So today is the 1st of April, which means it’s time to do Pranks. A lot of tech giants made in to the news because of having some great pranks set-up for us. Here’s a round-up of some of the pranks tech companies have been pulling this April Fool’s Day.
1) Google
Google had a few great Pranks set-up for us this year and 3 stood out the most.
The First One was the Pokemon challenge. In the video Google released, they talk about how they are using Google Maps technology to allow folks to search and explore the world in search of “all the wild Pokemon”. The person who catches them all and proves him or herself the best will become the coveted Google “Poke Master”, at least according to the video. Check it out below.
The Second one by Google was the Emoji on the Browser.
The Chrome browser on Android devices (and other platforms) will gain the ability to “translate” anything into emoji. The optional feature will replace words on websites with an emoji that best suits them. For example, in the phrase “Google Play Gift Cards,” Chrome will replace the last three words with a game controller, a present, and a credit card image, respectfully.
The Third one was Gmail Shelfie. On its blog, Google added: “We think it’s a tragedy that your handsome hair, luscious lashes and beautiful brows have been trapped in your own inbox. Until now, that is. Today, we’re proud to free your selfies by launching Gmail Shelfie, the SHareable sELFIE.”
You are free to create your own shelfie. Google does, though, offer you top trending shelfies to immediately use.
2) Samsung
Samsung also had 2 Pranks set-up for us.
One was Samsung Smart Fingers. According to Phonearena, In Samsung’s own words, this is the company’s “first wearable glove” (not that we’ve seen any glove that is not wearable), and it packs a whole lot of high-end technology.
There’s a 3-inch “flexible UHD Super Emo-LED” display at the center of Samsung Fingers, and an S Laser beam projector just below it. We’re also treated with a 16MP hidden camera, built-in speaker and microphone, 4GB of RAM, 32G/64GB of internal memory, plus a wide variety of sensors – including a thermometer, compass, barometer, and a heart rate sensor. 5G and Wi-Fi 902.11wz will make sure to keep Fingers always connected.
Extra features include Talk To The Hand (you can let other people talk to Samsung Fingers while you’re busy, and it will record every word), S Charge (it charges the glove with solar power), and Voice AMP (this literally amplifies your voice and “reduces fatigue from trying to get attention”).
The Second Prank was Fli-Fy; Samsung’s pigeon based Wi-Fi.
In London, Samsung is strapping routers onto pigeons and letting them loose in the city. They call it Fli-Fy. Hilarious!
3) HTC
According to AndroidCentral, HTC posted some teasers on its website of a thrilling new wearable called the HTC Gluuv. The smart-glove syncs with your HTC One (M8). It also syncs with a HTC branded boom box called the HTC BoomBass, which is durable, humongous, and completely wireless. And with the Social Fingerz feature, giving a real thumbs up gesture will automatically “like” someone on Facebook. Don’t forget that 87.2MP camera that comes with the Gluuv.
4) Swiftkey
We’re all familiar with SwiftKey, and according to them, this latest ‘innovation’ takes it from our Android devices to our desktop or laptop keyboards.
Flow Hard allows users to type radically faster by dragging their fingers from key to key on a keyboard, instead of slowly tapping each letter individually. The innovative technology, built on SwiftKey’s award-winning NLP and Machine Learning input platform, automatically corrects typos and offers real-time predictions as a user ‘Flows Hard’.
Check out this video for more Hilarious details.
5) Oppo
According to Oppo, Oppo has O-lenses with “Interlocked neurotransmission between two or more users which allows a constant connection between several hippocampuses’. Share your memories directly using our groundbreaking Neurotooth® beaming technology”
6) Sony
Sony’s crack team of boffins discovered a way to power your gadgets from your very own food. Just stick that USB cord in your cereal box and start juicing up. Check out the video below.
7) Reddit
Why waste clicks upvoting and downvoting stuff on Reddit when you can do so with a simple grimace. Upnod, frownvote and navigate your way around Reddit, with the new Headdit. Checkout the video below.
8) Youtube
Last year they were going to Shut down Youtube, and this year they send out this for April Fools.
9) Nokia
Nokia has posted pictures of its evergreen 3310, now running Windows Phone, and having a telling “hump” on the back. That protrusion turns out to be none other than the 41 MP PureView camera module we know from the Lumia 1020, which will ensure loads of photographic fun with the reinvented 3310. Nokia managed to stuff a dual-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, and a microSD slot in dimensions close to the original’s casing, gracing the new 3310 with a 3-inch “Clear Diamond” display that sports the generous 768 x 1280 pixels.
10) LinkedIn
LinkedIn’s new cat-working platform “Cats You May Know” cat-nects humans with feline influencers like Admiral Wiggles and Battlepaws Galacticat.
What happened to you this April Fool’s day? Did you see these pranks before and did you think they were real even for a split second? Let us know down below, and if you found Other Great Pranks, don’t forget to share it with us.
