If you are a super advanced G-mail monster user, than Xoopit probably isn't for you. If you are like the rest of us and just like to go check your email than you will love Xoopit. Xoopit is a Firefox plugin that indexes all your attachments and then allows you to access them by category.

Features

The primary features of Xoopit are very simple, but this plugin adds depth on top of depth.  The user interface rests on top of your inbox and fits very well with the Gmail look and feel.  It has three categories on the left; photos, videos, and files.  The photo viewer seems pretty advanced for use within Gmail. You can scroll sideways through all your pictures.  When you choose a picture it will pop up to a much larger size.  It then gives you the option to download, view full size, forward, delete, send to blog, and if the picture came from flickr or a similar service it gives you the link.  The video and file viewer work in a very similar manner.

There is also facebook support, which at this time is really limited.  You can login and make facebook status updates from within gmail.  If you don't like facebook you can just remove  that portion with one click.   Xoopit also has games.  However, this feature is relegated to the bottom of the page and for good reason.  The only games included are solitaire and a bowling game that gets boring in a few seconds.  I really wish the developers would not have included this at all.

Problems

I love this plugin as much as I have ever loved a plugin, but it has some downfalls.  The first and for most is the name, what does Xoopit even mean ?  It is just an inexplicable name for such a high end product.  Hopefully, the creators can change the name once they make some money.  The second is a search feature that is found inline next to the "To" line.  The search feature only ever gets in my way.  I can't think of a reason I would want to search from within an email that I am writing.  I wouldn't mind searching from within my inbox, though.  The inbox is often an open tab and just sitting there waiting for some extra functionality.

Xoopit really makes your gmail better. It was of the few additions to gmail I have seen that doesn't require training, but offers a great return.  If you use gmail than you need Xoopit.

Hit the link to get start with Xoopit

written by

Jon