For the sake of drink-and-dial types like Unhipster Laurin McNiff, Google engineers have developed a new life-saving (or at least ego-saving) Labs feature called Mail Goggles. They’re the kind of “eyewear” you put on over your beer goggles before sending any late-night emails that you’ll try to retrieve—when it all comes back to you the next morning—by hacking into your lover’s email, mid-hangover, mid-kicking yourself.
Designed especially to prevent emails of the liquid-courage kind, Mail Goggles is able to deter you from sending those regrettable messages by asking you five math questions that even most sober people would have a hard time answering. However, Mail Goggles is only enabled late Friday and Saturday nights, so for all you mid-week (or even midday) drinkers, or for anyone who can answer skill-testing questions when slumped over your keyboard all teary-eyed, you’ll need something stonger to keep you in check. Like chains. Or a cage.
Tragically Unhip Staff
Genevieve D. Markle
Marianne Perron
Kimberly Senf
Laurin McNiff
David Fiore
Celeste Parr
Poppa John
Tess Hart
Brooke D.
Elli S.
Meagan Burbidge
Mr. Flint
George Blottttt
Little Evie
What about those of us who perpetually email and telephone stupidly when absolutely sober?
I recommend post-its all over your apartment. computer and telephone… or else, shackles.
This is so fucking hilarious !!!! Why didn’t i think of that ?!?
I don’t know.. I think there should be a second module to this mailgoggles; and instead of asking a series of questions perhaps just a delayed sending might help during those periods of high stress, pms, hormonal imbalances which would remind you that you have a last chance to modify that nasty e-mail (or delete it entirely!!!). This would benefit those of us who don’t actually require alcohol or other substances to whip out something completely out of character and regret it 10 minutes later… It could merely ask one simple question “Did you really want to send this?!?!?!?!” and be generated or triggered by the appearance of excessive use of exclamation marks, bold font, cap locks, etc…
This thing is useless, you will probably just get pissed off and go to hotmail or yahoo. I use a lot the internet , but i don’t communicate through e-mails. if i need to talk to the person i just call the person,more radiation hahaha. But serious , is this common to get drunk and send e-mails ?
I am questioning myself because of the google new “security” measures. Poor them , thx god there is somebody to think about their customers.
Haha, I think all of us have made a mistake while under the influence of alcohol. Its not that alcohol forbids you from reazlizing what your doing, alcohol just makes things youve always wished of doing easier. I gotta admit, i’ve said and sent many stupid messages more then once. This mail goggle method is accually a smart idea, but i would change the question part, because even when im sober i use a calculator to calculate! but smart idea
First of all, the math idea is stupid. Many people can’t even do math when they’re sober. Never mind the people who would actually take the time to get out a calculator and figure it out even if they are drunk. I don’t know about you (person who wrote this blog) but i don’t know anyone who gets drunk and slumps over their computer writing e-mails. If anyone is in that stage of being drunk i think they would go to bed before writing someone embarrassing e-mails. This idea is stupid and if you have a problem with your e-mail habits you should either stop drinking or start telling people how you feel no matter what the situation. It’s no one’s fault but your own if you’re a pushover.
I never knew that existed,its too funny! i don’t know who would go on the computer after drinking and coming home late at night?! I would go straight to bed.
i dont think it really works, because you can just go on your caculator and just type the equation, without thinking.
However, It is a funny idea and if it stops some people from sending useless emails, why not…
I think this is a very interesting idea, the fact that it can block you from writing drunken messages to the ones you know. You might even make a mistake and send it in to your parents or you might say things you don’t even mean to people. I also think this might irritate alot of people because when you’re drunk you just want things to go your way more than usual, so it will make people angry to the point where they will punch the computer lol.
This is a great idea. It’s keeping relevant with the fact that when we are drunk we seem to have an urge to communicate with ex-lovers, enemies etc. This helps to protect us from making mistakes we come to regret in the morning and stir up problems down the road. I’d get frustrated at having to answer the questions but I would also feel a breath of relief knowing that I didn’t make an ass of myself. Now if only they could come up with something for drunk-dialing. Technology and The Sauce don’t make for a good combo.