Gmail Adds Tasks But Still Has A Ways To Go

Google Labs introduced Tasks as an add-on to their Gmail product yesterday. I've spent the past week looking for a good task manager, specifically one that works on the iPhone, and on the Web. So it was a timely surprise to see they added this feature.

The official Gmail blog gives some instruction on how to turn tasks on, and where you can find the task list. I'm not sure I like the list opening up in the same location as the Chat. That's part of the reason I don't use the Gmail web based chat tool. It's clunky.

However, the coolest part of tasks is I can select one or more email, and under the More Actions drop down, choose to create a task. Even Outlook doesn't support this nativley.

Here are a couple of other features of note:

• You can pop out the task window and move it around on your desktop. This should eliminate neededing to keep the Gmail screen focused in your browser.


• You can create different lists. A tasks list wouldn'e be complete without the ability to group items.


• Creating sub tasks is easy with an indent feature.


• The ability to add a due date and add notes. This is very cool. If you want to keep a running tab of things as you progress towards completion, the notes section is just the place.

I think I'll spend some to create a simple Getting Things Done (GTD) workflow using Gmail Tasks. Shouldn't be too difficult with the ability to create seperate task lists.

The biggest draw back, and maybe the deal killer for a lot of people, is that tasks are not support on the mobile platform yet. That is a real disappointment for me. Remember The Milk and many others have web/mobile combinations, and you would think Google would have made that combination a priority.

I suspect a mobile version will quickly follow once the features catches on. Makes no sense to use tasks if you spend most of your time on a mobile device.

One more feature I would like to see added are notification of uncompleted tasks sent with the daily events list.

[update]

Thanks to a great question from @utahcon, he brought up the fact it was difficult at first to find the Tasks link. So here is a picture of where you can find the link. Also, don't forget, use the keyboard short cut Shift-T when you have items selected to create a new task.

[image title="Taks Link In Gmail" size="medium" id="991" align="none" linkto="full" ]

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Backing Up Your Trusted System

I'm finding that most people never think twice about backing up the things they write in a notebook. They feel secure in the fact you can't break a notebook. This gives them a false sense of security. You can just as easily lose your analog trusted system as you can a digital one.

I spent some time last night and today searching for someone who had a backup problem with their trusted GTD system. There's plenty of hack information available, but I tried just about every possible method I could think of to find something someone may have written or suggested. I just couldn't find anything. So I decided to create a list of things I do (or should have been doing) to back up my notebooks and other documents.

• If you are carrying your trusted system with you on a trip, store the notebooks in a plastic baggy of some kind with n airtight seal.


• During your weekly review make sure you are transferring important information to a backup notebook (which stays in your home or office) or an electronic device like a computer or PDA.


• Take a digital photograph of each page in your notebook. You can store these pictures on your computer, your PDA or online with a service like Flickr.


• Scan each page of your notebook. This has the same affect as taking a snapshot only you probably get a cleaner image.


• Put a trusted system backup on your schedule. Typically you schedule a backup of your computer, make sure you add a trusted system back up too.

These are just some options you can take to prevent complete data loss if your trusted system disappears.

What are your suggestions for backing up your trusted system?

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