Gmail Custom Time - April Fool’s Day Prank?
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Loading ...April 1, 2008 Filed Under: Funny, Holiday, Pet Peeves 447 words
Last year they had a prank, so why should this year be any different? And they created a great prank with Custom Time, a concept that most people would actually love. It surely is fooling plenty of people.
Think about it, I could tell my teachers that my computer wouldn’t allow me to submit the assignment the regular way, so I e-mailed it to them. They would then say that they haven’t received any e-mails. I would show them the sent copy in my e-mail program, and beckon them to check their e-mail again. Miraculously, there would be an e-mail from me, with my assignment attached, dated two weeks ago, the actual deadline. I would get full credit for the assignment that I submitted after the professor has already graded everyone else’s.
So why do I think it is a prank when so many people are writing actual news reports about it? Well, for one, I first noticed the link yesterday. Google is very professional (usually, anyways), and when I clicked the link, it was a broken URL. When I clicked it today, it has information about how to use it. So, I immediately go to send myself an e-mail from two years ago so that I could test it out (even though this would use up one of my 10 yearly custom time allowances) and there is no Custom Time button.
I am peeved that I cannot manipulate anyone and remember their paper copy prank from last year. Plus, I was just in the mode of tricking everyone else at home. I told my sister that I was spitting up blood in a text message. When she came to look, I yelled April Fool’s. I told my step-dad that his car isn’t outside (they love to tow cars in my community), when he came to take a look, I yelled April Fool’s. I called Einstein Bagel’s and told them I had placed a pick-up order for 15 dozen bagels two weeks ago…when the lady started yelling at everyone because no one put up the order, I yelled April Fool’s. So, as you can see, I’m quite the prankster myself. Google just has the time and resources to do better pranks that leave people wishing that the feature was actually there.
Edit at 12:25PM: When you click on any of the links at the bottom, you reach a page such as this that lets you know it is a prank! Google is so funny.
Comment by Mimi on April 1st, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
Got darn you GMAIL. That would be beyond awesome if they ever did that, but they clearly state that they won’t. Is it even possible???
Comment by C on April 1st, 2008 @ 8:44 pm
Wow you’re really smart. I totally thought it was real. Every time I logged in and saw that I thought ” that’d be cool, I’ll try it later”. lol I’m so easy to fool, but it would be good idea…google should look into it.
Comment by Joana on April 2nd, 2008 @ 1:33 am
Wow. People were actually fooled by that? Last year I didn’t fall for gmail’s thing, frankly because I wasn’t interested in checking it out. Then I heard it was joke. Laughed like crazy. Saw the sucker appear yesterday and thought “has to be a joke again”. Looks like I might have been right.
As for the bagel shop thing. You know, if I was in that worker’s place I would have turned around and called the cops and gave them your information. Honestly, that was a bit rude. Crank calls are just not cool. Jokes on family and friends? Yeah. On people trying tow work, do their job, and make a living? So not cool.
Comment by sara on April 2nd, 2008 @ 10:02 pm
i didn’t even get online yesterday so this is the first i have heard of it.i am surprised because i didn’t think anyone at google had a sense of humor.
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