Google's GMail Motion launched April 1
04/01/2011 | 06:04 PM
Search giant Google pulled off an April Fool's Day prank on users of its Gmail email service on Friday with its so-called "Gmail Motion" feature.
Users of the Gmail service were greeted with a notice on the Gmail homepage supposedly introducing "a new way to interact with Gmail - using your body!"
"The mouse and keyboard were invented before the Internet even existed. Since then, countless technological advancements have allowed for much more efficient human computer interaction. Why then do we continue to use outdated technology? Introducing Gmail Motion — now you can control Gmail with your body," Google said in its Gmail motion BETA page.
The company promised that the new feature would be easy to learn, will improve productivity, and ensure increased physical activity.
Gmail Motion is claimed to use the user's computer's built-in webcam and Google's "patented spatial tracking technology" to detect movements and translate them into meaningful characters and commands.
Movements are designed to be simple and intuitive for people of all skill levels, the company added.
But the gig is up once the user clicks on the "Try Gmail Motion" button: a screen pops up with the message "April Fools!"
"Gmail Motion doesn't actually exist. At least not yet... Okay, now you can login to Gmail or close this silly box," Google playfully added. — TJD, GMA News
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Users of the Gmail service were greeted with a notice on the Gmail homepage supposedly introducing "a new way to interact with Gmail - using your body!"
"The mouse and keyboard were invented before the Internet even existed. Since then, countless technological advancements have allowed for much more efficient human computer interaction. Why then do we continue to use outdated technology? Introducing Gmail Motion — now you can control Gmail with your body," Google said in its Gmail motion BETA page.
The company promised that the new feature would be easy to learn, will improve productivity, and ensure increased physical activity.
Gmail Motion is claimed to use the user's computer's built-in webcam and Google's "patented spatial tracking technology" to detect movements and translate them into meaningful characters and commands.
Movements are designed to be simple and intuitive for people of all skill levels, the company added.
But the gig is up once the user clicks on the "Try Gmail Motion" button: a screen pops up with the message "April Fools!"
"Gmail Motion doesn't actually exist. At least not yet... Okay, now you can login to Gmail or close this silly box," Google playfully added. — TJD, GMA News
