8 April Fools' Day pranks that turned into real projects or products

Table of contents

Google Maps Pac-Man (2015)
Stackoverflow's 3-button keyboard project
LG Rollable TV (2018)
Cruise Control - Automatic driving technology in traffic jams
Virgin Airlines: Flights to Mars (2013)
Pokémon GO played on Apple Watch
Lego Minecraft (2012)
Tinder For Pets

April 1, also known as April Fools' Day, is often an occasion where people can engage in jokes, pranks and create humorous stories. From fake messages on social networks to fictional products introduced by major brands, there is no shortage of April Fools' Day pranks that shock and make people laugh.

However, not all of these jokes are just about making people laugh. Some of them may contain creative ideas and practical potential. Behind the humor of a joke can be a unique idea, a new product or a convenient service that can attract interest and support from the community.

So, how many April Fools' Day jokes have actually come true? From technological applications to everyday utility products, many pranks have become the basis for the development of more creative and advanced ideas.

Let's explore unique examples of April Fools' Day pranks that turned into meaningful and potential projects.

Google Maps Pac-Man (2015)

The Pac-Man game on Google Maps was frequently requested by users after the 2015 April Fools' Day prank ended. Therefore, Google decided to keep this game and add it to their Google Maps application, allowing users to play Pac-Man on a real-life map anytime, anywhere.

Google Maps allows users to play Pac-Man on their actual map. Users can control the Pac-Man character to play on realistic roads.

Activating the Pac-man game on a personal computer is done as follows.

- Activate Chrome browser on your computer, then visit https://www.google.com/maps.

- Search for any area you want to go to, now the search box at the bottom of the right screen will display a Pac-man image icon.

Stackoverflow 3 button keyboard project

Originating from the Internet trend of teasing code-copying programmers, in 2019 Stack Overflow chimed in with a little joke about "3-button keyboards" in their blog post.

In the post, Stack Overflow announced that they will launch a new keyboard with only 3 buttons, instead of the traditional keyboard with many keys. The three buttons will be assigned the functions "Copy", "Paste", and "Search". In the joke, they described that reducing the number of buttons on the keyboard would increase performance and significantly reduce time spent using the computer.

This product was originally launched as an April Fools' Day joke. However, the website for programmers Stack Overflow has combined with Drop, a company that produces mechanical keyboards, to commercialize The Key, a computer keyboard with 3 buttons for $29.

LG Rollable TV (2018)

LG introduced a rollable TV as an April Fools' Day joke. Although initially a joke, the idea spurred the development of rollable display technology, and LG later actually developed and sold rollable TV models to consumers.

Users often want a unique TV, with an edge-to-edge screen and even the ability to be 'invisible' when not in use. LG's Signature TV line not only meets but exceeds all expectations.

This unique TV model is named Signature OLED TV R by LG, with the screen divided into small rows and the unique feature is the ability of the screen to roll with just one button.

The entire screen is contained in a rectangular box, which is also a soundbar speaker.

Cruise Control - Automatic driving technology in traffic jams

April Fool's Day 2019, Lexus introduced a "Lane Valet" feature in an April Fool's Day joke, allowing cars to automatically move into an empty lane. This idea was later actually developed by Lexus and integrated into several of their vehicle models, providing similar features to enhance driver safety and convenience.

This technology is a combination of the Adaptive Cruise Control - ACC adaptive cruise control system and the Auto Start Stop automatic stop/start mode, using a variety of sensors mounted around the outside of the vehicle.

With automatic driving technology in traffic jams, the driver just needs to press a button to make the car automatically move on congested roads without having to release the gear or release the brake. The car will also automatically stop when reaching a speed of 50km/h and return to normal driving status.

Virgin Airlines: Flights to Mars (2013)

In an April Fools' Day joke, Virgin Airlines announced that it will offer direct flights to Mars. Although initially just a joke, Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Group, has promoted space technology research and development, and Virgin's subsidiary, Virgin Galactic, is developing travel services real universe.

Pokémon GO played on Apple Watch

In an April Fools' Day joke, Niantic announced that they will release Pokémon Go for Apple Watch. Although initially just a joke, they later actually developed and released the Pokémon Go app for Apple Watch, allowing players to track game activities on their watch. However, "Dad creator of Pokémon GO has decided to stop supporting playing its game on Apple Watch from the beginning of July 2019. That means that users who own Apple smartwatches will not be able to connect to Pokémon GO via this device. from July 1, 2019.

Lego Minecraft (2012)

Lego announced a line of Lego Minecraft products in an April Fools' Day prank in 2012. Although initially just a joke, Lego received a positive response from the community and later partnered with Mojang to create a true Lego Minecraft product line.

Tinder For Pets

In a 2018 April Fool's Day prank, Tinder introduced "Tinder For Pets," a version of the dating app for pets. However, the idea sparked many people's interest and subsequently led to the development of apps and online communities for pet owners.