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Is it April Fool's Day already?

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 1, 2007 - Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced the launch of Google TiSP (BETA)™, a free in-home wireless broadband service that delivers online connectivity via users' plumbing systems. The Toilet Internet Service Provider (TiSP) project is a self-installed, ad-supported online service that will be offered entirely free to any consumer with a WiFi-capable PC and a toilet connected to a local municipal sewage system.

"I couldn't be more excited about, and am only slightly grossed out by, this remarkable new product," said Marissa Mayer, Google's Vice President of Search Products and User Experience. "I firmly believe TiSP will be a breakthrough product, particularly for those users who, like Larry himself, do much of their best thinking in the bathroom."

The ever-playful, always light-hearted Google went to great lengths today to create an elaborate, moderately humorous April Fool's Day joke. Or, at least I think it's a joke. Google does have a history of announcing new products on April 1st. Gmail seemingly started out as a prank, but quickly became the real deal. But this, this is just ridiculous.

Why is TiSP in beta? When things go wrong with TiSP, they go very, very wrong. Let's leave it at that.

I guess that's the punchline. At least it's funnier than the Freddie Prinze Jr. in the new Batman movie joke that's going around.