e-mail

Get MailWasher Pro 2012 anti-spam software for free

Sick of spam? For many users it's the bane of the e-mail experience, a time-sucking hassle that's also a major security risk: spam leaves the door wide open for viruses, phishing, and other threats.

My preferred solution is to route my domain's mail through Gmail, which offers excellent spam filtering. But that won't work for everyone. If you feel like you're losing the war on spam, consider another solution.

Today only, BitsDuJour is offering Firetrust MailWasher Pro 2012 (Windows) anti-spam software for free. That's for a three-PC license, which regularly costs $29.95.

When … Read more

Right Inbox now lets you track when an e-mail is opened

We originally told you about Right Inbox and how it allowed you to schedule when your e-mails in Gmail were to be sent. The latest version of the extension adds the ability to track when your e-mails are opened. If you currently have the Right Inbox extension installed, you should already see the new feature when composing an e-mail.

If you don't have the extension currently, head on over to RightInbox.com/install to get it. You'll need to be using either Firefox or Chrome.

After the extension is installed, compose a new message in Gmail. You will … Read more

Save Gmail messages in Google Docs

Cut and paste is great, but for some purposes, it's a tool of last resort. Gmail makes it much simpler to save your messages as documents and PDFs, keeping formatting intact. Here's how to do it: 

Log in to Gmail. Click the gear-shaped icon near the top right, then select Settings. Click the Labs tab near the top center. Scroll down and click Enable next to Create a Document.  Scroll to the top or bottom and click the button labeled Save Changes. The next time you want to save a message as a doc, … Read more

Nine tips for avoiding e-mail snafus

If you've ever sent a private e-mail to an unintended party, or forgot to include an attachment in a business e-mail, you're not alone.

Here are nine tips for avoiding common e-mail snafus:

1. Forgetting attachments "I've attached the document for your review." "Oops, no I didn't." Forgetting attachments is so common that Google's Forgotten Attachment Detector graduated from Google Labs to being a permanent feature in Gmail. The best way to avoid forgetting to include attachments, even if you use Gmail (the forgotten attachment detector is not foolproof), is to … Read more

Gmail: That's spam, and here's why

Wondering why a certain e-mail was dumped into your Gmail spam folder? Google will now clue you in.

As of yesterday, Gmail users can select any message banished to the spam folder and see a "Why is this message in Spam?" notice near the top. The notice will display a brief explanation accompanied by a "Learn more" link to a page describing the many reasons certain messages are considered spam.

A look at the e-mail in my own Gmail spam folder revealed a variety of explanations.

For one e-mail that claimed to be from YouTube but … Read more

How to add push alerts to Sparrow for iPhone

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If you are familiar with the popular push alert app, Boxcar, you'll already know it's capable of providing push alerts for a healthy list of different services. One of the more interesting features of Boxcar is the capability to customize the app that is opened with each alert.

For example, if you're using a Twitter app that lacks push, you can use Boxcar to alert you of new Mentions, then set it to open the Twitter app instead of Boxcar when the alert is received (assuming the app is supported by Boxcar).

@MrCippy We're … Read more

Use Sparrow for iPhone for a near flawless e-mail experience

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The day the Sparrow faithful have been waiting for has finally arrived; Sparrow for iPhone is now in the App Store!

Sparrow has been available on OS X for some time now, gaining a cultlike following, with its loyal users clamoring for an iOS app to complement their Mac experience.

Sparrow has launched with full IMAP support for Gmail, Google Apps, iCloud, Yahoo, and AOL as well as custom IMAP settings. Unfortunately, POP and Exchange/ActiveSync aren't supported in this release. You can also connect the app to your Facebook account, allowing your contacts' profile pictures to … Read more

How to star and label Gmail messages before sending them

Gmail labels and stars are a great way to organize your e-mail, especially if you keep all your messages, the way Google recommends. Now, you can add those labels and stars to your messages, before you send them.

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When you compose a new Gmail message now, you'll notice the new Labels drop-down menu, next to the Discard button. Before you send your e-mail, select your label or star it, then when you're done composing your message, just hit Send.

When you go to your sent mail now, you'll see that your sent message has been … Read more

Improve Webmail efficiency with keyboard shortcuts

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Many of us have our favorite e-mail provider up on our computers all day long. Using keyboard shortcuts, instead of pointing and clicking, can save a couple of seconds per action, leading to improved efficiency.

Gmail If you haven't taken a look at what you can do in Gmail with your keyboard lately, you may want to check it out. Though Gmail keyboard shortcuts have been around a while, new ones have been added periodically, coinciding with enhancements and new features.

See: How to use Gmail with keyboard shortcuts

Yahoo Mail Yahoo's Webmail service hasn't … Read more