Gmail Notes

CNET Editors' review

by: Polina Polishchuk on July 16, 2010

Gmail Notes makes e-mail management easier by allowing users to add short notes to their e-mail threads. This Chrome extension is handy when Gmailers need to save extra information connected to their e-mails. However, it fails at being reliable; don't expect your notes to be saved in your in-box when you come back to it, and don't expect to always be able to use it.

After the brisk installation process, a pencil icon will appear in the right hand side of Chrome's address bar whenever Gmail is open. To begin note-taking, click on this icon and it will prompt you to log in to your Google account. Once there is a green circle next to the pencil icon, you are ready to take notes. Open any e-mail you want to note and click the pencil icon, type your note and then click save. Next time you open this email, your note should be waiting.

As helpful as the extension is, however, it does not always run smoothly. Sometimes you may need to reload your Gmail multiple times to get the pencil icon to show up in the address bar. Gmail notes has a problem with stability as well; notes don't always save properly, and you may end up pulling up a note that reads, "not found." When this happens, the add-on does not allow you to rewrite the note in that e-mail. Though it may not always save in your e-mail, all of the notes will save in a Google Docs folder. You may unauthorize access to Google Docs by right-clicking the pencil icon and selecting "options." However, you are unable to take notes when Google Docs is unauthorized.

This simple add-on is useful when you need to save important codes, passwords, date reminders, or any e-mail you feel needs an extra info-boost. As much as we want this helpful extension to work, it is not fully reliable; don't solely depend on it to keep crucial information unless you want that information to simply reside in your Google Docs account.