This is how I have done it, I use both Windows and Mac OS X regularly and use Google Apps as the backend services for my domain. There aren’t a lot of guides out there to show you how to integrate these services.

Windows Vista

Sorry I haven’t used XP for a long time now as my main system. Vista runs very well on modern hardware. This is what I have done to my installation.

For mail checker I use a Sidebar gadget called GMail Counter.

For calendar I also use a Sidebar gadget called Google Calendar Agenda.

Now download the Gmail Icon made by William Randol. Save it in your Windows directory, typically C:Windows. Or you can type in %windir% in an Explorer window to be directed to it. You might need to escalate the rights to authorize this action with UAC.

Make a .reg file with the following code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClientsMailGmail]
@=”Gmail”

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClientsMailGmailDefaultIcon]
@=”c:\windows\Gmail.ico”

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClientsMailGmailProtocols]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClientsMailGmailProtocolsmailto]
“URL Protocol”=”"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClientsMailGmailProtocolsmailtoshell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClientsMailGmailProtocolsmailtoshellopen]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClientsMailGmailProtocolsmailtoshellopencommand]
@=”rundll32.exe url.dll,FileProtocolHandler http://mail.google.com/a/example.com/?extsrc=mailto&url=%1“

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClientsMailGmailshell]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClientsMailGmailshellopen]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClientsMailGmailshellopencommand]
@=”rundll32.exe url.dll,FileProtocolHandler http://mail.google.com/a/example.com/?extsrc=mailto&url=%1“

You need to replace the two entries of ‘example.com’ with your domain name. Now merge that .reg file with your Windows registry by double clicking on it. You should now be able to access Control Panel -> Default Programs and set Gmail as default. You can of course also edit more parts of the .reg file and name it something else. I left mine as Gmail for ease of remembering.

There you go, any mailto: links you click on in Windows or browser windows should direct you to your Google Apps e-mail. If you’re already logged in it will automatically start to compose.

Continue to part 2.