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View Full Version : Google Envelopes turns Gmail into snail mail, wraps it in precisely routed Maps print



dannzeman
April 2nd, 2010, 07:33 PM
How geeky am I that I think this is incredibly cool?


from Engadget (https://www.google.com/reader/view/feed/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.engadget.com%2Frss.xml) by Darren Murph

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2010/03/google-envelopes.jpg (http://www.yankodesign.com/2010/03/30/google-envelopes-beta-of-course/)
It's a fantasy come true for the avid nerd / traveler (http://www.engadget.com/tag/travel), but unfortunately for us, it's but a concept in its current form. Syracuse's own Rahul Mahtani and Yofred Moik have dreamed up Google Envelopes, and if brought to production, this might just make the USPS as relevant as it was during the heyday known as 1985 (http://www.engadget.com/2005/08/22/engadget-1985/). Put simply, the solution would involve a new 'Send Envelope' method of passing along a note penned in Gmail (http://www.engadget.com/tag/Gmail/); when pressed, you'd get a printout of the message along with a specially crafted envelope, the latter of which really makes this idea shine. The envelope itself would be a Google Maps (http://www.engadget.com/tag/GoogleMaps/) representation of the quickest route to transfer said message from you to the recipient if roadways and kayaks were used in place of fiber and coax, giving the receiver a crucially awesome keepsake each time you dropped him or her a line. Oh, and having an 'Avoid Tolls' option would just totally put it over the top -- even if were relegated to beta (http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/07/google-brings-gmail-docs-calendar-and-talk-out-of-beta/).

eriquito
April 3rd, 2010, 07:31 PM
It makes you very geeky, which only means you're in the right place here =)

I think it's incredibly cool, too. In fact, I may try to do it myself rather than wait for the concept to become reality.

If I succeed, you'll be the first to know =)

Eric
Son of Ragnar

mattjs
April 4th, 2010, 07:59 PM
I kinda want that.

Like, a lot.

penspouse
April 13th, 2010, 05:15 PM
I like that!