However, the always connected/always available notion entices me, so I'm looking at Gmail, Google Calendar and GTDGmail as an option.

I'm looking for input from the community here to give me some background on your collective experience with either of these toolsets, or clever ways in which they might be combined - something along the lines of Carla's advice on this thread - http://board.43folders.com/showthread.php?t=1023 - but combining the power of mail, calendar and (if possible) GTD.

Now that would be my dream combo!

I have failed to understand how anyone can or would always want to be connected and solely dependent on the web. Integrated makes sense, and a .Mac account does most of that. But I wouldn't want to have to be connected.

I think you might find this in Apple's apps under Leopard, especially in the improved Mail, but I also think it is not too hard to set up GTD in iCal.

I think you've hit on what I actually meant (and I wasn't clear, I don't think). I'd like the power to be able to use things like the native apps where/when I can, but have them fully synced behind the scenes so that if I choose to leave my MacBook at home, I can go into my client site and just jump on a PC and open a web browser - still with access to email, calendar and to do functionality. Then, when I get home, it's all still there including everything I generated during the day synced back from the web to the computer.

Ah, Leopard - a little while away yet... Where did you get the info about new functionality? GTD already exists in iCal for me, thanks to kGTD.