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Gmail Motion: A web savvy prank

April 01, 2011

Email

If you’ve tried signing in to your gmail account today (which happens to be April fool’s day) you probably noticed a little tab on the bottom left that invites users to try out a brand new gmail feature termed as “Gmail Motion”. The feature promises to provide a new way of interacting with gmail using your body. I for one was left Googling my mind trying to make sense of all this, until of course I clicked on it and it clicked on me!

Intrigued by this brand new feature I clicked through to learn more about it and was presented with a Youtube video with a Google engineer trying to explain the new feature. The intro itself is quite revolutionary as it promises to take advantage of the “countless technological advancements that have allowed for much more efficient human computer interaction” since the invention of the mouse and keyboard. Without further ado here is the Youtube video that introduces gmail users to the new gmail motion feature:

The new feature failed to excite the “sample user” in the video who seemingly still hates his job!

That’s not all, on the right hand side of the video you have the benefits of the brand new feature outlined as well accompanied by creative icons.

Gmail Motion Icons

The best part of this innovative prank however is the motion guide which aims to familiarize users with “sample gestures” using which you can control your email with your body. Most cubicles are too small to accommodate all these well thought out gestures!

gmail motion sample gesture guide

To top it all off they even have “experts” in the video providing their two cents on this wonderfully executed highly innovative April fool’s prank by Google. Convinced by the gimmick the user clicks on the “Try Gmail Motion” button and is presented by the following image.

Gmail Motion April Fool

Rishadullah Shaikh is the SEO Guy at dawn.com.

The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.