Sometimes things can become worse from being good, just in the name of innovation. A current example of such a thing is the newly introduced change of features in the Labels of GMail inbox.[Read: Labels, drag and drop, hiding and more] Innovation is supposed to bring with it, ease of use and user-friendliness. But with this new feature, what we have is completely the opposite.

GMail has pioneered user-freindliness, and I was overjoyed when I was given the facility to use the GMail Lab – Right side Chat. It allowed to manage my inbox space in a much more organised fashion. I did not bother if my hundreds of labels would mean my Chat Window would get buried down in deep underground. Everything was jolly good.

With the new features though, Label is back to a space above its original position – which is just below the default Inbox Tabs, and above chat. Sure, there is a summarizer which wraps up the Labels, which again questions its utility now.  For one, I am not used to the Left-sidedness of it. Secondly, if the Labels tab is wrapped up, it only means, that when I drag and drop my messages to the left, it is going to unwrap then. The wrapping up of the Labs to show only the most used Labels is also quite questionable. This is because I have lots of Labels which I use frequently, but GMail Inbox now shows only 4 of them. For sure, I can use the “Move to:” feature still, which completely negates the drag and drop feature introduction.

I know GMail introduced the ‘drag and drop’ feature to replicate the Folder scenario as seen in Yahoo and Hotmail. But to do so here, users have to strategically place the mouse between a space so small that it can only fit a hair. This space is at the extreme beginning of the email, and before the checkbox. Yes, can you SEE it even? Talk about user-friendliness.Pffft!

And yes, Right-Side Label Labs is dead. WHYYYY????? I cannot send my Chat to the Right, because the popped up Chat Windows block the Contact list. So it did mean more sense for Right-Side Label to be enabled. I can only request, along with all the other users to bring Sexyback – Imean Right-Side Labels. Puhhhleeeeeeeezz!!!

GMail Ninja Tips and Tricks

GMail has just realeased a list of smart shortcuts to easily manage your day-to-day activities with the GMail Inbox. Most of it is widely known to most users, such as using stars to favorite mails, or labels and even archiving. In the latest blog post from GMail Blog , they have talked about the different levels with which they have distinguished the tips and tricks to use GMail more efficiently. Of course, it is the same inbox, but it is upto the user how well he/she manages it.

For e.g. simple keyboard shortcuts like C for compose, Y for archiving or O for opening a mail can make life a lot easier. [Of course, keyboard shortcuts has to be enabled in the Settings, and for that matter, people who are not very familiar with using Keyboard shortcuts will get so much irritated by unexpected opening of mails or the compose mode.]

The entire list of tips and tricks [ nicknamed Become a GMail Ninja] is available at http://www.gmail.com/tips, and a Printable version as well in pdf. For the first 1024 requesters in the US, GMail would even mail them the laminated printed guide. [ I like the number 1024].

Some of my favourite GMail Jutsus are listed below.

1. Customizable Inbox addresses:
We tend to sign-up for a lot of services which ask for an email address. Now, you might have a separate email address just for that purpose. But with that, you will never be able to track if the service you signed up, has been sending you any spam or not. The day is saved by customizable email or inbox addresses. The trick is to append a word or identifier at the end of your username.
e.g. If I was signing up for a supermarket store Fubarmart, I’d give them my email ID as: username+fubarmart@gmail.com
Now by creating a filter, indicating all the emails to username+fubarmart@gmail.com to be moved to a label called fubarmart, I can trace if Fubarmart has been sending any spam mails to me or not.

2. Filter Control associated with Labels.
Filters enable users to accommodate similar emails under one roof. This makes the inbox more arranged and easier to search for an email you want to come back to. Hence, filters can arrange the emails on the basis of sender-address, or even to your customizable inbox addresses[ explained below]. By creating filters and associating them with labels, life is much more simple.

3.Vacation responders and Signatures.
The name says it. GMail inbox is as awesome as a mail client. Vacation responders can be configured to take care of auto-reply in case you are out on a long vacation. This can also be used for general auto-reply, if you happen to be a very popular man who receives hundreds of emails per day.

Signatures on the other hand can be used to do away with ’signing off redundancy’. It can also be used to publicize your website, or your facebook or twitter urls, or even can be a space to show off your witty side with a kick-ass quote. Just be sure of the audience your mail goes to.

4. Search Smart on GMail.
For more on this, read the post ‘Search you Inbox efficiently‘.

5. EOM in Subject Line.
By adding (EOM) in the Subject Line, you can avoid the annoying pop-up asking you to fill in something in the message body. Of course, if you have a signature, you do not need to use this feature.

6.YouTube and Flickr previews.
This is a Google Labs functionality and allows users to view YouTube videos and Flickr pics right from the inbox.

7.Remote sign-off
This is for users like me [ i.e. students] who tend to sign in to check our mails at every possible internet outlet – at the library, the workstation room, Maths building etc. If for some reason, you are worried about not having signed out somewhere, you can sign off those previous sessions from anywhere else. This option is available at the bottom of your inbox, and also lets you know where the previous login sessions were located [ as in the IP addresses].

8. Finally, my favorite. Themes.
Yeah, as simple as that. Decorate your inbox in your own customised way or choose from the number of templates available. The one I have right now is the Zoozimps theme. It is fun, has a bit of an animation going in the chat window and is white.

So, tell me, what are your Jutsus that make you a GMail Ninja? Shout it out in the comments section.

##Tab Tearing:
This is similar to the feature that Google Chrome has. Users will be able to hold a single tab and drag it to make it as a new Window. The reverse is also possible ie. opened browser windows can be dragged into tabs as well.  Here is a video exhibiting the same.

Tear tab feature in Firefox 3.1 Beta 2 from Percy Cabello on Vimeo.

##Session Restore – Restored.
The session restore in Firefox has a big issue. The tab which caused the browser to crash [ usually because of a Flash plugin mishap] is opened as well when the session is restored. This particular feature now smartly recognises the cause and prevents the browser from opening that particular tab. Kind of a controlled session restore or more like a crash recovery.

##Private Browsing.
This is the answer to Chrome’s Incognito Window – or the PORN MODE. No history recorded, no cookies stored. Also handy for checking email on a friend’s machine, or even a quick online transaction.

##Keyword AwesomeBar Upgrade !!!
The Auto-suggestive AwesomeBar of Firefox is cluttered with irrelevant suggestions for keywords, possibly because it is derived from History, Bookmarks and Tags. The special character filters which are included in the new Firefox fixes this issue. So, say goodbye to clutter.

##The Big One. HTML5 and Video PIMPED!
The keywords here are Opensource, HTML5, Oggvorbis, Theora. To put it simply, browsing a page encoded in HTML5, featuring a video in Oggvorbis or Theora – and the video can become a webpage i.e. carry act, look and behave like a webpage. I wouldn’t talk much and just let you watch this one.

So, what do you think about Firefox 3.5?

The Phone that changed..

Say Hello to iPhone 3GS

Looks the same as before

Performance Comparison

3MP camera on the iPhone

Macro Shots on the iPhone Auto Focus Camera

Video is ON..on the iPhone

Video Capture Specs for iPhone

Voice Control in the iPhone

Digital Compass with Maps

And the price is..

Jun 19 for UK and US

August launch for India

And it's a wrap for WWDC 2009 Keynote! No "one more thing"s

Hope you liked the post. The comments are open for you to scribble. Cheers!

iPhone OS demo begins

Thank you for the Apps

A billion apps download in 9 months

Cut Copy Paste in iPhone

Landscape Typing

Tethering with iPhone

App developers revenue model

iPhone meets Satnav TomTom

Games Galore in iPhone

SDK

ESPN Alert

iPhone OS 3.0

Next up: WWDC 2009 Keynote Images from the iPhone 3GS launch. Stay tuned!

Phil is in The House

WWDC Entrance People Queue

Inside Moscone West Waiting for Phil

Mac vs PC Ad

Specs of the new Macs

New Mac's got SD Love

Say Hello to Snow Leopard is Here!

Quicktime X unveiled

64bit processing

Open Standards

And the family goes for!

For the loyal ones

Next Up: iPhone OS 3.0 at the WWDC Keynote 2009

First up: A Graphical Roundup of all the iPhone Rumors in one image [via TGRBlog]

For the High Resolution picture, click here.

The following images are courtesy: CrunchGear’s Liveblog of WWDC on Scribble

Moscone West

iPhone OS 3.0 at WWDC

WWDC Mac OS X Snow Leopard

Geeks Galore inside Moscone West at WWDC

Waiting for Phil's Keynote at WWDC

More images to come after the Keynote, and the Link for the WWDC 2009 Keynote Video from Apple’s website.

The latest GMail Blog post[Slice and Dice your Email] has some of them listed such as:

• “to:me is:starred” shows all messages sent directly to you that are starred
• “is:chat from:heather” shows all chat conversations you had with Heather
• “is:starred -in:inbox” shows all your starred messages that aren’t in your inbox (a good way to find anything important that you might have accidentally archived)
• “from:elliot filename:pdf” shows all messages from Elliot that have a pdf attachment
• “is:unread in:inbox” to search for all unread mails in the inbox

Other helpful keywords are:

Also, to help people who tend to forget all the search keywords, the Google Search AutoComplete will sort that problem out as well.

And for the frequent Search keywords in use, users can favorite them in a Lab feature called Quicklinks.

To read more about Search Keywords, visit this link [Google Answers]

Just a couple of hours from now [ exactly at 6 pm, London time ] the WWDC 2009 keynote will be held at Moscone West, San Fransisco. Unlike previous year, and the years before, when Steve Jobs took the centrestage to unveil many a fabulous products that Apple has, this year it will Apple’s SVP for Product Marketing, Phil Schiller, who will be presenting the keynote. And by this time, since the first announcement of the dates for this year’s WWDC, the internet and the blogosphere has been buzzing around with rumors and predictions on what possible products will Apple lift the curtains from. This post covers all of them, and also gives you the essential links you will need to stay connected to this year’s WWDC. [WWDC image source: Adam Jackson's Flickr Photostream]

First up: The Liveblogs:
Yes, these are the bunch of ‘Apple Groupies’ who will be tearing off their Tees, and screaming out loud with whistles blowing et al. They will be covering the event live through their Netbooks, Macbooks etc. Here is the elite list.

Engadget Liveblog of WWDC 2009:
Gizmodo Liveblog of WWDC 2009:
Slashgear Liveblog of WWDC 2009:
ComputerWorld Liveblog of WWDC 2009:
Macrumors Liveblog of WWDC 2009:
9to5mac LivePanel of WWDC 2009:
Macrumors Link for the Keynote Video [as and when Apple updates it]:

**Rumors and Predictions:**

The New iPhone 3GS:
What does ‘S‘ stand for? Is it Super or could it be Speed? Does that mean better processing speed, i.e. faster processors and more RAM. Also does it mean more storage? And oh, S could also mean (more) Saleable -i.e. a budget range product with a budget range price-tag. All these rumors have been making waves since the last couple of weeks. Let’s discuss them.

Well from different sources [mentioned below] we have collected the following data that the new iPhone 3GS is going to have the following features.
..significantly faster processors, twice the RAM, and twice the storage.
..expected prices to remain the same as the current lineup: $199/299 for 16/32 GB, respectively.
..better Battery life. [via Daring Fireball]

From images from Carphone Warehouse [ via AppleInsider] , the new iPhone should have more storage space, of the range of 32 GB.

Also among other rumors, Apple could bring Sexyback. I mean the 4GB model for 99$. [via Macrumors]. This could possibly be a smaller version, nicknamed the iPhone Nano or Mini. And yes, Engadget, Financial Times as well BGR second that.

The major feature to be added in the new iPhone is the Video Capture, plus Video Call. This means the possible addition of a front facing camera on the iPhone 3GS. Also, the camera will be upgraded from the now existing 2MP to 3.2MP. [via Techcrunch]

Finally Gizmodo has enlisted the following features to make it to tomorrow’s keynote.
A matte finish external design, with a glowing Apple Logo.

Other Apple rumors [besides iPhone]
The Snow Leopard may be displayed [most probably in the first 15 minutes of the Keynote to build up the anticipation]. Although this is the next big release of the Mac OS, but it is for sure that the event will be eclipsed totally by the new iPhone.

New Macbook, Macbook Pros, Macbook Air. [Anyone bothered?]

Other hardware releases such as Apple Cinema Displays, iPod Touch, Apple TV, iTunes updates etc.

**Lies:**

Okay Lies are just rumors which turned out to be negative. Since, WWDC Keynote 2009 is still a good 17 hours away, we cannot exactly call the following as lies. But, according to our respectable sources, the following are hardly going to make the cut. [And it also includes the labor of all those genius Photoshoppers].

TouchScreen Tablet aka iTablet or iTab [ via Wired].

Some fake, noisy picture of the new iPhone [via 9to5Mac]

Steve Jobs: Is Mr.Jobs really gonna make a guest appearance or at least wave from the audience inside Moscone West?

**And all that:**

Just a quick reminder for survival through the week overdrive in WWDC. Here is a post by Brent Simmon [inessential.com] which gives all of us the tips for WWDC. The list includes, Hotel Tips, Food Tips, Session Tips etc.

Of course, WSJ’s Walt Mossberg, confirms that the new iPhone to be announced tomorrow will be sporting a lot of new hardware. [Source: WSJ-Mossberg's Palm Pre Review]

And finally, since the new iPhone will be featuring a Video Camera [hopefully a front-facing one], all the features of Video Conferencing and MMS enability in iPhone 3.0 will be explored.

Now go on, have some sleep. Catch you at one of the Liveblogs. Peace out!

In the latest blog post on Twitter, they have discussed how a certain manager, Tony La Russa has filed a lawsuit for impersonation of his name to create an account. Twitter, however has not agreed to pay any settlement for the lawsuit. To prevent occurence of any such future activities, Twitter will be rolling out identity checks termed as Verified Accounts. This check will show a tick mark next to the Profile name of a user, and will be performed on select users [comprising of public figures, officials, organisations etc.]

An important tip to check the identity of a Twitter user is to visit the URL linked in the user profile. Fake users often tend to use the Official URL of that particular user [searchable on Google]. If this particular URL links back to the twitter ID, it is certain, that the user is real and not a fake one.

Issues with this form of verification though, is that there are loads of users out there, who have shortened URLs on their profile, and these URLs lead to some dodgey website [often having an appended username at the tail] talking about affiliate marketing or money making on the internet in the next 2 hours.