(The message and iCal item are linked, so updating one updates the other.) You can also tag multiple messages simultaneously via the MailTags submenu in Mail’s Message menu. The latter can be quite helpful when you get a message you don’t want to reply to right away, but you know you need to handle by, say, next Tuesday. As the screenshot on the right shows, it also lets you add notes to messages, set and view message priority (which other e-mail clients can set and view, but for some reason Mail can’t), and even set due dates for responding (which appear in iCal as To Do items). MailTags doesn’t stop at simple categories and projects, though. So you can see whether or not you’ve already tagged a message without having to first open the MailTags panel.) (A nice touch: The MailTags “tag” icon is green if a message has already been assigned tags and gray if the message is untagged. Clicking this tag displays the MailTags panel, which allows you to assign keywords, either by typing them in manually or by choosing previously-used keywords from the pop-up menu. Once installed-MailTags works as a Mail plug-in, so its preferences are found in Mail’s own preferences dialog-a small tag appears in the upper-right corner of Mail messages. (Some of those messages would have also been categorized as “vendor contacts,” some under “Playlist,” and so on.) Each message can be assigned to a single project and unlimited keywords using MailTags. I could have then created a Smart Mailbox for book-related e-mail. Playlist’s book on iPod accessories, I would have loved to have been able to assign a project name-say, iPod Life -to all messages relating to the book, whether they be from co-workers, the publisher, product vendors, or copy editors. In addition to assigning keywords to messages, you can also use MailTags to organize messages by project. (In effect, it’s as if I moved this single message into three mail folders.) The message would then appear in Smart Mailboxes (or specific searches) that include any of these search terms, even if the actual e-mail message doesn’t contain any of these words. For example, if Christopher Breen sends me an e-mail about an iPod product, I can assign the keywords Macworld, Playlist, and iPod to the message. The great thing about keywords, as opposed to simply moving messages to folders, is that you can assign multiple keywords to a given message. Mail Act-On, MailTags lets you assign keywords to individual messages. If you’re in the same boat, you’ll like Scott Morrison’s free (donations suggested) MailTags 1.2 ( ). Then I could search for messages-and, thus, create Smart Mailboxes-by categories. GMail allow-or, similarly, like Apple’s iPhoto lets me do with photos via iPhoto keywords. What I’ve always wanted was a way to categorize my e-mail in Mail, much like Microsoft’s Entourage or Google’s The problem with Smart Mailboxes is that they search only the actual contents of your messages: message body, headers, senders, recipients. For example, I can set up a Smart Mailbox that includes all email sent from the domain this Smart Mailbox would thus give me quick access to all messages sent to me from my Macworld coworkers-at least those using e-mail addresses-without having to create a dedicated folder for Macworld mail and then manually filing mail into that folder. This feature is especially convenient in Mail, where Smart Mailboxes let you filter tens of thousands of e-mail messages instantly. In effect, you’re saving a specialized search, but the search results are updated on-the-fly so that they’re always right at your fingertips. This technology lets you assign a set of criteria to a folder, group, or mailbox and then quickly access all items that fit those criteria by simply clicking on the folder/group/mailbox. Still, Spotlight can be very useful, and one of its best features is “Smart” searches-in the Finder, in Address Book, and especially in Mail. Has a tendency to drive us bonkers at times. I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: Spotlight is a cool technology that we really, really, really want to love but that
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