become more productive, easier to use and truly viable alternative to Outlook! Check out Gmail Labs for even more interesting features that might make you even more productive.

I’ve just noticed that the Advertising Programs link on the Google home page is not working and is returning a 404 Error! And that’s not all Gmail is down for me. Yesterday they have blocked my Gmail account for few minutes after sending two mails with 20 MB attachment each. I wonder what these guys are doing out there.

Google has recently integrated AOL’s popular AIM instant-messaging service in to Gmail. Since February 2006, Gmail Chat is available and now Gmail users can get connected to AIM through a drop-down menu on the Gmail Web page. To try this, look for the big red banner on the top left when logged in to Gmail. In the right navigation, you could click on the upside-down triangle next to "set status here" in your Gmail chat and choose "Sign into AIM" from the drop down menu. Once you’ve got in your AIM log-in data, your AIM contacts would automatically appear intermingled among your Gmail contacts, and you could then select an AIM contact and chat with them directly. Google is on the way to roll out a fresh feature on the English version of Gmail; however other language version on Gmail will be available soon.

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