Here we go again. It’s April Fools’ Day, and like every year, Google is doing its best to outdo itself. This is the first year the company is doing so under its new Alphabet parent company, so we’ll see if that has any impact. But if the jokes are anything like in previous years, we’ll see jokes ranging from ridiculously lame to very clever, spanning the simple blog post to the elaborate gag.
Google’s various divisions always create more practical and impractical jokes than any other tech firm, and it’s simply hard to keep track of them all. As a result, we’re back with our usual annual roundup.
Google Japanese Input Physical Flick Version
Google Japan announced Furikku, a physical keyboard you flick. Think of it as the hardware version of the Japanese input software for Android. And of course, the circuit board and firmware are open source.
Search your photos using emoji
Google Photos has added a feature for April Fools’ Day that might not even be a joke. You can search your photos by inputting emoji. I don’t really see a need for Google to remove this feature since it actually works.
The next revolution in photo search technology is here.https://t.co/6yLWq9yK7G
— Google Photos (@googlephotos) March 31, 2016
Emoji in Inbox Smart Reply
Inbox by Gmail has suddenly started giving emoji suggestions instead of text replies. You might be wondering why. Apparently, “emoji do a better job of plumbing the emotional depths of one’s soul, so we’re optimistic that today’s update will encourage more open and honest email conversations.”
Gmail Mic Drop
That’s not the only new addition to Gmail. Mic Drop lets you have the last word on any email. If you reply using the new “Send + Mic Drop” button, everyone will receive your message, and then you won’t see any responses afterwards. It’s like a “reply and mute” feature.
When it comes to April Fools’ Day, Google seems to have a bottomless pit for a marketing budget. We will update this post as the company launches more jokes.
Google Cardboard Plastic
Virtual reality is so yesterday. Today is all about actual reality. Google Cardboard was one thing, but Google Cardboard Plastic is even better. “What’s realer than real?”
This actual reality headset beats all virtual reality headset because it has 4D integrated perspective, 360° spatially accurate sound, 20/20 resolution, advanced haptics for realistic touch sensations, has no wires, no batteries, is lightweight and waterproof.