5 Ways To Access Your Google Tasks

Google Tasks is a recent offering from the web giant, offering you the ability to keep a list of things to do. We’re going to explore several methods of accessing your tasks list, varying from your desktop to a gadget within Gmail itself.

Google Tasks on Your Desktop

Available for all platforms capable of running Adobe Air.

The first method we’ll be exploring is putting the tasks list on your desktop (which may or may not be to everyone’s fancy). We’ll be using Snippage to accomplish this.

• Once Snippage has started, either make new snip or expand to browser view with an existing one.
• Login to your Google Account from Internet Explorer – make sure Remember me on this computer is checked.
• In the browser view of Snippage, navigate to the following URL:
  https://mail.google.com/tasks/ig
• Size the snip to a preferred size.

Google Tasks Gadget in Gmail

Granted, Google offers a link to Tasks from inside Gmail, but why not save yourself a click and embed the gadget directly in Gmail (like iGoogle)?

• Make sure the Add any gadget by URL Lab feature is enabled. Head over to the Gadgets tab and add the following gadget: http://www.google.com/ig/modules/tasks.xml
• The iGoogle gadget should now be conveniently located in your Gmail sidebar – no more clicking to open the Tasks list required.

Google Tasks in the Firefox Sidebar

Want to keep track of your tasks while browsing? Users of Firefox can enjoy a feature to load bookmarks in the sidebar – which can be used for Google Tasks.

• Bookmark the following link: https://mail.google.com/tasks/ig
• Head to the Bookmarks menu, right click on the new bookmark, and hit Properties.
• Make sure Load this bookmark in the sidebar is checked, then hit OK.

Shortcut to Google Tasks with Chrome

For users who like to keep their desktop clear of “out of place” widgets, you can still get your Google Tasks as a shortcut on the desktop (anyone for distraction-free task viewing?). Don’t have Chrome? Download it here.

• Head over to the following URL in Chrome: https://mail.google.com/tasks/ig (if prompted to login, do so, and make sure Remember me is checked).
• Hit the Page menu (the one with the picture of a page) and hit Create Application Shortcuts. Select the options you want, and hit OK.

Google Tasks on Your Startpage

Google offers an iGoogle gadget for Tasks, and both Netvibes and Pageflakes offer a method to add a webpage as a widget/flake.

• Add the applicable “Web Page” gadget to the startpage.
• For Netvibes, browse to Essential Widgets and select Web Page.
• For Pageflakes, browse to Tools II and select Web Page.
• Point it to https://mail.google.com/tasks/ig

We’ve just highlighted five ways to access Google Tasks from a variety of methods. If you know of your own method, tell us about it in the comments.