There's no need to create folders to organise your email. After you've read a message just click 'Archive' and it's removed from your inbox. Now in the future if you want to find any information about that specific email just type in the person's name, or their email address, or any words relating to the email, and Google's superior search technology will offer answers in seconds.

Don't forget when it comes to searching to use double quotes for an exact match. If you search for birthday cakes (with no quotes) you'll get results on both birthday and cakes, as well as birthday cakes. But search for 'birthday cakes' and the results will only list information relating directly to 'birthday cakes' and not Christmas cakes etc.

Labels

Use your own custom labels to intelligently organise your e-mails in any way that make sense to you.

For example, let's say your wife e-mails you something about your upcoming trip to Paris. Google mail allows you to easily attach labels to that e-mail such as wife and Paris. Later, when looking through your wife e-mails, you'll find that email message there, or when looking through your Paris emails the same message will be there. No more having to figure out what single folder each message needs to go into.

• More information on how to use and organise Labels

Conversations

Your email messages are organised as 'Conversations' so back and forth messages on the same subject are grouped together and organised in a logical way. As new messages on the same subject are sent and received they are added to the conversation.

Spam detection

Sadly there's no perfect way around the spam problem but Google's filters are some of the best.

3GB of online storage

You might think that you don't need so much storage space but why delete an email or file that might be of use in the future? Why not just archive it and you'll still have access to the information several years in the future.

Computers are as much about sorting heavy loads of information as anything else so it makes sense to archive and keep every email sent to you that may even slightly be of importance to you down the road. After all it doesn't cost you anything.

Mobile Access

Email when you're on the move is not for everyone but with the right mobile phone and internet access GoogleMail will work really well. Also, with Google's new mobile phone operating system Android about to explode on the scene over the next few years expect more and better email integration from mobile phones in general.

Access Anywhere

Computers are heading into the Cloud where all your data is stored at one central location. This means that all you need to get access is a computer to log into.

Impossible to lose your data

When you open a GoogleMail account you also open a Google Account which offers all sorts of other features such as an online word processor, Calendar, enhanced searching, easy payment options, Browser sync, Alerts etc.

• www.mail.google.com

There are several different ways to access Google mail. The easiest way is just to use the web interface at http://mail.google.com. But you can also use Google Mail in your regular e-mail application, such as Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail and Thunderbird etc - more information here.

One other way is to automatically forward your e-mail from other accounts to Google mail. You can then send messages from Google mail designed to look like they come from any address you own. It's the simplest way to handle the multiple addresses situation and let you work from one interface on every computer.

Many people don't like moving an email account because they don't want the hassle of trying to move their address book and saved messages to the new account. Google of course knows about these problems and so has developed a service that automatically moves other email service accounts to GoogleMail -

• How to transfer existing email accounts to Google Mail

The following is another useful link about migrating a Hotmail account to GoogleMail. I especially like the free software mentioned (GetMail) which enables all Hotmail messages to be automatically redirected to GoogleMail.

• How to migrate from Hotmail to Gmail + some tricks

If you want more ideas and tips and trick of how to use GoogleMail then see the following link -

• 80 Google Mail tips & tricks

A developing trend in technology over the next few years will be convergence of our data and information into one central location. The main aim of this is to make our online lives easier by being more efficient and this is what GoogleMail can do for many of its users.

But it often takes time to setup new email accounts and figure out how the software works - think of this as an investment in your time. A few hours spent trying to get more efficient might save you hundred of hours over the coming year.