Webware

Read all 'Mail Goggles' posts in Webware
October 6, 2008 11:36 PM PDT

Google launches Mail Goggles to save you from yourself

by Rafe Needleman
  • 18 comments

Just a quick post to mention a silly (or is it?) experiment that Google has released to the public: Mail Goggles. This feature is designed to prevent you from sending stupid e-mails in the small hours, when you're most likely to be inebriated and at risk of making a complete idiot of yourself.

Don't drink and e-mail.

When enabled, Mail Goggles kicks in at the time you specify (default is between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday), and throws five math problems up on the screen when you press "send." You have a limited period of time to solve them. If you can answer the questions, presumably you're of mind sound enough to tell off your boss, or pour your heart out to your ex-lover.

If you can solve simple math problems even when under the table, there's an option to ramp up the difficulty of the questions, but sadly they remain in the arithmetic realm and don't drift into interesting algebra or calculus.

To activate Mail Goggles, go into Gmail's settings, and turn on Mail Goggles in the "Labs" tab. Then adjust how and when it works in the "General" tab.

Seriously? I'm hoping this feature shows up on blogging products.

  • prev
  • 1
  • next
advertisement

About Webware

Say No to boxed software! The future of applications is online delivery and access. Software is passé. Webware is the new way to get things done.

Add this feed to your online news reader

Webware topics

15 sites that went kaput in 2009

Web sites launch all the time, but they also shut their doors. We highlight 15 that bit the dust this year.

Top 10 news stories of the decade

Let the debate begin: Was the iPhone more important than iTunes? Was anything bigger than Google finding a great business model? CNET offers its list of the 10 most important stories of the '00s.

Most Discussed

Inside CNET News

Scroll Left Scroll Right