Gmail, Calendar, and iGoogle

One thing I was really surprised to learn about Gmail is that there is video/audio chat capability!  I am not sure how well it works in comparison to Skype, but I will definitely be checking it out as soon as possible.  As someone who uses Skype on a daily basis, I would love to have an alternative (and perhaps a better alternative) when Skype is having technical difficulties.  I also did not know how to set up a vacation response to emails, and was glad to find out it is so easy.  These days we take our internet with us everywhere, and I know people may get irritated if you don't respond, even if they know you are away.  I like the thought of being able to put up a "do not disturb" sign.

I had not used Google Calendars before, but I found it really easy to use.  I loved that I could import calendars from other programs, or even add a friend's calendar.  I think this would be really useful for keeping track of family events.  I also immediately imported a calendar of Thai holidays, which is great!  I also loved the task list.  You could put multiple tasks, sort them in different ways, and tag them with due dates.  You can also print out your list.

I had never used iGoogle before either, but it seems like a very useful option.  Too bad it will be gone soon! I went through a wizard that asked me about a few of my interests and preferences, and there it all was.   Weather, news, recent YouTube videos, and even a recipe of the day.   It seemed easy to add new tabs as well.  All I did was push "new tab" and then search for the relevant item.  Deleting and adding gadgets was equally as easy, and picking different themes was also fun.  I found quite a few for Thailand right away.