Was Gmail Tap a Believable Google April Fools' Joke?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the reception of Google's April Fools' joke, Gmail Tap, which humorously suggested a new way to use Morse code for texting. Participants share their reactions to the prank, its production quality, and the implications of such a technology.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express surprise at being fooled by the prank, noting the cleverness of Google's approach.
  • One participant suggests that the phrase "You can tap it in the kitchen" could imply a euphemism, indicating a humorous interpretation of the content.
  • Another participant mentions a general skepticism towards new developments released on April Fools' Day, indicating a tendency to disbelieve such announcements.
  • A participant proposes that a real two-button option for tapping out Morse code on smartphones could be beneficial, citing personal experience with Morse code in amateur radio.
  • Discussion includes reflections on the production quality of the prank videos and the absurdity of some claims made within them, such as the inefficiency of the QWERTY keyboard.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a sense of amusement regarding the prank, but there are differing views on its believability and the implications of Morse code as a texting method. No consensus is reached on whether the prank was effective or transparent.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference specific phrases and claims made in the prank videos, which may influence their interpretations and reactions. The discussion reflects varying levels of skepticism and appreciation for the humor involved.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in internet culture, April Fools' jokes, or the intersection of technology and humor may find this discussion engaging.

Yanick
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For anyone who hasn't seen it yet, did google get you with this?

Gmail Tap

Google typically does some pretty clever things for April Fools, and I typically see right through. This one got me though, I thought to myself, "Oh great now I'll have to learn Morse Code."

I was actually stupid enough to talk about it after we had a lab meeting when we were just sitting around, shooting the breeze. Someone finally said, "No dude, its just their April Fools prank."

I love how they had LL Cool J on as an engineer. Kudos to them, they finally got me.

Anyone else?
 
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I'm pretty sure "You can tap it in the kitchen", etc. is a euphemism for sex.
 
...or, a dirty mind.

The video was funny, but unfortunately I go about disbelieving everything new in terms of story development on April's fools.
 
Actually I would not mind if they made a two button option to tap out letters in
Morse code on a smart phone (creating the ultimate geek device). I learned this skill for amateur radio and
found it a very efficient method of representing characters. For those who may have missed it,
here is a http://www.myspace.com/video/steve/morse-code-vs-text-messaging/8542413 that illustrates this.
 
The video I posted was a follow up to the original (a link on that site is available if I remember correctly). The initial video got me, this one was pretty transparent. The tapping it in the kitchen etc is a dead give away, but you have to admire the production value of the video's and the overall serious tone of the whole thing with outrageous statements like, "The QWERTY keyboard is just overwhelming," or, "This technology will help people with fat fingers." They even had a guy there who is the supposed great grandson, or something to that effect, of Samuel Morse talking about bringing back Morse code because its more efficient.
 

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