David Lano » Featured

Gmail SuperStars: Productivity Tweak for Email Ninjas

David Lano — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:28:32 +0000

Our lives have been taken over by email – everything from work tasks to notifications letting you know a friend posted something on Facebook.

You undoubtedly use Gmail, like any smart person would, and already enjoy the many benefits it has to offer: world class spam protection, email filters, labels, automatically getting email from other accounts, sending email out from different email addresses, etc – the list goes on.

But if you’re like me, despite all these wonderful free services, emails still pile up, stress rises, and productivity slows to a halt.

The Solution: Custom Gmail Stars

You probably already use the basic Gmail function of “starring” an email with the default yellow star (), but I would like to show you my awesome approach to managing emails like a true Gmail Ninja.

Gmail has a sweet Labs service called “Superstars”, and with a few simple tweaks you too can be on your way to managing emails like a Gmail Ninja.

Step 1

Open Gmail, click on the “Settings” link at the top right-hand side of the page and find the “Lab” link in your tabbed menu. Locate the “Superstars” feature, enable, and click the “save changes” button.

Step 2

Once the page reloads, go back to the Settings page (“General” tab), and choose the following stars () by dragging and dropping into the “In use” section with your mouse:

It should look something like this once you’re done:

Click the “Save Changes” button.

Step 3

Start starring emails with your new set of superstars by clicking repeatedly on the blank star next to an email until you find the one that suites you best.

Use the following table as a guide for using your new stars:

*Of course you don’t have to use my exact star set and/or definitions. Your own stars & definitions for what each star represents may change. This is just what happens to works for me.

Hopefully you find this to be helpful and maybe, just maybe, we can all decrease our email stress and start managing our emails instead of the other way around. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know if you’ve found this to be helpful or if you’ve come up with your own strategy for managing emails like a true Gmail Ninja.

The Ultimate List of 22+ DIY iPhone Docks & Stands

David Lano — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:35:26 +0000

I became an iPhone user back in September and have naturally been obsessed with everything “iPhone” ever since – in particular, DIY (Do It Yourself) iPhone / Touch docks & stands.

I recently set up and configured, what I humbly call, my “ultimate home office” (pics coming soon) and my new iPhone just didn’t seem to fit in very well. I wanted to prop up the iPhone so I could easily watch a video podcast or simply admire it’s beautiful design, but unfortunately didn’t really have a good way of stabilizing it’s tilt.

So, I naturally turned to the web in desperate need of finding the perfect iPhone / Touch dock or stand. Due to these harsh economic times, I steered clear of the manufactured $30 – $40 docks and noticed that their were several DIY iPhone / Touch dock and stand tutorials already out there. However, it took some digging to find good ones, and I thought it would be helpful to compile a list of some of the best DIY iPhone / Touch docks and stands available. Feel free to mention others you find or have built yourself in the comments. Enjoy!

Docks:

Card Paper Dock

via Dessine moi un objet

Download PDF Template

Binder Clip Dock

via Lifehacker

Toilet Paper Roll Dock

via QuiKeys

Cardboard Dock

via Geeky Gadgets

Download PDF Template

Recycled CD Dock

via Geeky Gadgets
See Geeky Gadgets website for instructions.

Lego Charging Dock

via jordanknoxpolk

LEGO Rotating Dock

via Bricks in my Pocket
Visit Bricks in my Pocket for a video demonstration and see more pics here.

NES Controller Dock

via Geeky Gadgets

Wooden Dock

via iPhone Hacks

See iPhone Hacks website for more details.

Wooden Tree Trunk Dock

via Geeky Gadgets

See Geeky Gadgets website for more details.

Automata Dock

via Murtaza Lakdawala

See website link above for more details and specific instructions.

Laser-Cut Acrylic Dock

via Tod E. Kurt

See website for more details and template files.

Stands/Holders:

Laser-Cut Stand

via Makezine

See website for more details and instructions.

Paper Clip Stand

via Dean and Ying’s Blog

Download PDF Template

Coffee Sleeve Stand

via Makezine

Credit Card Stand

via hondahater21

Pencil Stand

via Geeky Gadgets

See Geeky Gadgets website for instructions.

Mini DV Case Stand

via Gizmodo

Video details additional mod allowing the device to sit horizontally – nice touch.

Binder Clip Stand

via Instructables

Download PDF Template Instructions

Wire Coat Hanger Stand (Holder)

via Gizmodo

…and some other creative hanging methods:

Dinosaur Stand

When all else fails, simply cut a hole in one of your plastic/rubber Dinosaur toys and call it good.

via Craziest Gadgets

$100 Bill Stand

Of course, the obvious DIY stand for saving money – the $100 bill stand.
via Swiss Miss

Lazy Mans Stands

For those of you that can’t possibly imagine cutting, or glueing anything:

via Gizmodo Post Comments

Gmail: Get Mail From Other Accounts

David Lano — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 01:15:49 +0000

I realize this may be old news for some, but I just noticed a feature in Gmail settings that allows you to retrieve mail from other email accounts.

I can’t tell you how frustrated I was, logging into other email accounts and checking mail in 5+ different places.

Oh, and you can also send mail from outside accounts as well. Sweet huh? Ok, enough talk, here’s how it’s done:

How to add a new account:

Login to Gmail
Click the “Settings” link in the top right corner of your browser
Click the “Accounts” link in your settings area
Scroll down until you get to the “Get mail from other accounts:” section
Click the “Add another mail account” link

Enter the email address for the new mail account in the pop up box and click the “next step” button

Fill in the new account’s login credentials: username/password
In the “POP Server:” field: Most likely you can just leave what’s already provided in the text field, but you may need to adjust this to match you mail account settings. If you’re still stuck, go here.
Select any check boxes that you would consider helpful. I would recommend numbers 2 and 3 for security and organization respectively…but that’s just me.
Click the “Add Account” button and assuming everything is set up correctly it should go to the next step. If there are any errors and you’re stuck go here.

Fill in the name that will be associated with your new account and click the “Next Step” button.

Click the “Send Verification” button to verify your new email account.

Go check the email account that your adding, for new email, and look for an email sent from Google containing a verification code. Copy the verification code, paste it in the verification text field, and click the “Verify” button

If you would like to send email from your new email account, using Gmail, select the “Yes, I want to be able to send mail as: ” option and click the “Next Step” button.

You’re Done! You will be returned to your Gmail settings page and will now be able to use your new email account in Gmail. :)

As a note: Getting mail from a Yahoo account requires you to be a Yahoo! Mail Plus subscriber. Server denied POP3 access for the given username and password. POP access is limited to Yahoo! Mail Plus subscribers. Please contact Yahoo! Mail’s support team for more information.

I also wasn’t able to set up a Hotmail account – I think you need be considered a “Plus User” if you want to enable POP3 settings which requires you to upgrade your account and pay a fee.

If you run into any problems, Google has a support page which is quite helpful, or feel free to leave a comment with a question.

Where’s the Blogging Backwash?

David Lano — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:15:48 +0000

Ever since I started blogging back in January of 2008, I’ve encouraged and practically forced others to start blogging. Partly because I felt as though everyone had something valuable to say – anything from tips on sewing to customizing a Linux install.

Obviously there’s been an explosion of blogs in the last few years. Technorati indexes 1.5 million posts in real time. And, of course, we all have to find ways to differentiate ourselves and building a fan base isn’t always easy.

But what I really want to talk about is what happens after all of this has been accomplished. First, let me set up a couple scenarios that will hopefully resonate with you.

Scenario One: Let’s say for example, you’re a blogger that’s worked hard to build a sweet looking blog, you’ve mastered the skill of creating sticky content, optimized for SEO, and even have a solid flow of people interacting with and carrying on the conversation. You’re reaching a decent sized audience, have all the ad’s in place, and make a few bucks a day on average. Yea!

Scenario Two: You aren’t one of those money thirsty types, you have a much more noble purpose. You’re all about making an impact on the world – promoting a good cause, spreading ideas that will revolutionize the way we think and live. Society improves, people are blessed, the world is a much happier place, etc, etc.

Granted, scenario two seems much more worthwhile, and I’ll say right now: I’m a big fan. However, the value in both scenarios seems to be a bit lop-sided. Please don’t misunderstand me, I am all about the conversation, the extension and passing of something beyond the scope of the blog itself. And, I admit, their needs to be an instigator, someone to initiate the conversation and provide a foundation. But I long for a medium where there is an exchange of value, directly in proportion with each giver.

Is it forums? I don’t think so. They’re a great place for exchanging valuable information, but I’m talking about value beyond information – the world is absolutely full of information. Is it money? Maybe. Exchange of goods and or services? Maybe. I can’t quite put my finger on what this should look like, but something that satisfies the needs for both the blogger (giver of content, receiver of attention) and the reader (giver of attention, receiver of content) in a way where both can be rewarded and encouraged to continue to provide value.

Who knows, maybe the problem is the medium itself. Blogging was designed to function as a medium and maybe, just maybe, there’s no room for backwash? Something to think about.

I realize this is more of an abstract post, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about quite a bit lately. Hopefully I’ve made some sense, but feel free to ask questions or make suggestions. I’m all ears!