Roundup: Best April Fools’ pranks yet including Google Panda & Moto Selfie Stick

April Fools’ Day is often one of the more eventual days of the year for Google and other tech companies. This year appears to be no different as a variety of pranks have already appeared around the web. We’ve been analyzing them all, right as they come in, and have listed some of our favorites below. We’ll keep this list updated as more April Fools’ Day gags continue to roll in. We have feeling there will be no shortage of them either…

Google Smartbox by Inbox

Google touts that Smartbox is a better, smarter mailbox that combines physical mail with email. Not to be confused with the service Google is apparently actually working on, Smartbox is an actual mailbox that offers many features that you currently have with email, including smart folders. The Smartbox will even electrically shock anyone who tries to fill your mailbox with spam.

Smartbox is currently in field trial. And by that, Google means that it’s “stuck in the ground, in a field somewhere.” Inbox by Gmail users can send an email to inbox@google.com before April 2nd to reserve a spot on the Smartbox waitlist.

Google Panda

Google Japan today revealed Google Panda. While it may appear to be a generic stuffed panda, Google Panda is a lot more than that. The animal is a personal assistant that has the powers of Google Now. You can ask the panda any question you have and it will reply with an educated answer. Google Panda can even understand 50 different languages.

Google Panda is available in two different variations, because fragmentation is best: Google Panda 5 and Google Panda 6. Google Japan held a press event today announcing Panda. It can be seen in its entirety above.

Google “Actual Cloud Platform”

Google party horn typing

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAgOnQqyDz0]

Google Japan has debuted a completely ridiculous “Keyless Keyboard”. Essentially, by blowing certain patterns into a “party horn,” Japanese characters can be typed on your Nexus device. Oh, and the company plans on introducing a generator in a future version to generate wind energy from your blows.

#ChromeSelfie

First noticed by Google Operating System Blog, there’s a new option in Google’s mobile versions of Chrome that encourages you to “share a reaction” from any webpage you visit.

The idea with this feature is that you’ll take a selfie showing your reaction when you visit a website and Chrome will align a screenshot of the page you’re viewing with that selfie. You’ll then be able to share that #ChromeSelfie with all of your friends (they’ll probably be former friends after you send them the picture, though).

Google Fiber Dial-up Mode

Pac-Man in Google Maps

(Image via <a href="http://kotaku.com/you-can-play-pac-man-on-google-maps-right-now-1694756745">Kotaku</a>)

Google today added a new Pac-Man easter egg to Maps. To access this and kill your productivity, all you have to do is visit Google Maps and look for the Pac-Man icon in the corner. Click it and the game will be activated.

Google overlays the game on the streets of whatever city you’ve selected. Although, if you choose a rural area, it’s going to be a pretty boring game of Pac-Man, so you may want to pick a metropolitan area like New York City. Pac-Man is also accessible through Google Maps on Android and iOS.

Self-browsing Chromebooks

Google announced some new “self-browsing” features for the Chromebook line to save precious calories. Google instead suggests that you use those calories to clean your bathtub:

Google’s top research scientists have calculated that the average person burns up to five calories per day by clicking on web links. This is absurd—these calories could be put to much better use for breathing, pranking a co-worker, or cleaning your bathtub. Well, a rogue team of engineers set out to solve one of mankind’s top problems and re-rethink computing. Today, we’re excited to announce a way to make your Chromebook self-browsing.

Moto Selfie Stick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=584qPWzfhHY

Motorola has gotten in on the fun as well and revealed its own Selfie Stick. Motorola says that, “like the sun turns the rain into a rainbow,” the Moto Selfie stick brings joy to people everywhere. However, it’s more than just a selfie stick. The product is an extension of you are as a person.

The Moto Selfie stick is designed for everyone, no matter whether you’re left-handed or right-handed or have short arms or long arms. As the saying goes, a selfie is only as good as its stick, so be sure to check out the Moto Selfie Stick.

Samsung Galaxy BLADE Edge Smart Knife

Samsung’s latest product is perhaps its most revolutionary yet. The Galaxy BLADE Smart Knife is a smartphone that’s long enough, wide enough, and sharp enough to be a full-fledged kitchen knife. The BLADE edge sports a “diamond edge blade” and “patented curved ergonomic ceramic.” It’s also 100% waterproof and fireproof.

The handle of the BLADE comes in four different materials, including Premium Olivewood, Ergonomic Ceramic, Stainless Steel, and Premium Mammoth Tusk. It also comes with a stylus that doubles as a meat thermometer, called the S-Thermometer.

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We're always looking ahead, but sometimes it's important to reflect. Change your perspective: http://t.co/oTkpNeurqj pic.twitter.com/4RDyBgjSES

— Google (@Google) April 1, 2015

If you’re going through some sort of midlife crisis, Google has you covered on this one. “We’re always looking ahead, but sometimes it’s important to reflect. Change your perspective,” the company said in a tweet.

If you visit com.google, you’ll see a totally reflected version of the search engine. It gets pretty trippy, so be sure to check out for yourself.

Swapped Reddits

If you head over to the Android subreddit, you might get just a tad confused. Both r/android and r/apple have swapped their designs and branding with one another for today. All of the threads are still there, but the designs are switched up.

T-Mobile’s Pets Unleahsed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kj-4F8pWfk&feature=youtu.be

T-Mobile today announced a new service that it is calling Pets Unleashed. The carrier says it’s a revolutionary way to stay in touch with your other family members for just $5 a month and allows you to communicate with your family like never before. The devices even feature apps such as Fetch Freedom, FitPet, and Pet Tinder.

T-Mobile is quick to remind us, while using some choice language, that the other carriers all hate puppies. Check it out in the advertisement above…

YouTube pushing Sandstorm by Darude

YouTube has added an “Add music” button to its video player, which adds a 2 second blip of Darude’s Sandstorm to any video that you’re watching. Based on our preliminary experimentation, it looks like many music-related searches are also pushing Sandstorm by Darude…

Windows is Upgrading in CM12 nightlies

The latest nightly build of CyanogenMod12 has replaced the standard “Android is upgarding…” screen that you see after you install the firmware with one that’s Microsoft themed. “Powered By Microsoft,” the dialog box says as it optimizes your apps upon reboot.

Galaxy S6 “Gourmet Mode”

https://vine.co/v/OLx50MOMKv3

HTC Gluuv

HTC has announced the Gluuv:

The HTC Gluuv^BETA is the first wearable tech that doesn’t sacrifice size for comfort. Beyond a tiny eyepiece, the HTC One Sense-powered full-feature set displays in brilliant HD 1080P resolution. Hi-fiving the future never looked so good.