Google Introduces Gmail Motion!

Desk jockeys will have not excuse for not getting out of their chairs with Google's new Gmail Motion. This system gets you away from the keyboard by using body motions to execute Gmail tasks.

See the video at the Gmail Motion website for a demonstration. For example, to reply to a message, lift your hand and point your thumb behind you. For "reply all," point both hands behind you. What could be easier?

Note: do not try these Gmail Motion commands in certain situations, such as why walking across an airport tarmac to board a plane. Pilots may interpret your motions as directions to them and result in an aircraft accident.

Gmail Motion was announced by Google on April 1st, 2011.

And speaking of April 1st, those folks at Google have added another amusing note to our Internet experience, replacing the traditional YouTube logo with a retro-looking "YouTube 1911" logo. Sometimes it does seem like YouTube has been around since 1911, doesn't it? (Especially when watching some of those laughably dated early-1980s music videos—they really do look like they were made 100 years ago.

Enjoy Gmail Motion and YouTube 1911... I'll make a note here if I come across any other Google April 1st gags.

April Fool's Office Pranks - Geeky Gags & Pranks for the Digital Age

Everything in today's modern world has gone digital, and that includes April Fool's pranks as well. The Web site Technically Personal (techpp.com) has put together a Web page that has links to a bunch of Web page that has links to a bunch of sites with fun pranks, gags, and practical jokes to play on friends, co-workers, fellow students, etc.

You'll find ways to punk, embarrass, and terrify folks with pranks and jokes including:
* free April Fool's Day prank software, for PCs and for Macs
* fun (but harmless) geeky pranks you can play on your co-workers (or even your boss, without fear of getting fired)
* harmless prank software that acts like a damaging computer virus
* an automatic system shutdown prank
* a list of more than 100 April Fool's Day pranks, tools, and gadgets with the geek in mind

Looking at the listing of these sites, it seems some are nearly a decade old, so not all of the pranks listed on the Web site may still be active (the page was posted for April Fool's 2009). And the older ones, even if they work, may just not be that funny for today's computer user.

But with the many dozens of April Fool's pranks the page offers, you'll be sure to find a bunch to have fun on April 1st. Happy April Fool's Day!