April Fools has come and gone, once again, and as always in our world of tech and gadgets, there’s just no shortage of folks and brands trying to one-up each other with their own punchlines. In celebration of the spirit, we’ve combined a short list of some of the jokes that stand out, and those that deserve at the very least, honourable mention.
Linus Goes Back To Basics.
Yes, the world’s favourite TechTuber is obviously in on the joke as always. This year, his April Fools prank was trying to convince us that he had returned to his roots, his basics even: potato farming. It’s clear that the Linus Media Group’s (LMG) production value has since they first started. On that note, the idea that Linus could actually start a cult-like collective on a potato farm is hilarious, even up until the point where he’s taken down by government authorities.
Behind the April Fools joke, Linus also found opportunities to peddle his wares and merchandise to the masses, chief among them being a new hoodie and design for his flasks.
ASUS Enters The Handheld Console Market?
So, we obviously talked a bit at length about ASUS’ entry for April Fools Day and if we’re honest, we’re actually inclined to believe that the ROG Ally is the real McCoy, and for a good number of reasons. But first, here’s a quick recap: the Ally is a handheld gaming console that looks like the byproduct of what happens if the Steam Deck, and Nintendo Switch had a love child. That, and if RGB was an STD, because look at the glowing undercarriages of those analogue sticks.
Within the video, though, you see ASUS mention that it had worked with AMD to design a new custom Ryzen APU for the ROG Ally. As much as we would like to believe that this is an April Fools prank, this was actually a claim that got a thinking about the legitimacy of the product; saying that you’ve designed a custom chip for your product, and with a chipmaker such as AMD, isn’t something that just any company can simply brag about, even as a joke.
Another point that got our cogs turning about the ROG Ally is how it is able to be paired with an already existing ASUS ROG product, the XG Mobile. So, with those points mentioned, there is a chance that the Taipei-based brand chose to make the announcement on April Fools Day to throw us off its scent.
be quiet! Bladeless Fans, Now With AI
Over at be quiet!, the brand’s April Fools entry came in the form of – get ready for it – bladeless fans. Not only do they look like they took a page out of a Dyson air purifier concept, but it’s also painfully obvious that it doesn’t exist. Heck, the presenter goes so far as to say that the new “airflow” system is controlled by a new AI-based software called Controlled Airflow Technology, or CAT for short.
Heck, the AI even has a name, Thanos, and even has some level of sentience, providing the presenter with a relatively “detailed” report of his performance in the middle a gaming session. Again, April Fools joke and all that.
Razer Embracing Its Namesake
Yet another brand that gets into the April Fools spirit, this year’s entry from Razer sees the gaming brand embracing the play on its namesake with the announcement of a mouse that also doubles as an electric shaver, aptly named Razer. The joke is pretty much self-explanatory – the Razer is a gaming mouse, lit up by the usual trimmings of RBG LEDs, while doubling as an electric shaver for the male gamer that has forgotten to perform their manscaping rituals.
NZXT Making A GPU (Haha, You Wish)
S👀N™ https://t.co/vjDguIUnB1 pic.twitter.com/TaOlslzCft
— NZXT (@NZXT) March 31, 2023
This April Fools joke is probably a tale as old as time, and probably one that many fans of the NZXT brand are hoping the company would do, given that it already dipped its pinky into the motherboard market. Alas, it’s clear that the GPU in the brand’s tweet is clearly a render, no doubt done by AI. Seriously, just look at how far front the PCIe interface of the GPU is.
Gigabyte And Cat Pampering
Vind je kat het ook zo fijn om op je PC te relaxen? AORUS heeft de oplossing om jouw PC koel en je huisdier tevreden te houden.
Introducing the AORUS Cat Master. Optimale airflow en uiteraard met RGB!Kickstarter gaat morgen van start. Doe jij mee? pic.twitter.com/niyv8bdgkK
— AORUS Benelux (@AORUS_BNLX) April 1, 2023
Gigabyte’s April Fools joke this year seems a bit muted but it does deserve honourable mention. And the brand’s entry for this year turns out to be the AORUS Cat Master, a cat rest that is kitted out with RBG inside its stands. It’s an…interesting concept, to have one’s pet cat perched on top of their PC, but again, as far as joke entries go, this may already even exist. Just not from this brand, obviously.
(Source: LTT, be quiet!, Razer via Twitter, Gigabyte via Twitter, NZXT via Twitter)
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