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Psych! The 15 Best April Fools’ Web Pranks of 2012

Real life pranks are so 20th century. These days, April Fools’ Day is all about outlandish online schemes. Here’s a collection of our favorite 15 bits of web foolery.

1. Google Really Advanced Search

Google search got pretty specific for April Fools’ Day.

April Fools pranks

2. Google Maps

Locate your office in April Fools’ 8-bit mode here.

April Fools pranks

3. Google Analytics Music Feature

Google Analytics spiced things up with a new piano-like feature.

4. The YouTube Collection

We hope you grabbed your copy of The YouTube Collection: every video ever uploaded to the site, all in convenient DVD format.

5. NPR #catstagram

NPR flooded its Instagram feed with images of staffers’ feline friends all day long.

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6. Philadelphia’s Distracted Pedestrians Lane

Philadelphia city officials were only half joking when they installed a sidewalk lane for distracted (read: texting) pedestrians. Listen to the full story here.

7. Shapes by Toshiba

Toshiba premiered new irregularly-shaped tablets on Tuesday. Did you spot the April Fools’ message in the DJ scene?

8. Pad & Quill’s Littlest Black Book

Now there’s a sleek and sophisticated case for your tiniest Apple device: the iPad Nano.

9. TomTom Makes Babies Laugh

Your navigational device now doubles as baby entertainer.

10. Sony Quarter-Sized Computer

Meet the world’s most compact computer!

11. Conan’s Mashable Takeover

This one inspired quite a few eye rolls across the web. At least they went for it?

12. Warby Barker

The canine spectacle campaign was the lonelybrander favorite.

13. Wilco Releasing Album on Piano Roll

Chicago’s favorite indie band announced on their blog that, “answering the call from octogenarian fans and audiophiles worldwide, Wilco have finally released their Grammy-nominated 2011 album The Whole Love on piano roll.”

April Fools pranks

14. Twilio Telegram

Cloud communications company Twilio went old school for April Fools’ Day, advertising a new hand delivered telegram program.

April Fools pranks

15. Flickr’s Pixel Reduction

Photosharing platform Flickr dramatically reduced its pixel count on April 1st, announcing that photos would now appear in black and white Atkinson Dither style.

 April Fools pranks