• mailto: links on pages redirected to use gmail
• integrated Google Reader
• attachment icons
• keyboard macros
• different skins
• improved searching
• Google Calendar link

All-in-all 25 enhacements and each new version of the extension brings more.  You can get more information and download the extension at: Lifehacker Code: Better Gmail (Firefox extension)

As you can tell I've really become of big fan of Google and their online apps.  Look for a future post on Google Notebook.

Fortunately, Lifehacker to the rescue.  There's a little known hack to get around the limit and add more tabs!

Copy and paste this code into your browser's address bar while you’re at the personalized homepage:

javascript:_renameTab(); _dlsetp('at=')

Upon hitting Enter a new tab is added and Google prompts you for the tab name.  Paste the above code again in the address bar, hit Enter and yet another tab.  Viola!

If you give the at= a number you'll get that number of tabs.

javascript:_renameTab(); _dlsetp('at=5')

will give you 5 tabs.

Very cool.  I just love Lifehacker!

One note on the above hack.  If you have a browser plugin, such as Tab Mix Plus, loaded and set to open a new tab upon entering a new url in the address bar the above won't work.  The above code needs to reload the current page, not create a new tab.  So make sure you turn off this plugin configuration option before trying.

 See also:

• Add unlimited tabs to your Google Homepage
• Add keyword-based tabs to Google homepage

When Windows 3.1 came out, I was not enthralled in abandoning my keyboard and the DOS command line for the world of mouse clicks, GUIs and such.  For the longest time I would continue to drop out to the DOS shell to copy files, perform directory listings, or search for files because it was easier and faster.  Since then I have succumbed and grab for the mouse for every task on Windows.  Reading my feeds on Google Reader, I would click on the feed (I have Updated Only turned on) and use the mouse to scroll through the new items.  I'd then move onto the next feed and so on.  If I find an item I wish to keep, I'd scroll down to the star icon and click to mark.

Watching the Scoble interview, I decided to give it a try.  I switched to All Items listing (I've been using the Expanded View tab already) and read the new items via keyboard.  Using j/k – next/preview item (or n/p) to navigate through the items was much faster.  It is amazing on how quickly I can peruse new items.  The key to it is when you press next item, it is displayed at the top of the reader view window so your eyes stay looking in one place.  Basically it's like paging through the entire feed listing.  If I find something I want to keep, a simple pressing of 's' and it is starred.   I have much reader setting to automatically mark an item as read so if I want to unread the item for later, 'm' and it's marked unread. I have forgotten just how much simpler using the keyboard can be.

Key Google Reader Keyboard Shortcuts:

• ? – Brings up shortcuts listing
• j – next item in the list
• k – previous item in the list
• n – next item in the list (in list view selects next item but doesn't open)
• p – previous item in the list (in list view selects previous item but doesn't open)
• s – toggle star
• m – toggle mark as read/unread
• r – refresh

To see a full listing of all available shortcuts go to Google Reader Common Questions.

Thanks Tim for your interview of Robert.  You have changed my RSS viewing habits forever!

How Scoble Reads 622 RSS Feeds Each Morning [The Blog of Tim Ferriss]

See also:

Getting good with Google Reader [Lifehacker].