Feature Articles

The best April Fool's pranks of 2015

By Team HardwareZone - 2 Apr 2015

The best April Fool's pranks of 2015

April Fool's day is like Christmas for anyone who enjoys a good prank, a day where companies stop taking themselves too seriously and focus their efforts on wacky product demos and bizarre concept designs, often with a surprising amount of thought and effort. We've rounded up some of our favorites.

 

Samsung Galaxy Blade Edge - Chef's Edition

Samsung's always been at the forefront of 'cutting-edge' technology.

Designed with the modern chef in mind, the Samsung Galaxy Blade Edge is the “world’s first smart knife” incorporating all of the features of a Galaxy S6 and also adding an edge so sharp and strong that the device can also serve as a chef’s knife. The combi-phone/knife could actually improve your culinary skills too, as it features a set of sensors and algorithms that analyze your grip, dexterity and strength, setting the weight in optimal proportion to create the perfect rhythm and inertia. This smart feature, in league with the super sharp edge, makes chopping and cutting up to 50 percent faster than with conventional knives. The Blade edge also comes with a handy stylus that doubles as a wireless meat thermometer and baking tool!

Source: Samsung Tomorrow

 

Corsair M63MM RGB Gaming Mouse

Just hope no-one steals the ball out of it.

Corsair’s mechanical gaming mouse is an awesome throwback to the past. It hits all the right notes for a good gag, being absurd enough to be improbable, but with a deadpan delivery that makes it believable. M63MM RGB is a mechanical gaming mouse that uses patented B.I.G. (Boron Infused Graphene) ball technology to create a mouse with 450 dpi. Yes, in other words, it's a mouse with a ball in it. Just like the ones we had in the 90s.

 

 

MS-DOS Mobile for Windows Phone

There’s no school like the old school and Microsoft is showing you how it used to get it done with the new/old MS-DOS mobile app for Windows Phone. Boot back to the familiar DOS screen and watch the cursor blink as you wonder what to type next to “C:\>” just like in the old days.

The app goes beyond an April’s Fool joke and is fully functional, despite nearly everyone telling the MS Windows Phone folks not to go there. Type in “DIR” to list apps and “CD” to view directories, and yes, “FORMAT C:” for the good times. Now all we need is a floppy disc attachment to really get rock and rolling. Grab the app here!

 

CERN researchers confirm existence of the Force

Practical applications include: "long-distance communication, influencing minds, and lifting heavy things out of swamps"

At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, researchers and scientists work hard to uncover the fundamental particles of matter. With the help of colossal and complex scientific machines, they have finally unlocked the secret behind the energy that binds galaxies together. It is called the Force. According to CERN theorist Ben Kenobi of the University of Mos Eisley, Tatooine, the Force also empowers people, in particular particle physicists. CERN staff members have begun to harness their newly-discovered prowess for practical applications like "long-distance communication, influencing minds, and lifting heavy things out of swamps."

Source: CERN

 

HTC RE Sok

The wearable you never knew you always wanted.

They say a watch is a man’s most personal accessory, we say nay, the sock is. The HTC RE Sok is the world’s first smart sock and can be programmed to provide “notifeetcations” and can even warn you if a hole starts forming. HTC is also well aware that users tend to misplace their socks and so have fitted the RE Sok with GPS, enabling one to find the other easily even if they were jumbled in a large laundry pile. However, the RE Sok does come with a caveat, it is neither machine nor hand washable. Guess you just have to live with the smell then.

Source: HTC

 

Audi Japan Special Edition R8

The perfect companion for my Samsung Galaxy Blade Edge!

Talk about catering to local tastes. “Exclusive” to Japan the Audi A8 5.5 aims to deliver utmost satisfaction by using “world class, advanced technologies” to deliver the most perfect rice ever. The name itself is inspired by the term gohan, as five (go) and half (han) reads “gohan”, which means rice in Japanese. The car uses intense heat convection to generate heat from the core, and even offers multiple cooking options through the A8’s touch screen menu. Apparently Audi’s even lining the base of the A8 5.5 with tatami made of the finest rush, and you get an Audi branded rice paddle with every purchase!

Source: Audi

 

Motorola Moto Selfie Stick

Motorola's Moto Selfie Stick is a custom selfie stick made of wood and leather - you know, the same materials used on the Moto X. Perhaps it’s the passionate narration in the video, or maybe because we think a selfie stick that is “an extension of who you are” is a brilliant idea, but this actually sounds like something we’d buy on impulse. Alas, it remains a parody at the moment, primarily designed to draw attention to a real, one-day Moto X discount in the U.S.

Source: Motorola

 

Google Fiber Dial-Up Mode

Bigger numbers means progress. More transistors, higher clock speeds, and of course, faster internet speeds! But sometimes, it can be exhausting watching that high-definition video load too fast. Enter Dial-Up mode for Google Fiber, the solution to your worries that the Internet is just too fast. With Dial-Up, Google wants to give its users the time to load the dishwasher, call their grandmother, or run to the bathroom – all while waiting for that YouTube video to buffer. According to Google, its new technology slows protons in its fiber optic cables by a whooping 376 times! Impressive.

Source: Google

 

Bonus: Pac-Man runs wild on Google Maps 

Wakka Wakka! This isn't so much a prank as it is an awesome (and hopefully permanent) addition to Google Maps. To trigger Pac-Man mode, go to Google Maps and select your area. Find one with a lot of roads if possible. Once done, you just click on the Pac-Man icon on the lower left of the screen (still working as of 2nd April!).
Join HWZ's Telegram channel here and catch all the latest tech news!
Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.