So I was perusing my Google Calendar the other day and noticed that the "See What's New" link was bright red. That means there are new features to the product. I click on the link and what do I find? Google is now offering an alarm clock service called Google Wake Up Kit, and will integrate it into your Google Calendar. Google promises to annoy you until you get out of bed.

I am not making this up. I had a good chuckle at this one. For those who like to hit the snooze button too many times and are consistently late to everything in their lives, salvation is at hand. Unfortunately I don't suffer from this problem but decided to test it out anyway with an alert to get my to my first meeting on time this morning in Las Vegas.

But first, here is how it works. Says Google:

Do you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning? We do, too. In fact, this problem became so serious at times that it sometimes resulted in lackluster attendance at team meetings. To help solve the problem we've created an innovative solution called the Google Wake Up Kit.

In combination with the kit, you can receive a new type of notification from Google Calendar, called the "wake up" notification. This notification is relentless in ensuring your timely awakening from restful slumber.

The "wake up" notification uses several progressively more annoying alerts to wake you up. First it will send an SMS message to your phone. If that fails, more coercive means will be used. The kit includes an industrial-sized bucket and is designed to be connected to your water main for automatic filling. In addition, a bed-flipping device is included for forceful removal from your sleeping quarters.

OK, so yes, this was a funny April Fools' joke from our friends at Google. Sorry to post it a day late, but that's what happens when you have 12 straight hours of meetings at industry trade shows!