Offline support for Gmail, GCal
Gmail and Google Calendar are expected to join Google Reader and Google Docs with offline support in about 6 weeks, according to Google Operating System blog.  Offline support is achieved with Google Gears.

Google Docs adds fullscreen mode
Now there is a fullscreen editing mode for Google Docs without the need for a Greasemonkey script.  Check out the “View” menu.

Lifehacker says that combined with Firefox 3’s serious fullscreen capabilities and GDocs’ fixed-width page view, “you can turn the online office suite into a no-distraction writing environment.” Zoho Writer also has a similar “Maximize editor” function.

Google Docs templates
There are an amazing number (>300) of templates for all kinds of document needs that can be found at the new Google Docs directory.  Try the “preview” link to see what your document, presentation or spreadsheet would look like.

“Each template has boilerplate content and preset design styles that are meant to be reused. (…) You can then edit the document, replacing boilerplate text and images with your own,” explains Google.

The option to use a template is available in Google Docs when you click on New > From template and the list of templates that you’ve recently used will appear.

Hott Notes: Sticky Notes for Desktop and USB
Hott Notes is a free, Windows-only, sticky notes tool you can easily add to your arsenal on both desktop and usb drive.

It allows sticky notes, check lists, alarms, and supports hot-keys to quickly create a new note or bring all notes to the front.

After you download Hott Notes, you can select colors and transparency settings.  You can even attach an alarm to your notes to get a reminder.  [via Technology Bites]

Gmail Superstars
Flag your email messages with a variety of icons.  In your gmail account, choose “settings” from the upper right corner, then enable Superstars.  Save your settings then complete your icon list.  Mouse over the icons to see their names and move them to and from “in use” as you wish.

Experimenting with how this works for you is the best way to learn.  For instance, you can open a message and click on the star; type “s” to go through your selected icons to find the one you want to use.  [via Google Operating System blog]

Keeping up with Better Gmail extension
I have found it worthwhile to use the “new” Gmail and to use the Better Gmail extension and its various refinements that have been introduced over time.  Now Gina Trapani has brought out Better GMail 2 version 0.3.5.  Better Gmail 2 is a compilation of Greasemonkey user scripts that add useful features to Gmail.  It works only with new Gmail.

We have posted before about Gmail, and its extension upgrades. 

Send Flickr photos, videos as email
Flickr has added a new “Share” function that lets you email a photograph or a video to your friends without requiring an external email program.

“When you email a photo from Flickr, it attaches a copy of the picture (medium size) in the email message itself so recipients can view images without leaving their email program,” points out Digital Inspiration.

When you send a Flickr video via email, an image of the first video frame is sent in the email message.  That is linked to the actual location of the video file on Flickr website.

You might want to go to your Flickr account page and check the settings so you can control who can email your photos directly.

Armchair / Online sightseeing
Have you discovered Google Sightseeing?  Every weekday this site brings us great satellite shots from around the world using Google Earth or Google Maps.  Today visit Spirit Lake just north of active volcano Mount St. Helens.

Local backup for Gmail
Don’t always have access to the Web when you want to access your Gmail?  Here are instructions on how to set up local backups using a desktop client or Getmail.

Synch your Firefox bookmarks
If you routinely use more than one computer and haven’t discovered this handy extension, try Foxmarks now.

Install the Firefox extension on each computer you use then setup your account.  Foxmarks works in the background and automatically syncs your bookmarks between two or more computers.

Better Gmail 2 adds more features
I have been keeping up with Better Gmail extensions for Firefox so I was interested to try out this new one from Lifehacker.  The latest version includes four new user scripts: One Click Conversations, Hide Invites Box, Google Reader Integration, and Message Rollover Highlights.  There are also two nice-looking Gmail skins: Gmail Blue and Grays and Blues.

I have especially enjoyed having a new Gmail skin, message rollover highlighting, and Google Reader integration since I downloaded the extension.  Once you have added the extensions, examine and set-up the options you want.

Free online pie charts
Mashable brings us 5 simple and free pie chart utilities including,

• Chartpart

• Geek247

• MapTools

• NCES Kids Zone, and

• Yellowpipe

How to become a Gmail Jedi Master
Try out this video for a quick way to learn to use Gmail effectively.  Includes labels, filters, keyboard shortcuts, vacation autoresponders, and IMAP suport.  [via Lifehacker]

Top 10 obscure Google search tricks
These great Google search tips are really useful.   Don’t know why they are obscure — everybody should know about them.  Get the local time, convert currency, track flights and more directly from Google search.

Netflix, LG to offer movie set-top box
DVD rental company Netflix is developing a set-top box with LG Electronics to let its 7 million subscribers watch movies streamed directly from the Web to their TVs.  Currently Netflx has an instant viewing feature that lets members downlaod and stream selected movies to PCs.

Like Netflix’s PC instant viewing, the online TV streaming feature would be included in all of its various price plans, generally ranging from $4.99 to about $16.99 a month, with no extra charges.  About 90,000 titles are available through the Netflix online mail order service.

Pricing of the LG product is not yet known, but there is speculation that LG would likely embed the receiver into its $799 dual-DVD player, which supports the competing Blu-ray and HD-DVD high-definition DVD formats, and there might be a stand-alone set-top box for around $399.  [via Blogrunner]

Tech in review
Lance Ulanoff at PC Magazine focuses on key topics as he reviews technology doings in 2007 and tells us what he thinks is likely to happen in 2008.  Includes Vista, iPod, Google, Facebook, chips, and more.

Another point of (re)view
Grumpy John Dvorak spreads his misery around as he reviews tech in 2007.  He looks at some of the same tech activities as the those listed above.

Tips and tricks to master Gmail
Writer John Brandon at PC Magazine asks you to abandon your old ideas about email and embrace all that Gmail has to offer, giving tips on how even those accustomed to Microsoft Outlook can successfully transition. 

Advantages of Gmail, he says, include never having to download your mail again, using a powerful mail search that doesn’t seem like an afterthought, and having a nearly infinite amount of online storage space. 
 

Firefox extension: Remember the Milk in Gmail
Integrate your Remember the Milk to-do list into Gmail with this new Firefox extension. 

 Lifehacker calls it a “pretty full integration” where you can label messages “to do” and automatically turn them into a task.  The extension adds a Tasks tab in Gmail settings where you can tell it to make starred messages or messages with a certain label a task.  
 
eWeek Labs lists 10 most important products of 2007
This slideshow covers the gamut of technologies from the well-known Google Apps to lesser lights that you might have missed.

Holiday desktop gadgets
Whether or not you are taking a holiday break from blogging or web-surfing, you might enjoy having a holiday gadget on your desktop. 

Choose from a variety ranging from countdowns to Christmas or the New Year to trees and menorahs.  Check out all the possibilities here.

iGoogle winter themes 
After posting two days ago about holiday and winter themes for iGoogle, imagine my surprise to discover today that the Holiday Village theme had disappeared from my home page and theme choices.

 It’s not the first time I have mentioned a Google feature that hadn’t been rolled out to everyone yet, but it is the first time I have had the feature disappear after I had it.

 Hopefully it will reappear soon since I really liked it.  In the meantime, does anyone out there have the code?

Gmail stories
This morning I found this in my Gmail:

I don’t know whether this has rolled out to everyone (!), but for those of you who have an interesting story to tell about your use of Gmail,  “all you need is a video camera and a great story.  Feel free to get creative with special effects or choreography or just tell it like it is,” says this Gmail site.  Submit your video by December 31st, 2007

Traveljournals.net:  stories from your friends on the road
This free travel journal site is similar to OffExploring that I mentioned previously and also posted a review by a user.

Here, too, you can explore places, view pictures (apparently not videos), read stories, search for a traveler.  I tried the picture search for a specific country and city, and when I tried the “next” option I ended up in different countries instead of it taking me to the next picture for the place I was searching.  I tried it three times with the same results.  There’s a lot of advertising on the site but I guess that is inevitable with a free service.

10 tips for navigating more efficiently in Firefox
If you use Firefox all day you may have mastered a few of the navigational tools it offers, but there are a lot of them under the hood, says Web Worker Daily.

These tips help you use your mouse and keyboard to navigate for faster browsing.  A number of of the tips will work in other browsers as well.  Many of these tell you how to make the scroll wheel on your mouse really work for you, or alternatively, if you don’t have one, what key combinations will speed your work.

Google Talk  - get more
Google Talk brings you instant messaging, Gmail notifications, voice calling from PC to PC, and file transfers (though the last three are not available in Gmail chat or the Gtalk gadget).

Web Worker Daily also notes that recently they’ve added group chat and AIM integration too, since it is based on a set of open instant messaging protocols supported by a variety of services and clients.

The tips are organized from the most basic to the more advanced to help you get the most from Google Talk.