Introducing Gmail Custom Time(TM)

[iconoclast]

http://mail.google.com/mail/help/customtime/index.html

Introducing Gmail Custom TimeTM

Be on time. Every time.*

How do I use it?

Just click "Set custom time" from the Compose view. Any email you send to the past appears in the proper chronological order in your recipient's inbox. You can opt for it to show up read or unread by selecting the appropriate option.

Is there a limit to how far back I can send email?

Yes. You'll only be able to send email back until April 1, 2004, the day we launched Gmail. If we were to let you send an email from Gmail before Gmail existed, well, that would be like hanging out with your parents before you were born -- crazy talk.

How does it work?

Gmail utilizes an e-flux capacitor to resolve issues of causality (see Grandfather Paradox).

How come I only get ten?

Our researchers have concluded that allowing each person more than ten pre-dated emails per year would cause people to lose faith in the accuracy of time, thus rendering the feature useless.

Their findings:

N = Total emails sent

P = Probability that user believes the time stamp

φ = The Golden Ratio

L = Average life expectancy

*The term "Every time" is used loosely here to represent the number 10.

[DigitalE]

Cool. I'm sure this will come in handy someday :)

:p

[Argi]

"But sir, I swear I sent that assignment yesterday. Check your email again now!"

[lardiop Veteran]

I hate April Fools Day, it just isn't funny anymore.

[Sethos]

I hate April Fools Day, it just isn't funny anymore.

I so agree, everybody is trying to do some extremely obvious April Fools.

It's getting boring ...

[sundayx Veteran]

I agree. Everyone became April's Fools.

[include]

Golden ratio?! Are you serious?! I thought we all agreed it's a load of BS after reading the Da Vinci code lol

[Gary2MBz]

I so agree, everybody is trying to do some extremely obvious April Fools.

It's getting boring ...

Desperate people end up hurting others also don't forget in an UNfunny way :no:

[Pajter]

Oh come on guys, what's so harmful about this?

It's just a simple joke, we actually have a whole section about them here on Neowin.

Whether you think it's funny or not, that's subjective. I think it's funny that Google has nothing more important to do than to make up April Fools jokes. :p

[Linkinfamous]

Pretty weak compared to previous years...

[Sethos]

Oh come on guys, what's so harmful about this?

It's just a simple joke, we actually have a whole section about them here on Neowin.

Because we know they are jokes. On April Fools, we have these wanna-me "We think we can fool you" articles littered all over, hoping at least one or two very slow people will fall for it. We can't go through the day without being buried in random crap.

[WhoTheF]

I agree. Even if they introduced such a thing - would it go through unethical concerns?

[Danrarbc]

Pretty weak compared to previous years...

REALLY weak. Google usually has a good one.

[Digitalx]

google water and drinks was best :]

[red.]

I grefer the gDay one.

[xpgeek]

I too think its kinda weak compared to previous years.

[thugilex]

whats with 1/4 !

[-=NeoDoug1=-]

Ha ha, very funny...

On a serious note, how is it possible to change the date of emails to something different? I keep getting spam that was "sent" at various times from 31st Dec 1999, up to sometime in 2098...! Strange...!

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

When you send an e-mail, you provide a date header.

Most e-mail clients don't allow you to specify the date, some do.

[slang123]

I think this is great. I know we get it every year and expect it, but at least the content of the joke is funny, and its not actually trying to fool us. Its people who think they can actually fool people that annoys me.

[webeagle12]

Gmail utilizes an e-flux capacitor to resolve issues of causality (see Grandfather Paradox).

:laugh:

[Azmodan]

0f c0ur53 17'5 4n 4pr1| f00|'5 j0k3, |0|.

[Linkinfamous]

I too think its kinda weak compared to previous years.

Yeah. I had to go back and read PigeonRank to get a good laugh. Custom Time didn't even get a chuckle.

[monacelli]

For you guys saying this is weak, remember this is the Gmail team's prank. The official Google prank is Virgle. While it's not hilarious or anything, you gotta admire the amount of work that they put in to it.

[GEIST]

My god you guys are a sad pile of opinionated pansies.