Gmail Unveils ‘Custom Time’

Posted on April 1, 2008 by Michael Froomkin

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 TimeTM  

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.

A Google approach to email.

 


Gmail is a new kind of webmail, built on the idea that email can be more intuitive, efficient, and useful. And maybe even fun. After all, Gmail has:

Less spam

Keep unwanted messages out of your inbox with Google's innovative technology

Mobile access
Read Gmail on your mobile phone by pointing your phone's web browser to http://gmail.com/app. Learn more
Lots of space

Over 2757.272164 megabytes (and counting) of free storage so you'll never need to delete another message.

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.

This entry was posted in Internet. Bookmark the permalink.

10 Responses to Gmail Unveils ‘Custom Time’

  1. wow says:
    April 1, 2008 at 12:05 pm

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

  3. Barsky says:
    April 1, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    Does the efluxcapacitor require 1.21 JIGAWATS?

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

  4. Belle Lettre says:
    April 1, 2008 at 1:32 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.

  5. James Harrow says:
    April 1, 2008 at 2:06 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 🙂

  7. John Flood says:
    April 2, 2008 at 3:48 pm

    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…

  8. Chuck says:
    April 3, 2008 at 10:40 am

    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

  9. michael says:
    April 3, 2008 at 11:23 am

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

  10. huck says:
    April 3, 2008 at 8:47 pm

    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

Comments are closed.