Google Snake is a nostalgic twist on the '90s snake game (Photo: Google Maps)
April Fools’ Day is a time where furrowed brows are loosened and harmless pranks are pulled. While many heighten their senses at the thought of being pranked, others have carefully crafted their jokes only to unleash them on this special day. These pranksters include big companies — from Google to BMW — who took this opportunity to jump in on the fun. Whether it be the launch of a bizarre new product, a shocking announcement or a barely-believable prank, here’s a list of 2019’s April Fools’ hits from companies you know:
Google Home
Tulip technology
Ever heard of how talking to your plants can help them grow? Google Home now lets you talk to your flowers. Google has just unveiled its latest Google Home update, Google Tulip, a feature that lets you communicate with your tulips at home. According to the video, the tech company claims to have had a breakthrough in human-plant communication, eradicating the one-way relationship and giving tulips a voice to express what they really need.
Google Maps
Snake
Google Maps shows you how to get around on foot, car, train and bicycle. Now, slithering is also an option. A nostalgic twist on the ‘90s snake game, players can now slither in different locations all around the world, including London, Cairo, San Francisco, São Paulo, Sydney and Tokyo. Pick up as many players as possible while you can, as the game will be live in the app for only a week. To access the game, simply open the Google Maps app, tap on the menu icon on the top left corner, and select “Play Snake”. Alternatively, play here at the game’s standalone site and enjoy the game long after April Fools’ is over.
BMW
Lunar Power
Solar-powered energy is a thing of the past. In conjunction with BMW’s i series, the automobile company claims to have harnessed the ability to transform moonlight into lunar energy. The introduction of BMW’s Lunar Paint is said to use revolutionary photovoltaic technology to passively recharge the car’s battery in the hours of darkness. Absorbing the light from the moon, the latest finish further extends the car’s electric range. Although the idea sounds like a leap towards sustainability, Lunar Paint is unfortunately not of this world quite yet. However, fret not, as BMW offers an innovative range of existing charging technologies, including solar and digital to power up the BMW i models.
SEIKO x Senbei
Rice cracker dial
Japanese watchmakers SEIKO announced they would be bringing out a new timepiece, featuring a rice cracker dial with seaweed numerals under the Presage collection. While the collection previously featured dials inspired by traditional Japanese aesthetics and craftsmanship, such as porcelain enamel shippo and urushi lacquer; the collection is now working with senbei, the traditional Japanese snack. Available in three models: Soy Sauce, Sesame and Crystal Sugar; SEIKO also released an accompanying concept video showcasing the new collection. SEIKO’s well-thought out April Fools’ prank is one of the better ones out there.
Grab
GrabFoodCopter
Food delivery services like Grab Food are lifesavers when you don’t have time for a bite. A week before April Fools’, GrabFood announced their search for 1,500 beta testers for the launch of GrabFoodCopter on April 1. The new service will fly food from Singapore to Malaysia via helicopter so Malaysian foodies who enjoy Singaporean food are spared from travelling. The Facebook video post has over 80K views, insinuating the service to be most ideal for Malaysians who are too ashamed of their preference for Singaporean food. All jokes aside, GrabFood is offering free delivery with a minimum spend of RM20 for the month of April using the promo code NOJOKE.
