I’ve been a huge fan of ClearContext’s IMS system since my days at PimpYourWork.  I keep in touch with them to get the scoop on what’s going on and give them feedback.

Today they’ve stepped up to Xobni’s challenge of a powerful, free Outlook extension with their private beta of ClearContext Personal:

Key ClearContext Personal Features * FolderContext – view contacts and attachments for each folder * MessageContext – see threaded conversation view for each email message * Attachment Explorer – explore and preview attachments just like desktop folders * Unsubscribe – mute conversations you don’t want in your inbox * Notification Managers – automatically file and categorize automated emails—ClearContext Personal Beta Launch

For me, ClearContext’s power and utility has been the message prioritization and the ability to file away messages quickly.  That is, frankly, why even with Xobni, I can’t give it up.

I’m using the even more private beta of Pro (which will be in less private beta soon), so my experience is different than yours.

Regardless of that, I really want to look at how CC and Xobni look at email differently and how they compliment each other so, so well.

Messages or People?

I had to sit for a bit to mull over why these two apps work so well together.  You’d think that I’d be swimming in dangerous waters putting both in together, right?  Well actually, no.

So was is the difference?  CC looks at email in terms of messages and folders.  Xobni looks at people.

See if I’m looking for an email or attachment from someone, and I know who it was from, I can find it fast with Xobni.  If I’m just looking for an email, Xobni wins here too with it’s uber-fast email search.

However, we work with projects and topics that cross through lots of different and often unrelated people.

Sometimes I’m looking for something related to a project, but don’t remember who it is from, but I know where it should be.  This is where CC wins.

Then there is the basic view in Outlook.  I cannot live without the message prioritization.  I need the messages to be sorted by who emails me the most and colour code them.  Then again it doesn’t just work on people but the topic.  Some topics are always more important, regardless of who it’s from.

See?  These two apps are extremely complimentary.  Outlook isn’t as powerful for me with only one of them, I need both to get the job done.

Xobni is in public beta now, so just go get it.  CC Personal is in private beta (and only works for Outlook 2007 at the moment, Outlook 2003 is coming) and I have an invite code for you.  Enter mapleleaf2 in the invite code box and it will get you right in.

I recommend you do and try both.

Other cool coverage on ClearContext Personal:

• Don Dodge on The Next Big Thing: ClearContext for Outlook announces public beta
• When Outlook Gets Personal, It Gets Clear Context – GigaOM
• ClearContext Information Management System
• ClearContext’s Stab At Making Email More Manageable
• ClearContext swings again, adding processing power to email » VentureBeat
• ClearContext tames Outlook | Webware : Cool Web apps for everyone

Post from: EveryJoe

ClearContext Personal steps up the pressure on Xobni–or does it?

Hypocrisy alert: The Business Technology Blog likes to sound the alarm on tech-security issues, but secretly – or not-so secretly in some cases – we do several of these things ourselves. But that’s the problem: Sometimes it’s hard to reconcile the need to get work done with the need to keep things secure. If we need to get online, and if piggybacking on someone else’s wireless signal is the only way to connect, we’ll probably do it. In our defense: At least we know we’re a risk. Source: Business Technology : Remote Workers Don’t Practice Safe Computing

The answer is really simple, risk and knowledge.  You have to know the risks and arm yourself with a little knowledge.  At home, with locked down WiFi of course, you should be pretty safe.  But you still have to be smart about it.  I think we’re all smart enough to know about not opening attachments, and watching out for that stuff that comes through MSN, etc … but away from home?  Well WiFi is something that is a tough one.  We love it, but secure options (at least for free) aren’t common.  I’m still hoping to find a simple and free VPN that I can use.

But email, let’s talk email.  Wow it is a curse sometimes.  This CNET article about an email goof from Eli Lilly is wow, so been there done that.  Heck I know I’ve done it.  I’ve caught myself from doing it too.  My friend Brad over at ClearContext (which I can’t live without, btw) has an awesome tip for Outlook users (which I’ve now done) to automatically delay emails automatically:

How many times have you sent an email, only to realize just as it disappeared that you sent it to the wrong person, misspelled something in the body, forgot to include an attachment or something else of that ilk?  I find that when I catch these errors, it’s always within moments of sending. From Brad at ClearContext

Now my emails have a three minute delay, unless I mark them urgent.  Three minutes … not much for piece of mind, eh?

What’s your worst email story?

Post from: EveryJoe

Remote work and email-the blessing and curse