GAFE

Topic: G-Mail 101

Questions:

1.) How do you use G-Mail?
2.) How do you customize it?
3.) What are "Labs"?
4.) What are "Apps"?  
5.) What are task lists?
6.) What other things can G-Mail do?

Answers:

1.) It only takes a few short, and simple steps, in order to begin to use G-Mail. Step #1: Create an account. Step #2: Sign in with that account. Step #3: Transfer any mail from an existing e-mail, onto your new G-Mail account. You can also get the G-Mail app, which allows you to access your e-mail anywhere you go. There are also several interesting features on G-Mail, that can allow you to further explore, and connect with the rest of the world.

2.) In order to customize your inbox on your G-Mail account, you simply go to the gear icon at the top of the screen, and select "Themes". Several templates have been designed by an external artist, but there are also templates that have been provided for you by iStockphoto. However, if you wish to have one of your own personal photos as a template on your G-Mail account, you can do that too! You just simply scroll over to "Themes" again, then select either the "Light" or "Dark" icons that have been provided for you. After that, you may select your image. Once you post your image to your G-Mail account you are free to change it whenever you want, and the image is only accessible through your account.

3.) Google Labs, is a very interesting feature on G-Mail. What it does, is it allows you to enable specific business functionality to your inbox. If you ever want to enable a few of them, just do the following: 1.) Open G-Mail. 2.) Click the gear icon at the top of the screen, and then click "Settings". 3.) Open the "Labs" tab. 4.) Identify to specific labs that you wish to turn on, and then click "Enable". 5.) Save your changes. It's that easy! However, Google Labs can become temporarily disabled. That would limit the amount of functions that you can have on it. Other than that, Google Labs is fun, easy, and that simple to use.

4.) Google Apps are functions in the G-Mail toolbar, that can allow you to explore greater abilities that G-Mail has to offer. There is a total of 12 apps in your G-Mail account. Out of each one you can access specific functions on your G-Mail account. One of the apps is Google Labs, the one that I showed you before. The other 11, are as follows: Chrome Browser, Google+, Postini, Video, Quickoffice, Cloud Connect, (Labs), Developer Resources, App Engine, Google Apps Marketplace for Buyers, Google Apps Marketplace for Developers, and finally, Google Bar. Each and every app has its own designated function. Functions that allow you to work easier, search easier, and have a smoother time on G-Mail.

5.) Google Tasks help you keep track of what you need to do. They help you organize your information, help you create lists, and once you are all done, you end p sending those lists to other people who might need them. To access them, you need to click the "Down Arrow" icon right next to the G-Mail logo. Then click "Tasks". To create one, you just open up "Tasks", and start typing. you press "Enter" or "Indent" if you want to start a new note or enter a sub-note. Its kind of like creating a grocery list, or any other sort of list. Only, digital. Once you are done, you may either print out the completed task, or send it to others who might need to use it as well. Remember, you can still view all of your completed tasks on your G-Mail account, as long as you have previously saved them.

6.) There are several other templates, and formats, and useful themes, and features on G-Mail that I still have not mentioned yet! You can find all of the extra information by just following this link. Please, click here.

Summary:

G-Mail is a very useful resource for both teachers and students to use to explore what it means to share things with other people, being able to work together, and being able to get the job done. FAST! If I was to recommend a useful tool, it would be to use the updated version of "Compose", on the e-mail address. It is small, so it also allows you to keep track of your inbox at the same time you are writing an e-mail to somebody. Also, the Google Tasks is very useful too. Being able to send out/print out a specific list that needs to be completed for class the next day, with Google Tasks you know that you would probably get it done in about 5 minutes flat! G-Mail is very useful, and I hope that this resource will be come available for all teachers and students to work, and learn on, in the eminent future.

Bibliography/Useful Links:

1.) https://mail.google.com/mail/help/intl/en/features.html 
2.) https://support.google.com/mail/answer/29418?hl=en&ref_topic=1669031
3.) https://support.google.com/mail/answer/106237?hl=en&ctx=mail 

Well, that's the end of this blog post! Until the next one! Bye!