OK, this may be a bit of a stretch, but I really think the newly released themes for Gmail do more than appeal to our senses. They actually have a very practical application: differentiating between multiple Gmail accounts.
I have branded (Google Apps, using my own domain) accounts for business and personal use, and a few generic @gmail.com types for subscriptions, lists, online purchases. It’s all neatly tied together by Gmail Manager, the excellent Firefox extension. Even then I sometimes find myself typing an email in the wrong account window. Here’s the solution: give all your Gmail accounts its own distinctive theme.
I don’t really care for the fancy themes, but at least the top row are all subtle, minimalist styles. Pick one for each of your accounts, you’ll get used to the colors fast and never mix up your accounts again.
Well.. almost. As usual, Google rolled out this new feature to the generic, @gmail.com accounts only. Google Apps users will have to wait – lets’ hope not too long.
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Zoli – that’s finding a benefit where it’s hard to see one existing. The truth is that Google should allow Gmail to be an aggregation point for lots of different mail accounts and users should be able to set rules for “mail from” options.
Having a bunch of individual windows with funny themes in order to keep constant is a backwards hack…
Now true widgetisation – multiple gmail accounts as widgets on an iGoogle page – that’d be grand……
“should”? But it does …
I’m actually using one “master” business account for several other accounts, using rules / labels / respond from account based on the exact logic you mention.
I still prefer to keep business and personal correspondence separate (the two main domain accounts) and also keep junk in separate accounts.
So I guess I have a hybrid system, a few (3) main accounts where I used to have probably a dozen in my pre-Gmail life.
That said, it’s a personal choice – with multiple accounts, I do find the different themes helpful.
Actually, what Zoli is saying is true. I have around 12 accounts (personal, professional, 3 companies where I am partner, etc). Themes will help faster identification while having many tabs open.
Well Zoli it kind of does…. but it does raise the question about real customisation and a users ability to tailor things to their particular (and often times bizarre) use patterns