Google’s “I’m Feeling Lucky” Countdown Timer A Clock For The Apocalypse?

Gizmodo AU

If you’re looking for something to do while this Monday morning drags on, head to the Google homepage and hit the “I’m feeling lucky” button without putting anything in the search box. On the results page you’ll see a countdown timer at the bottom of the page. But what’s it counting down to? The zombie apocalypse? The new Google phone? Y2.01K?

Actually, it just looks like a countdown to the end of the year, which means it’s not exciting at all. But it’s a slow news day, and it’s kind of cool in a geeky sort of way.

[Thanks Luke and Simon!]

Discuss

(27 Comments)
  • [–]

    Veagor

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 10:58 AM

    That can’t be right, according to Google it says there is only one day left until the end of the year! Zombie Apocalypse with out a doubt. GET YOUR BILLY RAY CD’S

    • [–]

      Paul

      Monday, December 14, 2009 at 11:58 AM

      I think you haven’t calculated it right its just over 17 days and 12 hours left which is New Years day.

  • [–]

    Ben

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 11:16 AM

    Can’t be the end of the year, that means there is about 1 and a half days to go! Whats going to happen when it hits zero…..

    • [–]

      Ben

      Monday, December 14, 2009 at 11:18 AM

      Nope I just stuffed the maths, it looks like it is a countdown to the end of the year

  • [–]

    william dutton

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 11:23 AM

    its the count down too the new year :)

    http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=1517879seconds%20from%20now

  • [–]

    Dale

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 11:36 AM

    That would be the seconds until New Years…

  • [–]

    Ryan

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 11:48 AM

    Maths time noobs.

    1519396 / 60 / 60 / 24 = ~17 days until NY.

    Bam!

  • [–]

    enio san

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 12:08 PM

    Yeah, I just found that… by accident. It is kind of cool. But I think it must to be related to a new product or service they may be launching by the end of the year.

  • [–]

    Oleg Estrin

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 12:11 PM

    I converted the seconds to days and it works out 17 days, so yeh it has to be the countdown to the end of the year.

  • [–]

    Alan

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 12:24 PM

    Is it the time until new years?

  • [–]

    Dave

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 12:28 PM

    Yup, I’m getting a touch over one and a half million seconds at my end. Suggesting that New Years’ is the target. But hey, what better time for a zombie apocalypse.

  • [–]

    Chad

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 12:29 PM

    Ah, sorry to burst your Zombie bubble (that sounds weird), but Google is merely counting down the seconds to 2010. I checked. http://www.7is7.com/otto/countdown.html has a seconds figure that pretty much matches that on Google’s homepage.

  • [–]

    Angus Keenan

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 12:30 PM

    yes it is a count down to the end of the year

  • [–]

    Steve Cimarosti

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 12:32 PM

    i would say that it’s a countdown (in seconds) to NYE..

    proof: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=12%3A30+14+december+2009+%2B+1510200+seconds

  • [–]

    MDolley

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 2:01 PM

    “N”ew years “E”ve
    X is the roman numeral for 10, as in 2010
    US as in the United States

    OMG!!!! The Nexus One is going to be launched in the US on new years eve.

  • [–]

    ThePengwin

    Monday, December 14, 2009 at 8:02 PM

    The source code is counting down to Date(2010,0,1). There is a bunch of references to “egg”. I guess it just means like an egg timer.

    Sadly there’s no comments or references to external links :(

  • [–]

    Twincamm

    Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 1:26 AM

    I’m curious as to why there are so many comments stating the bleedin’ bloody obvious?

  • [–]

    Twincamm

    Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 1:35 AM

    I call it STABFOC disease – “Stating The Absolute Bloody Friggin’ Obvious Case” (TM)

  • [–]

    Jiaren Lau

    Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 4:07 AM

    How does THIS post have so much more AU comments compared to others?!

    …but yeah…totally geeky cool!

  • [–]

    Ben Ashby

    Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 11:43 PM

    MDolley if you are right I will buy you a beer cause lol that is a real interesting observation, if you are not right lol wow what an interesting coincidence

  • [–]

    Tony Delero

    Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 6:54 AM

    is google counting down to the next blue moon? which just happens to be a Partial Lunar Eclipse one new years eve.

    This is a unique year because the last full moon of the year, the Blue Moon, is also the 13th moon.

    once in a blue moon hay…..

    tony delero

  • [–]

    Tha' Kid

    Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 7:25 PM

    Wow, just found the countdown on accident. Freaked me out, so I googled about it and here I am. Glad its just a 2010 countdown and not a countdown until Google’s ninjas reach my house and turn me into a zombie….;>

  • [–]

    Hakim

    Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 5:02 PM

    It looks like google wants to show the number of the seconds left to the end of this year?

  • [–]

    Arijit Das

    Sunday, December 20, 2009 at 7:08 PM

    Ya… I discovered it!! its showing 987755 after i clicked the button “I’m feeling Lucky” button. Divide it with 60x60x24 to get the real result.

  • [–]

    Maxwell Smart

    Monday, December 21, 2009 at 6:18 PM

    No you bunch of Bozo’s – its the countdown until the end of this month…Geez.

  • [–]

    Rhy

    Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at 8:11 AM

    So.. if it’s a countdown to the end of the year..

    what’s it going to do at midnight?

    Instead of watching a ball drop I’m totally watching google…

  • [–]

    Munk

    Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at 9:14 PM

    Google waves goin public or the new google homepage being implemented??

    Renovated google:(http://crave.cnet.co.uk/software/0,39029471,49304406,00.htm)

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