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Another Dumb Idea From Google

by: Reshma Kumar October 10, 2008 | about stocks: GOOG    

Reshma Kumar

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Here’s another idea that should never have made it out the petri dish at Google (GOOG) Labs. Gmail, which I like, has added a new feature to prevent you from sending email that you might later regret. You can enable a new feature in Gmail called Mail Goggles which will prompt you to solve some math problems after you click ‘Send’ to verify you’re in the right state of mind and that you are sure you really want to send the email. Luckily, the pesky thing is only active by default late at night on the weekend; as Google claims, that is the time you’re most likely to need it. And once it’s enabled, you can adjust when it’s active.

Did market research tell them this is something users really want? Is this something that really enhances the user experience and adds value? I highly doubt that. This is more of a nuisance. If you are sending late night emails, the last thing you want is to be annoyed by having to solve geeky math problems just to get your email out. This is more of a user experience hindrance than help. For a company that prides itself so much on usability, this is highly surprising. The 10% time some Googlers have to work on special projects must be getting slashed in half because this is half-baked. Hatching up new ideas to keep the PR machine rolling is tough. This is what happens when you start drinking your own kool aid and keep trying to be cute and smart. Whomever came up with this or better yet, approved this out the door, should be fired!

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This article has 14 comments:

  •  
    Oct 10 07:23 AM
    Google Labs features are OPTIONAL. They are presented as a way to test experimental, not ready for prime time ideas. They are not for the average user, and are only made available to those who opt-in.

    Do you suggest that Google should stop innovating? Stop pushing the boundaries of the Internet?

    I would recommend getting your facts straight before embarrassing yourself and your publication with unfounded conclusions.

    I, for one, appreciate the opportunity to think about what I have written when there is an excellent chance the half-bottle of single malt may have caused me to send a message that I could regret.
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 07:45 AM
    You're right--this is a silly idea. Google is still at the more-money-than-brains stage (though not for long).

    And I dare say it's psychologically flawed; the people most likely to send self-destructive email are also the least likely to turn on this filter in the first place.

    However, if they could put a feature like this on Joe Biden's mouth, they might be on to something.
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 07:49 AM
    This article is too biased. Your article throws the assumption to a reader that Google has enabled this for all Gmail accounts. Well that is wrong and is highly deceptive on your part.

    If a Gmal user wants this feature, he has to *proactively* go to settings and enable it. It is not activated by default. And if he is unhappy with it, he can later deactivate it.

    You got to learn to be more transparent and unbiased in your articles Reshma. Don't hide facts.
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 07:59 AM
    Google is innovating new features which you do not have to use - so I do not understand what you are complaining about - Ford is selling yellow cars - well I personally think that is a horrible color for a car but should I now start complaining about the company??? - Palin knows about foreign policy cause she can see Russia from Alaska - and Scott R Lucado knows everything about Google and how they should work and invent new features cause he used their search engine -
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 08:26 AM
    You want another dumb idea? How about writing an article about a Google Labs option?

    As many commenters have already noted, you have to enable this option. After looking at the Google Labs options, why didn't you write an article about the "snake" game?

    By the way, it's 20% time...

    "Start drinking your own kool aid"!?!?!??! WHAT?!?!?!?!?!!? That was something fun/funny someone made. How can you bash over creativity? I can't believe they let you post this...
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 08:55 AM
    I personally think it's brilliant!! They should build it into cell phones so people can't drunk dial their ex's. Maybe the new Google phone will get it eventually?
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 09:26 AM
    Ya know. I can't speak for everyone but can tell you that on at least one occassion I wasn't in the right state of mind while sending a later found to be damaging email. I disagree with your comment and think just the reverse. I feel this feature is actually brilliant and am glad to see that people are actually trying to improve even seemingly basic offerings like email. I think this shows that Google is trying to improve the user experience.
    But, I haven't seen the math questions. If they want you to calculate the square root of a polynomial or something crazy, then the feature probably isn't a good solution. If the question is 2+3 or 5+5 or even 6/1, I might accept it.
    Being a man, I think we often act before thinking and this may just help us out a bit. Obviously all women are perfect and this feature may not make sense :).
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 10:40 AM
    Google is another in a long list of companies that wastes too much money on far out projects.
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 12:54 PM
    Hello, this is OPTIONAL. You have to CHOOSE to add this feature. What's wrong with a bunch of low-cost, easy to develop add-ons that some users will truly appreciate? Your article is terrible-- I won't be wasting my time here anymore.
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 01:24 PM
    Not all that bad if you accept that cognitive fitness is important, particularly for those late at night rants with typos... but thanks for starting a debate in the agora
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 01:41 PM
    There are far worse things in the world than unbridled creativity. I, for one, thought this was a smart idea especially for those of us with more emotion than brains.

    Alas, what do I know, I only averaged 43% return on gold ETF and bullion last 3 years : )

    mining101.blogspot.com
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 10 03:00 PM
    Google is still stuck in their stupid, hokey Pixar mode, with tons of disposable cash, no concern for shareholder value, and a complete lack of identity from those two gay-looking dweebs. Wow! We're sponsoring a contest to build a rocket to the moon, with scraps from your backyard! Wow! We're sponsoring a search for alternative fuels! Wow! We just released a browser to RIVAL Microsoft's Internet Explorer, except, uh, well... it doesn't load Java correctly yet, can't parse Ajax documents from Facebook, and can't even read the charts properly from Google Finance! Wow! Now we're releasing a half-assed operating system that's kinda like Linux but crappier, for a cheap Taiwanese phone, it's called ANDROID and it'll like totally kill the iPhone! Isn't that awesome? And hey, don't ask us about our COMPLETE earnings and guidance, that's SO uncool... chill out and smoke a bong with me as we jump up and down on the trampolines and ball pit in our PLAY AREA! WHEEE!!!! What? The stock price? Oh don't worry, we'll start innovating once our billions of dollars of disposable cash run out... A stock split to increase demand? No! Then our stock will look, like, totally cheap man.... and it's like, whoa, MSFT $20, GOOG $300! Cuz the good guys rule!
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 11 09:20 AM
    I agree with the author. This is a stupid idea. The point is not that Google should stop innovating, the point is that there are far bigger problems on the Internet to solve that someone sending drunk e-mails.

    The honeymoon is over. Google stock is way down for the first time and the company is going to get a big injection of shareholder scrutiny until they are back over 500. Look for some of those over the top benefits to go away soon as the "shareholder value" engine starts up!
    Reply
  •  
    Oct 11 10:24 AM
    Google wants to compete with MSFT in the business application marketpace with Google Apps (GA) and Google Message Security (GMS).

    GMS, the former Postini, is a formitable, reliable, safe, and secure email security service that boasts business users such as Starbucks, UBS, Merrill Lynch and tens of thousands of small and large businesses.

    GA wants to compete with MSFT in word processing, spreadsheet, and collaboration. Here, GA has zero value as well over 90% of organizations who actually use GA use the FREE version.

    GA is a nice thought, but is marketed by a Google division that is run by a bunch of preppy looking and slick talking dudes who have no idea what customers want as they never talk with their business or channel partners.
    Reply
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