Xoopit
For Firefox users, Xoopit adds a lot of functionality to Gmail, including better searching, organizing of all your attachments, disambiguation of emails etc. I have been using it for a while. Makes Gmail the thing I always wanted it to be...
-- Alexander Rose
I recently installed Xoopit and couldn't be more jazzed. Working between multiple computers and offices, I live mostly in the cloud these days. Aside from sending the Cool Tools newsletter via Thunderbird, much of what I do for this blog is via webmail. Searching Gmail, ironically, isn't terribly efficient. This plug-in not only lets you call up photos, videos and files independently, but let's you search logically -- with thumbnails even! -- and then re-organize by date, size, sender, subject and file type and name. Each week you get an email summarizing the files, photos and videos you received that week, along with a randomly-selected image from a year ago. An elegant reminder that all my bits belong to me.
-- Steven Leckart
Favorite (15)
JK
Thanks for the great post! We love hearing from users, so please send us feedback and suggestions. Thanks, JK - Xoopit Co-Founder
carolyne
I think you broke it. It worked when tried a moment ago, but seems to be down now. Too many hits I suspect. Your popularity killed another site :)
Matt
Will Xoopit work with the Google Apps version of Gmail?
Micah
I don't trust it... It looks great and all, I just don't like that it requires my password, then stores my information on their servers. I read their privacy and security page and all, and maybe I'm just paranoid. When it asked my password though I just went... eek, maybe not.
If you're comfortable with it, go for it, cuz the features look great! I think I'll pass.
Steven Leckart
@Matt, according to the folks at Xoopit, the plug-in works for Gmail, Google Mail and Google Apps users. I have not personally tried it with Google Apps, tho.
porlockian
I agree with Micah. I don't care how great it sounds I am concerned about privacy since it requires me to give up my gmail password. In a word: NO.
And I am REALLY disappointed in cooltools for not addressing this obvious issue. Why are they recommending a tool that has security issues?
Jeroen
Please don't use this, and please remove this post. The proliferation of online services that require you to provide your password to another service is bad for security. It educates people that it is okay to do this, and opens the door to a whole new class of phishing attacks.
chudez
really wanted to try this out but it wanted my password... what the f*** is that about? i have to stromgly disagree with this recommendation. too bad.
(-1)
Bruce N
I too am disappointed with cool tools for not addressing the security concerns.
jim
Hey, security concerned people: You've already handed over all your email to google. What's one more unaccountable corporate entity?
dan
@jim
Ever heard of "MSN block checkers"? Sites that claim to show you who blocked you on MSN by giving them your password but only to spam you or worse install a worm?
It's one thing to have an email account with Google but to give away your password to random services is risky.
Steven Leckart
Hi All,
I routinely install and enable applications between Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and the like which require the divulging of passwords. Granted I am selective about which ones I install, but so far, I have yet to have my account phished, hacked, compromised, etc. *knock wood*
I sincerely appreciate your concern regarding Xoopit. So I've written to them to get their take on the matter.
Stay tuned...
porlockian
Still tuned in, but getting nothing by snow on the screen...
Steven Leckart
@porlockian, thanks your patience. Just heard back from Jonathan Katzman, one of the founders of Xoopit. Below is his complete email to me.
Best, Steven
----
Thanks for reaching out. We agree that users privacy and security are paramount. We do everything we can to protect both as our business is based on users' trust. You can see answers to many common questions on this at
http://www.xoopit.com/privacy-and-security.
Also, we'd love it for Gmail to give us IMAP access w/ OAuth-like authentication so we don't have to collect usernames and passwords, but they are not there yet.
If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to follow up.
Thanks,
JK
porlockian
Thanks for the follow up. I can see they are committed to users' security and privacy. I'm just not comfortable sharing my password.
Houston Bankruptcy Attorney Alex Wathen
Xoopit is a good start in the right direction of enhancing users email experience. My biggest problem is that throughout any given day I use a several computers at home, office, and laptops in court. I need to use web based email because I cannot use Thunderbird or Outlook as I would limit myself to one machine. What is needed is a mail program that can download mails and sync with my online mail provider without limiting me to one computer. If I could use it the same way that some programs sync with Google Calendar with respect to emails.
Andrew
Proper applications for Facebook and Flickr do not require ANY divulging of your password; they use authentication keys which verify you without requiring entry of your password anywhere (except for the real site).
For what it's worth, many terms of service agreements do not allow third parties to use your password.