The following is an outline of an Online Application I am 100% certain we’ll see available within the next 1-3 years. Let us say this is a look at the future of what is coming in the way of online applications. This, to me, is the next natural step.
I have forwarded this info to Google as a feature suggestion. Below is a copy of what I suggested to them. It was written very quickly in a small text box on their feedback page, so there may be typographical and gramatical errors, but I’ll leave it as it. (I’ll also leave in the first couple of non-relate features I suggested… just for the record)
Let me know if this is something you can envision using. Also, if there are additional features you would suggest.
To Google:
I’d like to suggest that Goodle make available a sync tool for Outlook (and Thunderbird — although perhaps there’s already one on Tbird).
There’s a plugin I use called GSynit which works well. Syncmycal also works well, but it’s $30. Gsyncit is $9.
What I would suggest is that Google put out its own FREE outlook plugin. There are a vast number of business outlook users out there, people who will not switch to Thunderbird for corporate reasons (I seem to recall Tbird has a sync plugin already?). I suspect many of these people would find Gcal far more attractive if it was a no-brainer to get Outlook and Gmail synchronising. If you don’t want to develop something from scratch, you could make the developer of GSynit an offer to buy his code.
Anyway, I really like GCal, but I must say I ONLY started using it once I was able to Sync with Outlook. Before that, I wouldn’t use it. And, as per some feedback I just sent, the free sms reminders is the #1 feature that made me want to use Gcal. That, and the fact that once I am on the road travelling (in a few months) I will quite likely use Gcal directly and skip the Outlook syncing because I can access Gcal from any internet cafe.
[THE FUTURE ONLINE APP]
Whilst writing the above, the following came to mind. I forward this to you because if it’s not something you’re already working on, I think it’s something Google should serious consider.
I’d suggest Google create is an online “time management system”. Google already has many of the core components of such a system in place. A basic to-do list would be a starter, although something more comprehensive would be more popular. No doubt Google is already working on the to-do list idea. Although, to be honest, basic to-do lists a somewhat a thing of the past.
Check out an application like “Mylife Organized” (google it!) and you’ll see what I mean. I am suggesting something that allows for setting up projects, sub-projects, and tasks within the projects. Also, take note that the book “Getting Things Done” by David Allen is very popular and again if you google that one you’ll see there are a lot of people looking at ways to apply the GTD principles with computers and task management programs. If you developed your task/project management system to be able to be set up as a GTD interface it would seen get out there.
Off the top of my head this would require the following feature sets:
1) The two already mentioned above. Projects, Sub-projects, and tasks (to-do lists) within these projects. Projects and tasks would have the option of assigning a data and time to them. Even a start and end date. Also reminders for the start and end.
2) An virtual “Inbox” tray — this is a dumping ground for ideas, thoughts, notes, bookmarks, sound files, documents, etc. Emails could also be moved into this. (It’s not an email inbox, rather an “everything inbox” to which emails could be sent if desired). I think your Google Notepad system would be the logical starting point for the “inbox”.
3) A good folder/filing system for the following items: Emails, notes (stuff from the “Inbox” mentioned in #2), documents, saved attachments, etc. It should be easy to send any item into these folders, from where ever they are normally stored (emails from Gmail, docs from Google Docs, etc.)
4) The ability to make any item something to be actioned. So, for instance, an email… I would be able to assign it to a project, and/or set up a task, and/or fire it through to my calendar as an appointment. Or things in the Time Management Inbox… again, I would be able to make them into tasks, appointments, etc. These action items would have a date and even a time assigned to them. A reminder would be available too.
5) Another great would be the ability to send items from my PC (and PDA) to an email address (a google one) which will place those items into the Time Management Inbox. So I could forward emails to it, forward images, forward documents, forward notes, forward voice recordings, etc.). Any attachment on this special email would be striped off the message and put into the Inbox.
6) The ability to manage much of this from the Desktop. Be that a ground-up desktop application or something that plugs into Outlook and Thunderbird (with the Sunbird calendar system installed). I think the later would require much less development overhead, and would suit the needs of anyone wanting a desktop interface for the above Google Time Management system.
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Some of the above mentioned is simply about tying together the systems Google has already developed (Notebooks, Gmail, Calendar, Google Docs). Some of it is about adding new feature sets to help tie it all together in useful ways and to provide the ability to organise the information in two ways: Projects/Tasks, and Time (dates, times, end times, reminders, finish times, etc.)
I’d greatly appreciate hearing back from someone regarding the above mentioned. These are quick notes off the top of my head, so if you’d like more input let me know.
Having worked professionally in the IT sector since I was 12 (20 years ago) and with a really good handle on people and what the social trends/wants are, I am entirely certain that if Google is not the one to come out with something like what I’ve just outlined, some one else will. I guarantee it. In my mind, Google might as well be the one to do it.
A name for the above?
Google Organizer
G-Time
G-Life
Google Life Planner (GLP for short)
Just some thoughts.
With my regards,
Jonathan Evatt
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