April Fools.

First of all, it's already April??? How did this happen?

Second, it's April Fools Day. Which means Google's got some fun things up and running. Here's what I've found so far:

8-bit maps for NES.

This is for all of you gamers who still have your Nintendo Entertainment System tucked away somewhere in the back of your closet. Google is launching Google 8-bit maps for NES, boasting “low-res graphics, simple and intuitive controls, and a timeless soundtrack.” It will soon be available, but for now, you can check it out on the Google Maps page by clicking "Quest" in the top right corner.

Control the weather feature

 This is the one I most wish was real. Google Weather Control. Simply search for the weather for a particular city, and this option will appear. "Don't like the weather? Now you can change it in your region by selecting from the dropdown to change precipitation and setting your own temperature." But this feature isn't one that should be taken lightly. So as soon as you hit "Update Weather," you're met with a popup. After explaining that it will take approximately 45 minutes for the changes to take effect, it warns you to exercise caution while setting extremes and asks you to check a box signifying your agreement to take responsibility for the weather you've just selected.

The YouTube Collection on DVD.

The official YouTube blog asks, "Loved a video so much that liking it, favoriting it, sharing it and even subscribing to the channel wasn’t enough? Just had to hold it in your grasp and never ever let it go?" Well today, you're in luck. They're making The YouTube Collection available on DVD. Clicking the order now button takes you through a series of steps: Selecting the genre (viral highlights, how to, kittens and puppies, dubstep remixes, etc.), preferred method of delivery (shipping trucks, freight vessel or the postal service), gift options, alternate formats (stick with DVDs or choose videocassettes or laser discs), and finally, confirm your order. Expect the price to be at least $50,000. After placing your order, you get your expected delivery date (mine was June 16, 2043), and a tiny note below wishing you a happy April Fools Day.

Brilliant.

Click-to-Teleport feature.

This little feature allows you the option of teleporting to whatever business you like! Unfortunately, there's no "teleport back" feature...

Google Really Advanced Search.

Google Really Advanced Search: The smartest way to search. Narrow down your queries with fields like "subtext or innuendo for," and even something as detailed as "the words , but not , unless they contain either the intersection of phrases , , and or a gerund in which case the disjunction of and will also be taken into account (on Tuesdays)." Then narrow it further based on  font, embarrassing grammatical mistakes, and whether or not the content is true.

At the bottom, there's even a link to search by odor! But, sadly, when you finally click to search, you'll be redirected to Google's results page for the term "april fools." Bummer.


Hannah and I pulled our own little prank, but I'll tell you about that later.

Enjoy your day!