When Firefox 3 was released, one of the hot features was the alternative to relate html protocols with web applications, such as launching a webmail service when clicking a “mailto:” link. Unfortunately, at the time of launch, only Yahoo’s mail client was formally supported. The users had to either use extensions or manipulate some javascript code to enable Gmail as the primary mail handler. The current iteration of Firefox has included Gmail in the web app client list, and here’s the tips how you can turn it on.
Go to Tools-> Options menu, and then select the Applications tab. This is a list of content and protocol associations, with their various plug-ins for each type of content. In the search field, type “mailto”. Then, in the Actions drop down menu, chose Gmail as your default client. That’s it! The next time you click on an email link, Firefox will open up Gmail in a new tab. Bonus tip: download and install the Better Gmail 2 add-on to add extra UI features if you’re planning on using Gmail as your main mail client.
