Keep your favorite web-sites one click away with Bubbles

For those of you who uses GMail or Yahoo Mail, you probably wish there is an easier way to check your mail numerous times a day without having to open a browser each time to do that. It would be nice if you can just click once and you are in the favorite web-based email program. Well, there is a solution for you. Bubbles to the rescue.

What is Bubbles? It is a software that keeps your favorite web-sites one click away, in the system-tray. How does it work? To appreciate how Bubbles work, you first examine your the way you usually work with an online application. Take for example, GMail. Each time you want to check your GMail, you start up your browser, and go to the GMail site. Then you log in, and you proceed to check your mail box, read your messages. Once you are finished, you log out or close the browser. Or you might just minimize the browser and bring it up again when you need it. One of the problem with this arrangement is that, if you work like me, I have numerous applications opened at the same time, and my task bar tends to get cluttered easily. When I need to check my Gmail again, I just open up the browser and log in again, or if previously minimized, I would maximize it.

Let's look at doing the same task with Bubbles. When loaded up, Bubble sits quietly in your system tray until needed when you clicks it. Each Bubble instant can be set to one of your favorite site. In this example, I set a Bubble instance to GMail. When I start up this Gmail Bubble instance, it will open up with Gmail login page. It is like a browser inside Bubble. When I am done with Gmail for the time being, I just minize the Bubble instance back to the system tray, where it will sit quietly out of the way. To return to GMail where you last left it, just click Bubble icon once, and you are there, still logged in, if you haven't previously logged out. All with just one click. In addition, if you have new incoming mail, Bubbles will also inform you with a popup alert on the system tray, telling you how many new email you have.

To set up your Bubble instances, it is quite easy. Right click the Bubble icon and select Bubble Settings, and the screen will show you the instances you have previously created. To add a new instance, just enter the URL in the Add Bubble box and click the Add button. And that application will be added to your list. To start the Bubble instances, just select them from Bubbles in the system tray.

Using Gmail with Bubbles is only one way how you use Bubbles. You can integrate with other applications like Google calendar, Flickr, Slimtimer, etc. You can view a screencast on how to use Bubbles on their website. The good news is that it is free. For more information or to download, visit their website.