It's difficult to sit and decipher the shapes on the screen (uuh, something red is moving so fast!). It's difficult to type, of course, but somehow we manage to write an email — and send it, too.
These emails sent when you're not your full sharp self can be disastrous, of course. Gmail cannot stop you from typing them, but it can refuse to send them unless you've demonstrated your clear head and mathematical (if not email) acumen.
Prevent Yourself from Sending Emails While You're Not Clear-Headed in Gmail
Note that Mail Goggles are currently not available in Gmail.
To have Gmail stop you from sending emails when you are not thinking clearly:
- Click the Settings gear in your Gmail.
- Select Settings from the menu that comes up.
- Go to Labs.
- Make sure Enable is selected for Mail Goggles.
- You can find Mail Goggles faster by starting to type "goggles" under Search for a lab:.
- Click Save Changes.
By default, Gmail will now pop up reasonably difficult math questions together with a countdown timer Friday and Saturday night between 10 pm and 4 am. Solve the problems in time, and you can send the message.
To make Gmail check your clear head at other times or change the puzzles' difficulty:
- Click the Settings gear in Gmail.
- Select Settings from the menu.
- Go to General.
- Pick the desired days and time interval under Mail Goggles:.
- Choose the desired math problem difficulty under Difficulty.
- 5 uses multiplication and division more.
- Click Save Changes.
(Updated May 2012)
