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Google Renames Itself Topeka, Continues Flood of April Fool's Jokes
The April Fool's Day-obsessed Web giant posted a lengthy explanation on its official blog explaining that it was so moved by Topeka/Google mayor Bill Bunten's move that it felt compelled to show its kinship through the name change. The extremely over-thought joke goes so far as to draw parallels between Topeka being the "jumping off point" for the United States' expansion west, and Google's position as a jumping off point for the Web. The company even provides a handy guide for replacing "Google" in your daily vocabulary with "Topeka" (as in, "I topeka'ed myself for fun").
Our least favorite day for tech news continues, and more Google pranks are certainly on the way (check out some of the better ones in the gallery below). Keep an eye out for standard voicemail from Google Voice, Google Maps in 3-D, TEXTp videos from YouTube and new notification tools from Google Wave. We're amazed the company gets anything done with the amount of work put into its April Fool's pranks. [From: Google]
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Comments
19
Subscribe to commentsCourtesysigningsApr 1st 2010 2:01PM
Is this a joke or not? Woke up to check my gmail and find "Topeka". Had no idea what that was all about and wondered if I had some virus in my computer. Google I have two things to say...Save the jokes for your facebook friends and grow up. If a major corporation plans on changing your name, be it for a day or forever, you might want to plan a better day than April Fools day to roll it out. Felt like I am in the midst of a bunch of school aged children! Let's change April Fools Day to Google Fools Day!
briannaApr 1st 2010 2:38PM
yeah i agree you need to get a sense of humor. it's april fool's day! everyones acting like little school children. it's a day for adults just to kick back and have some fun unlike having to work all day and act serious. the topeka thing is sort of stupid i agree because it's not even funny but it sure isn't immature. they could've done something way better than just "changing their name to 'topeka' ". and if you're gonna start calling google school children then you might as well just call yourself a humorless dud because that's exactly what you are.
craigApr 1st 2010 2:38PM
you need to calm down and enjoy life! you are a smuck
turbopittsApr 1st 2010 3:35PM
pull that stick out and lighten up.
al schraderApr 1st 2010 4:21PM
It's not funny Courtesysightings, why ? Becauise Google is giving your IP address to anyone that asks for it. No more freedom of speach. I suggest not use Google...Al-
KatiApr 1st 2010 2:14PM
Oh Courtesysignings, get a life. Better yet, get a sense of humor! It's April Fool's Day, and you only live once, so maybe you should try to just enjoy things and have fun.
m0revoodoo4u2x0Apr 1st 2010 3:19PM
this sucks.
soammuzedApr 1st 2010 3:20PM
Give Topeka a break. This is the only benign publicity that Topeka has had in years. The only time we make national news is when some of our lunatic fringe, bible pounding, so called christian, bigots get to running amock and bare their backsides in a public forum somewhere, or shoot somebody that doesn't agree with them.
judd1157Apr 2nd 2010 1:55PM
Courtney-if you enjoy google it's no doubt because of their culture. If you go to their HQ you will NOT find anyone as uptight as you appear to be.
DavidApr 1st 2010 3:49PM
www.topeka.com has a link to google. i have no interest in the city google. Why is it doing this? Im just trying to topeka something.
lame
Security GuyApr 1st 2010 4:24PM
Yeah, yeah, yeah. April Fool's and all that. Bottom line, people went to a nearly ubiquitous website, found it "defaced" and told to get the full story, "follow this link". I spend a LOT of time teaching smart people that don't understand computer security to be on the lookout for exactly this. Let's not even add in the fact that recently Google has been in the news for making privacy waves in China and how that just might increase the likelihood of their site being defaced.
Thanks to everyone that didn't follow the link. :{)
westhemess18Apr 1st 2010 4:21PM
Wait you're complaing about the FREE GMAIL!!!
krstedApr 1st 2010 4:25PM
I love these cute things that google does on holidays. Just puts a little fun in my day, what's the harm? Geez, pick some REAL battles - I'd hate to see how upset you'd be if something really bad happened...lip-diddling and rocking in a fetal position on the floor in the corner is the mental image that comes to mind! HAVE A FUN DAY ALL!!!
TedApr 1st 2010 4:49PM
Its incredible -- as to how UNFUNNY this TOkepka thing is...
sunnyApr 1st 2010 4:54PM
Actually, I KNEW Google would do something for April Fool's Day.
It was one of the first places I checked to see what they had done.
It was FUNNY, people!!
caitlinApr 1st 2010 5:44PM
yall need to lighten up! seriously, if all you have to do all day is sit on a computer and critisize other websites, you have bigger problems than them!! I dont know how that harmed anyone, it was just a small little prank, and hey a little word to courtesysignings, dude really? Im with westhemess18, youre getting FREE GMAIL FROM THEM!! and you cant allow them to change their name for one dadgommmed day? You better be glad they didnt pull a REAL prank, like SHUT DOWN THE WHOLE SITE FOR A DAY!! what would you do without your mail OR GOOGLE ALL DAY???? huh? yeah, different perspective now, aint it?!
JennaApr 1st 2010 6:39PM
Fooled me! At first I was like "That's such a stupid name. I'm still calling it google."
It took me three hours to realize it was a joke.
Teehee.
JamieApr 1st 2010 6:50PM
what the heck is wrong with people?!?! people are actually UPSET about this? wow. just wow. first of all, it's april fools day. get a sense of humor. second of all, i think its funny. i live in kansas and have known about topeka being changed to google for a while now. so it kinda made me smile that kansas was getting some recognition, even if i dont live in topeka (google) exactly. anyway, back to my point... take a joke, people. it's really not a big deal.. at all.
mikeh77586Apr 5th 2010 7:06PM
NOT FUNNY! I did a google search to see if it was real. The link that I clicked on turned out to be a virus/ malware site. You know, one of the really good ones. The type where they download malware trojans etc to your machine and then want you to buy their Software to get it cleaned up. Google should think past a quick joke before pulling a stunt like this!!! I like a good joke as much as the next guy. But there is a time and a place for everything. This wasn't it!!