Gmail this week posted a cryptic message that could eliminate a common complaint, but most people probably ignored it – because it sounded scary. The message read: "Allow Gmail (mail.google.com) to open all email links?" Basic Web safety warns people never to open email links. But links inside your emails wasn't what the company meant. Instead, the company was simply asking whether you'd like Gmail to be your default email— the one that pops up when you click an address on a Website, say on its "Contact Us" page. If Gmail is your main email, the change this makes perfect sense. Otherwise, that means an email program like Outlook will pop up and try to make you set up the app. But the timing of the unclear wording was poor. This week also marked the beginning of Google's new all-inclusive privacy policy that had privacy advocates, the U.S. government and users questioning the Google's growing ability to track what you do online. The first two words "allow gmail" were probably enough to make readers click "No." If you missed the message, you can still set Gmail as your default email service. Here’s how for the major browsers: Internet Explorer Install the Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer. Click on the wrench icon to open Toolbar Options. Scroll down to find "Web-browsing tools" and select "Use Gmail for "Mail-to" Links." Firefox At the top of the Firefox window, click on the Firefox button and then click Options. Select the Applications panel. Search for the Content-type: mailto and select it. Click on the Actions column in the mailto row, select Gmail and press "Okay" to finish. Chrome: Go to the Chrome Webstore and search for Gmail. Select the extension "Send from Gmail" and then "Add to Chrome." Safari: Install Google Notifier for Mac and then open Mail.app, go to Preferences, select "General," and set "Default email reader" to Google Notifier.app.
