As a Gmail power user I have been waiting for what seems eons for the gang over at Google to implement a comprehensive task management application. Well today they got me excited… for a minute. It turns out Google made some worthwhile changes today to Gmail and since my day had been pretty phenomenal so far I figured this was it! Had Google finally launched a better task app?” Well no, they didn’t. So it seems I just have to hold my breath longer since Dr. Peter Norvig (Director of Research at Google) told me improvements for the task manager were on the desk of a few Googlers that he knew of; yes I am a trusting soul. Sigh… more waiting.

What would an improved Gmail task manager look like?

With all of the innovative minds over there at the multiple Google HQ’s I think they could put a very cool and unique spin on task management.I mean come on! Google must have masters of task management in-house that could provide insight into a tool that would make their lives easier. My picture of a better task manager would include a full screen tabletop where tasks could be sorted and managed using a drag and drop interface which would be particularly cool for the next gen tablets on the way to the market in Q4 this year. Gmail labels could be integrated in a Wave like fashion to further the integration of their task system with emailed tasks and projects.

Anyway, I will continue to think about this and maybe put out some ideas… it is kind of fun! For now, however, I have to get back to the grindstone and keep StepForth a-humm’n!

– Ross

PS. What would you like to see in a Gmail Task manager? What would make you go WOW and start to use it?