Google Mail gets its own Babel Fish

Fancy having a universal automatic translator that doesn't involve sticking a fish in your ear? Google has just updated Google Mail, bumping several features from Gmail Labs testing to the full product – including Automatic Translation.

So now, when an e-mail in a foreign language hits your Gmail inbox, you can hit the "translate message" button and it'll instantly appear in your native tongue. If you're bilingual, you have the option of turning off translation for individual languages.

Google's promoted some other Labs features to the full Gmail product, including Title Tweaks and Smart Mute. The big G's also retired some aging Gmail Labs features including Mouse Gestures, Old Snakey and the famous Mail Goggles – which forced you to solve arithmetic problems before it would send your drunken e-mails. Let's raise a glass to it.