Internet over the years has seen a lot of interesting April Fools day gigs. Some companies like Google go to great length and lauch a lot of new and highly unlikely services every 1st of April.
This year was not any different and Google was hard at work pulling of many pranks.
#1. 8 Bit Google Maps
This year, Google lauched Quest styled 8-bit maps on Google Maps. The maps resemble how old video games displayed maps. If you have ever played video games more than a decade ago, chances are you have come across these 8-bit maps.
While you look up a map on Google Maps, press on the Quest button and the 8-bit map shows up. I am not sure if Google is pulling of a prank here, they are just doing something incredibly nerdy. 🙂
#2. Gmail Tap
Gmail Tap is supposed to replace all buttons on your mobile phone. Apparently Gmail claims, that all we require are two buttons. People will be able to use only the dot and dash buttons and write their messages on a mobile phone with morse code.
See video below about Gmail Tap
#3. Chrome Multitask
Chrome Multitask promises to take multitasking to ridiculous levels. It suggests users will be able to use two mouse pointers on the same screen for different tasks at the same time (see video below).
Visit Chrome Multitask home page and click on “Try Multitask Mode”. Then try to exit the mode. Your screen in a while will be flooded with several mouse pointers. 🙂
#4. Google Racing
This prank is an announcement by Google, that it is tying up with Nascar. Nascar will allow a car that drives automatically without a driver to race in the main competition. Though driverless cars taking part in a race might be over the top, Google is not joking about the driveless car part. It has an actual serious project that allows a car to drive itself from one place to another.
Link: Google Racing
#5. Google Analytics Reports from other planets
This prank is literally out of this world. The idea is to allow new features to Google Analytics which will report how many people are visiting your website from different planets like Mars, Venus and more.
Google introduced this prank on its Analytics Blog.
Google has a long tradition of celebrating April Fools Day with different pranks on its various services.
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