Top 10 Best April Fools’ Web Pranks of 2014

Every year, web companies love to play pranks on April Fool’s Day.

Check out the best the best for 2014 so far, and check back later as more pranks develop.

10. Reddit vs. “Headdit”

Today Reddit released headdit, “a revolutionary new way to browse reddit.”

Vehemently denying on their blog that the release date has anything to do with April Fool’s, reddit says headdit is a:

revolutionary hand equivalent action detection, headdit allows you to upnod, frownvote and navigate your way around reddit. There is also cat mode. So sit back, relax and enjoy headdit.

“Cat mode” is explained further with this GIF:

You can watch headdit’s online commercial above, our join the discussion on reddit here.

Or, if you want to actually try headdit, go to reddit.com and click the icon on the bottom right side of the screen.

9. Google Maps Pokémon Challenge

Following in the footsteps of last year’s Google Maps Treasure Mode, Google Maps Pokémon Challenge allows mobile maps users to search for and capture Pokémon on the iOS and Android apps.

There’s 150 to capture, and the Pokémon are scattered all around the USA with a large majority around Google’s headquarters.

Again, this is for mobile maps only. Go check it out!

8. Google Magic Hand

Even Google Japan has gotten in on the April Fool’s fun with “Google Magic Hand.”

Magic Hand is a nonexistent device that makes it so you don’t have to operate your mobile phone or iPad by hand anymore. By connecting your device to a crane-like hand that connects to a keyboard via USB, we’re not really sure where the joke was going. But it does make a glorious backscratcher, as seen in the video above.

---

7. Gmail Shelfie

Gmail turns 10-years-old today. The popular mail service launched on April 1, 2004.

To help celebrate this milestone, Gmail released “Gmail Shelfie”, or the “shareable selfie.”

They explain their thought process on their official blog:

When custom themes launched back in 2012, we urged you to find “your perfect image and make Gmail your own.” And you did. Many of you rushed to take photos of yourselves to upload as your Gmail custom theme, which you started referring to as selfies.

Gmail Shelfie is built on the idea that you shouldn’t be selfish with your selfie. With just a few clicks, your mom, your aunt, or that girl you have a crush on can set your Shelfie as their Gmail theme so they can enjoy checking, reading, and writing emails while seeing your friendly face in the background.

6. Nest Total Temperature Control

Google acquired Nest a few months back, and now Nest is getting involved with the April Fool’s fun.

Nest has teamed up with Virgin Airlines to release “total temperature control”, a way for individual airline passengers to choose what their air temperature is while they’re on board . With options like “Cancun Afternoon” and “Chicago Polar Vortex”, this has joke written all over it.

5. WazeDates

Speaking of acquisitions, Google also acquired the social mapping software company Waze last year. This means Waze is also up to no good.

Yesterday Waze announced “WazeDates.” Per their YouTube page:

“WazeDates” uses the same crowdsourcing technology designed to help drivers around the world outsmart traffic, while creating a new space for people to meet and fall in love.

The video explains further that the app allows drivers to alert other drivers of single hotties on the road.

DAVID HASSELHOFF AND GOOGLE TEAM UP FOR A PRANK!!! CLICK HERE OR “NEXT PAGE” TO READ ALL THAT AND MORE!

4. Emoji Support in Chrome for Android & iOS

On their blog page for Chrome, Google announced that support for Emoji is now built directly into Chrome.

What does this mean? According to Google:

Not only does this pictorial and theatrical language allow us to communicate complex emotions, it’s also far more compact. One Emoji symbol can easily replace dozens of characters, improving efficiency and comprehension on the go. It turns out the best way to communicate in the future is to look to the past: the ancient Egyptians were really onto something with their hieroglyphs.

A web full of emojis? No thanks. Luckily it’s a joke.

3. Auto Awesome Photobombs with David Hasselhoff

Google+ has expanded its features to allow for spontaneous photobombs from celebs in your pictures.

Shown above, David Hasselhoff ruining a majestic mountain view.

No words on if other celebrities were joining the feature, which is presumably only for today.

On the subject, Google said this:

To get your own photobomb, upload a new self portrait or group photo with friends, and leave a little room for The Hoff. He might just make a surprise appearance. :-)

---

2. Netflix Sizzling Bacon

Netflix added a new film to its movie queue today. Sizzling Bazon is described as:

The boundaries of TV and time go up in smoke with this tasteful, Memento-style puzzle that takes the viewer out of the fire and into the frying pan.

1. What Will #1 Be? Wait For the Best Web Prank! Comment Below