tip 15

Before I give you my last tip I want to show you how to easily find all of the other tips I have sent.

At the top middle of the page there is a blank and a button labeled Search Mail. I purposely put Tech Tip in the title of each message so it can be found easily through a search. In that box type Tech Tip and click Search Mail (or just hit enter).

Or check out my website: Here. On the right side there is a link to all of the tech tips as well as some tutorials on how to use our Google tools like e-mail, Google Docs, and Google Sites.

So if you thought a past tip sounded like something you want to learn, now you can go back and review it anytime.

For the last tip of 2009 I thought I would show you how to customize your appearance or at least the appearance of your G-mail Inbox.

In the top right corner, there is a link for settings. Click it.

Under the first tab: General- you can add a picture, include a signature that will appear at the end of all your e-mails, and choose a language other than English (if you want to challenge yourself).

But to truly customize your Inbox and make it your own, you need to dive into the last two tabs: Labs and Themes.

Click on Labs.

All of these features are available to you for free. They all start out disabled, until you enable them. The ones I have enabled are Right side labels (I use a lot of labels and have to scroll down to see them if they are on the left), Text Messaging in Chat (this allows you to send a text message to a cell phone number), Extra Emoji (more animated characters), and the Google Docs Gadget (which allows me to see my Google Docs right in my Inbox). So play around with them and see which ones you like and which are useful for you.

Now for the huge changes. Click on Themes.

Are you a Bubble Gum or Dusk person, wanting plain colors?

Maybe you like Graffiti, Zoozimps, or Bus stop. They change throughout the day.

Personally I am partial to Summer Ocean and I can't wait to go there soon.

Have a great summer!

John