Take some aspirin for that Outlook headache (and see me in the morning)

Outlook. By far the best e-mail client out there, but saying that is like saying you’re the tallest of the Seven Dwarfs. Not much. I’ve used it because it’s basically been the defacto standard since the proliferation of e-mail.

Hi, I’m Brian, and I’m an Outlookaholic.

Today, I have good news. If you follow this easy 5 step program, you too can be rid of Outlook and all fo the headaches that come along with it.

Step 1: Sign up for Google Apps

100% free Google Apps. Google is generous enough to let you use their platform for your own purposes and with your own domain. You can use Google’s GMail, Calendar, Docs, and Chat, branded with your company and with all the features that you would get with a standard Google account.

The free moniker may be a bit misleading. Google does get a valuable advertising profile with your usage.

Step 2: Use the GMail platform for your e-mail

No e-mail is better than GMail. The incredible search aside, GMail gives you everything you could possibly need: filters, labels, contact management (more on this), and a gigantic slew of toys known as Google Labs.

Step 3: Google Calendar, awesome

Create, send, and receive invites, schedule your life and make it remind you when your late. Google Calendar is just as formidable as Outlook’s calendar or iCal or literally any other client-based calendar. And you can access it from anywhere.

Step 4: Manage your contacts with GMail Contacts

One of the drawbacks for so long about GMail was its clunky contact management system. However, all that has changed. The contact management portion of GMail is now fantastic.

Step 5: Sync it with you iPhone

And the best part: Sync it all with the native calendar and contact apps on your iPhone, Blackberry, or Android based mobile devices. Essentially, you’re getting an enterprise level mail, calendar, and contacts service… for free.

What else?

You’re cured. You have an online, accessible, syncable e-mail platform available from everywhere without the frequent Outlook crashes. You’re cured.

Go forth and prosper.

Brian Onorio

Brian Onorio is the President of O3 Strategies, Inc. The wearer of many hats, Brian is involved in almost every aspect of the day-to-day operations of the company. A 2004 graduate of the North Carolina State University College of Engineering, Brian's forte is product development. Fluent in the language of technology, Brian turns 1's and 0's into a beautiful and elegant solution that is comprised of one part science, one part art.