Smart Mailbox, Selfie Car Among April Fools’ Day Pranks From Companies
WASHINGTON, April 1 (UPI) — “Smart” was the keyword for companies celebrating April Fools’ Day with hoax videos and tweets including a smart mailbox, kitchen knife and airline seats.
Google got into the prankster spirit Wednesday with a YouTube video announcing a smart mailbox, the “Smartbox by Inbox by Gmail by Google.”
Samsung announced the fictional Galaxy BLADE edge, a version of its Galaxy smartphones with an edge “so sharp and strong that the device can also serve as a chef’s knife.”
#Samsung presents #GalaxyBLADEedge: Chef’s Edition http://t.co/texLjuVLPi pic.twitter.com/qdVW3rrAYJ— Samsung Electronics (@SamsungTMRW) March 31, 2015
Airline WestJet released a video showing how its idea for “SmartSeats” could go horribly wrong.
Speaking of things that could go horribly wrong, British supermarket chain Tesco got into the April Fools’ fun with a tweet announcing “bouncy aisles” were coming to stores.
Introducing: Bouncy Aisles, in-store from Friday.
Those pesky products on high shelves better watch out… pic.twitter.com/qevQkG4gYn— Tesco (@Tesco) April 1, 2015
Honda may not have billed its HR-V “selfie edition” as “smart,” but the video pokes fun at smartphone-obsessed millennials with a vehicle featuring 10 different selfie cameras.
Fellow automaker BMW also got in on the action with a hoax press release promoting a line of auto-inspired mouth guards for athletes.
All the protection you’ve come to expect from a BMW, bite-sized. http://t.co/k58D7Q8aD3 #motormouth pic.twitter.com/s0WbhG5dSV— BMW UK (@BMW_UK) April 1, 2015
Insurance company Esurance’s hoax video announced Presurance, a service offering to inform people of their next fender bender up to seven days in advance.
Google Japan’s April Fools’ prank was the “Google Panda,” a cuddly stuffed panda that conducts Google searches verbally.
Uber riffed on the defunct Skymall magazine with a video promoting Uber Car Shop magazine.
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