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Google continued to help make its Gmail users even lazier with the introduction of a “Canned Response” feature for its Web mail application.
It’s not as cute as Mail Goggles, but could be every bit as useful.
The feature, which you can turn on in Gmail Labs, allows users to compose a reply and save it with a canned response button, a boon for users tired of typing the same reply every time someone e-mails them.
Once turned on, the option will appear under the subject line when you compose an e-mail. Here is where you’d type in a response.
The laziness quotient gets better because once you turn on canned responses in Labs, you can set a filter that uses relevant keywords to grab one of your saved responses, creates an automated reply and hits the send button on your behalf.
The search giant listened to users’ requests for this one. Note this scenario from Google Labs discussion groups.
Tired of answering the same customer service questions about discount codes and shipping speeds over and over, user Per wrote in a suggestion about canned responses:
““I think that Google Apps deserves this feature. At least the paid version. Companies answer the same questions over and over and over, and to use Google Apps professionally, you need the ability to use canned responses.”“
Ask and ye shall receive, though Google has made canned response a free utility in Gmail. I’ve enabled it and so has Google Operating System. So far, so good.