ActiveInbox makes Gmail perfect

I am a huge fan of GMail.  I use it for almost everything and I have since it really was in beta.  I use it for personal mail, I've set up my whole family on it for their mail, and I even use it as a viewer for my mail at work.  They aren't cheap, they'd buy me Outlook, but besides the fact that they don't make an Outlook for Linux, I like GMail's tools better.  Google has it's hooks in me for sure.  However, the addition of a one browser extension makes Gmail everything it wasn't before.  That extension is ActiveInbox.

If you haven't tried it before, ActiveInbox add a GTD workflow that those of us who fight with their inbox every day a little bit of clarity of mind.  You have all the tools.  Quick labels for status, you get context, references, and some tools like a quick view on emails(no loading the email in a new page, the mail comes up lightbox style), and in the Plus product($2 / month) you get killer features like tickler/deadlines and notes on emails, which is something I've wanted forever and never had a good option.

When you add these tools to the newer tools like multiple inboxes and Smart Labels, it really gives you the tools to get your inbox to zero quickly and accurately without having to do a lot of manual sorting and archiving.  That's the real killer part about it, because everyone starts with a plan, but unless that plan is easy to implement or you have the discipline of a Marine, the plan eventually falls apart and the inbox goes back to chaos.

Related articles

• 10 Essential Tricks To Keep Your Inbox Neat And Tidy (businessinsider.com)
• Gmail Unveils Another Weapon Against Email Overload: Smart Labels (techcrunch.com)
• Press & Buzz | Better Gmail. Turn Gmail into a productivity powerhouse with ActiveInbox (activeinboxhq.com)
• Keep Track of Sent Email Status with a "Waiting For" Label in Gmail [Gmail Tip] (lifehacker.com)
• ActiveInbox for Gmail help with project management (creativebits.org)