Google Chrome was launched back in 2008, at a time when Microsoft’s Internet Explorer was a big competitor. With new standards of speed, design, customization, performance and user experience, Chrome quickly left its competition far behind.
As a result, extensions on Chrome started getting popular and plenty of plugins that help sync your browser to your e-mail surfaced.
Here’s a look at a few of the best chrome extensions for your email account, including a video demo of mxHero's highly rated Chrome email toolbox.
Gmail Checker
For those of you using Gmail, this is an extension you must try. The extension sits to the right of the tool bar and displays the number of unread mails in your inbox. Accessing your e-mail via this is just a click of a button away as the browser launches your inbox in a new tab. However, the application is very rigid in its workings as one can only view the unread count and open up one’s Gmail via this.
Yahoo Mail Notifier Chrome Extension
If you are a loyal Yahoo! fan using Chrome, all isn’t lost. Although their email service isn’t as popular as it once was, it nevertheless still remains a great free to use e-mail platform. Chrome has an extension for Yahoo! Mail which works in a similar fashion to its G-mail counterpart by displaying the number of unread emails while also additionally alerting you to new messages.
Limitations: E-mails can be seen only when displayed in another tab in Chrome. Otherwise, it just acts as a short cut to sign up to one’s Yahoo! account.
Outlook Email Notifier
Chrome has something for Outlook users as well (I'm sure Microsoft loves that). Pin the Outlook Notifier to your toolbar to get a count of the unread mails in your email. Clicking on the icon will open the mail service in a new tab. What stands out here is the desktop notification, an optional feature that you can switch on or off depending on your preferences. A dandy short snippet appears at the bottom of the screen displaying information on new incoming e-mail.
PowerBot Chrome Extension
Powerbot is a handy extension available for Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook users that allows you to drop data from your attachments, messages and even threads to Evernote without changing windows. Priced at $1.99 a month, Powerbot does all the organizing for you at the press of a button.
Rapportive
Rapportive displays an intuitive screenshot of the person sending you an e-mail from your contact list. Although limited to just Gmail, Rapportive gives you interesting (if sometimes superfluous) bits of information such as the senders status message, social profiles, connections and even tells you if they are nearby.
WiseStamp Chrome Extension
If you are looking to spruce up your e-mail signatures, here is an extension that will incorporate your company logos, links to your social profiles, tweets as well as quotes making your signatures stand out from the usual two-lined text. This extension works with Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook and AOL.
Gmail Offline
This extension is a lifesaver when you need to read, search and even respond to e-mail when there is no (or poor) internet connection. Just type out your email as usual and hit send. As soon as a connection is detected, the application will update and send any unsent e-mail.
Which of These Best Chrome Email Extensions Will You Try?
With email consuming an estimated 25% of our workday, anything that helps improve its usage and efficiency, as well as its enjoyment, is worth experimenting with. Try some of these email extensions above and let us know which ones you love. Reach us on Twitter @MxHeroNet.
