April Fools’ 2014 roundup: selfie-taking drones, smartgloves and more
For the last 24 hours (and likely the next 12), excitable company execs have been barraging our inbox,YouTube and your social media networks with their best shenanigans. Love it or loathe it (and you’re probably starting to loathe it by now), the April Fools tradition continues, even stronger, in 2014. Google went a little overboard, but hopefully, after today, selfies will die a death. Hopefully.
Google has too much fun, again
Aside from its Pokemon mapping efforts, Google wants the world to see the web differently… peppered with emoji icons.
Google Japan also has a new “Magic Hand” for touchscreen text input, featuring a very necessary cat paw add-on.
Then there’s Gmail’s shareable selfie, the Shelfie and a new auto-Awesome photobomb feature, ruining your photos with David Hasselhoff.
HTC’s GLUUV lays down the gauntlet to Samsung Fingers
Who was first? We’ll call it an awkward draw, as both Samsung and HTC had largely identical ideas for AF 2014: smartgloves. HTC’s Power Glove knock-off Gluuv promises holo-calls and an 87.2-megapixel camera. Finally. We also like the companion BoomBass speaker though: “durable, humongous, and completely wireless” … and carried on your shoulder.
Samsung Fingers‘ blog post outlines a palm-based flexible screen, another mention of selfies, and in a nod to its own often superfluous software add-ons, an increasingly bizarre list of feature, showcased with sketches like these:
Sony reveals the future of gadget power sources
“Our engineers and culinary technicians have come up with a way to tap into the amazing energy of food,” says the nondescript Sony spokesman. An enzyme that transfers food energy to gadgets and it involves a “voltaic enzyme.” Sony’s planned cereals and protein bars, filled with “protein, fiber and charged lithium.”
Nokia brings the 3310 back from the dead, pumps it full of megapixels
Nokia’s most iconic phone, the 3310 is making a return. Nokia’s best-selling handset returns with Windows Phone OS, a 41-megapixel camera sensor and most importantly, preloaded with Snake 2. We almost wish it was real.
HERE maps goes back to basics (and paper)
Apparently, you can still HERE maps without a smart device. This is HERE Papyrus, and we’re particularly taken with this augmented reality trace sheet.
CERN gets serious, switches to comic sans
Truly, the thinkers’ font.
Nest / Virgin America
Total temperature control for every passenger.
Kodak Picture Kiosk Drone
We can tell it’s a fake because Kodak’s blog post mentions calling and texting a phone number. Oh and hands-free selfies. (Also, how is this any more ridiculous than Kodak’s very real nuclear reactor?)
Samsung’s Fli-Fy
Why not just utilize the rats of the skies to be your drones… and boost your WiFi.
GoPro: #STOKED, the energy drink
Has its own hashtag. Must be legit.
iFixit
iFixit gets an offer it can’t refuse.
Swiftkey Flow Hard for your physical keyboard
No touchscreen needed.
‘Make your own smartphone, piece by piece, with this magazine subscription’
In just 10 years, you can make your very own smartphone, in this tie-up between Japan’s KDDI network and magazine publisher Deagostini.
Sega returns: MEGAne DRIVE, the wearable
That should equal 32-bit gaming.
The Roku Watch
Look at the size of the remote. Coming April 31st.
TechCrunch introduces Crunchcoin
Filed under: Cellphones, Displays, Gaming, Wearables, Science, Internet, Mobile, Alt, Samsung, Sony, HTC, Google
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