Discourse.net: Gmail Unveils 'Custom Time'

April 01, 2008

Gmail Unveils 'Custom Time'

Google has unveiled what looks to be a Really Useful Service as an enhancement to its Gmail (eternal Beta). They call it “custom time”.

New! Gmail Custom Time^TM
Ever wish you could go back in time and send that crucial email that could have changed everything — if only it hadn’t slipped your mind? Gmail can now help you with those missed deadlines, missed birthdays and missed opportunities.

Pre-date your messages
You tell us what time you would have wanted your email sent, and we’ll take care of the rest. Need an email to arrive 6 hours ago? No problem.

Mark as read or unread
Take sending emails to the past one step further. We let you make emails look like they’ve been read all along.

Make them count
Use your custom time stamped messages wisely — each Gmail user gets ten per year.

Worry less
Forget your finance reports. Forget your anniversary. We’ll make it look like you remembered.

I can imagine so many uses…. Do be sure to note the various limits on functionality.

Posted by Michael : April 1, 2008 11:36 AM | Internet | TechnoLinks

Slashdot It!

Comments

prl fls, dd. ll. [MF: moderated]

Posted by: wow at April 1, 2008 12:05 PM

shhhh

Posted by: michael at April 1, 2008 12:11 PM

Does the efluxcapacitor require 1.21 JIGAWATS?

If so one has to wonder about Google's carbon footprint.

Posted by: Barsky at April 1, 2008 01:29 PM

I remember when people thought that Gmail was an April Fool's joke, when it debuted on 4/1, because no one thought that a webmail with 1GB of space was possible. Ha!

This year's offering is not as funny as Google Paper.

Posted by: Belle Lettre at April 1, 2008 01:32 PM

How about google's GDay April Fool's joke: http://www.google.com.au/gday ? A bit too obvious perhaps, but nicely done still :)

Posted by: James Harrow at April 1, 2008 02:06 PM

What if Microsoft designed Custom TIme?

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2008/04/googles-custom.html

Posted by: Alan Childress at April 2, 2008 10:12 AM

I can see this being terribly useful for lawyers, late and early filings, etc. I might devote a session in professional responsibility to the ethics of time shifting in legal practice....hmmm...

Posted by: John Flood at April 2, 2008 03:48 PM

Trisha, ( My kid )
DO NOT Send an Email to Grandpa Paul about the party he had with Grandma on May 16th, 1946.
You will regret it if the party does not happen.
- Your Dad

Posted by: Chuck at April 3, 2008 10:40 AM

Doesn't Chuck's comment above really belong under Revert Wars?

Posted by: michael at April 3, 2008 11:23 AM

Mike,

Hello?
The Google Early Date/Time stamp was an April Fools Joke.

You can NOT send a message back in the past, so my daughter can not stop my conception and birth.

Signed ( in March of 1947, when I was Less Than 1 year old.)
- Chuck

Posted by: huck at April 3, 2008 08:47 PM