Get Google Chrome

If you are a gmail fan (and I'm with you, gmail is all I use now for all my email addresses) then you need to download and install Google Chrome.

Having done that, clicking on the email buttons will fire up Google Chrome and bring up Gmail, licitly split!

Like I said, I totally rely on gmail and with Chrome on my system, those email buttons work great - that's how I tested it.

Was it a "Mailto:" link?

If so, that is a standard HTML tag and has nothing to do with Outlook, per se. What it will do is open whatever is configured as the default email application on your computer. I'm guessing that at this time for you, that default is probably Outlook Express if you are using Windows XP, or Windows Mail if you are using Windows 7. These mail clients come with the OS and are the defaults if nothing else is installed to replace them.

GMail has a client-side install (GMail Notifier) that lets you specify that you want GMail to handle all mailto links. (That is if you would prefer to continue using whatever browser you are currently using.)

Yep, mailto:

Yep, mailto:

And the phone link is tel:

The tel: format is the most popular and should work on all smartphones. Unfortunately, the tel: link doesn't work with skype ... so the phone button will just give an error if you click it on a desktop or laptop. We did add a tool tip, however, that shows the phone number on non-mobile devices, so you can dial it on your phone if you like.

Email Link Test

On a PC - Win 7-64, Firefox, Gmail, Acrobat, MS Office....

The email links in the online version launch the expected dialog box asking me to select the mail handler. Gmail is in the list. Gmail launches.

The email links in the downloaded PDF version launch Outlook without prompt.

Email links in the PDF

Email links in Win7 launch Chrome Gmail when I click on the PDF links. Chrome sets itself as the default on mailto: which works great if you are a gmail fan like me.

Just Google: windows 7 set mailto default (or whatever OS you are using) and take your pick or directions on how to get this working just like you want.

Gmail as default on Win 7 with Firefox

Gmail as default Windows 7 mail handler requires the installation of Gmail Notifier or editing the Windows registry. Not going to do either. No biggie. As long as at least one email program launches I am fine.

...

I will not be coordinating my computers and my browsers to my email; when I want to send email, I open up my email using a standard browser.  What I'm looking for is a popup that allows me the option to either highlight and copy the email address and to then launch my email, if I desired to do so, or something that shows the address in my browser in the lower left corner above the quick launch icons.  Anything else, I won't be using the feature nor ever will I see the advertiser's email addresses..  I would never hit launch myself, seeing as how I copy and then paste.  I need to see the address, without anything else but the application that is already open, the edition of MRH.

I'm willing to bet this goes for everybody who reads the online edition on a public computer - and yes, I sometimes use a public computer to read MRH.

Non Issue for me...

If I want to email a sponsor, I am likely already at their website or have already placed an online order.  In either case, contact info is close to hand.  If I'm not at their website, clicking their ad, or their sponsor link from the MRH sponsors page will take me where I need to go to send them an email.

The phone link is another one I will likely never use.  I don't like talking on the phone all that much and I like talking to answering machines even less.  Being put on hold, no thanks!  Since most MRH sponsors are US based, long distance just adds to my cost, again, no thanks.  If I have a situation that can't be resolved through email, then I will call.  In that case, I probably already have their number handy.

Have to agree with Benny

I find it quite annoying to click on an email or contact us button and get dumped into a mail program I never use - all I want is an email address I can copy/paste or, heaven forbid, write down somewhere.

David