5 April Fools’ pranks that would’ve made weird SA that much more interesting

With additional reporting by Lethabo Mokgatle

If the world — like a broken record — got stuck on 1 April 2015, there would have been too much weird and wonderful to go round for everyone to enjoy.

Shoprite got smart GPS shopping trollies

Shoprite announced a shopping trolley with GPS that would direct consumers fast and effectively, also alerting them to discounted products and promotions while in store.

While retailers have been trying to adapt to the rise of online shopping across South Africa by adopting omni-channel strategies and the like, Shoprite is sticking to what it knows best: trollies.

The trolley pairs with a consumer’s mobile phone through the Shoprite and Checkers Mobile Apps. Using a built-in GPS and interactive screen, it syncs with the consumers shopping list, guides the consumer along the most efficient shopping route and using historical data gathered from previous lists it alerts consumers of specials on their favourite products.

Our new #GPStrolley will vastly improve your shopping, charge your phone & save you time: http://t.co/MqzSyVhOUh pic.twitter.com/0hSApkvnqz

— Shoprite SA (@Shoprite_SA) April 1, 2015

MyBroadband’s launched a DSTV competitor

It has been stated that the new MyBroadband TV service is in competition with DSTV and StarSats TV services.

MyBroadband TV offers at least a 100 channels at the cost of R99.00 per month, with an additional R49.00 per month which offers users to get full access to “Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Now, and Amazon Prime”. This new service uses the same satellite dish and decoder as the DSTV which will now enable the DSTV users to easily move to the MyBroadband TV.

MyBroadband service has partnered with international providers as a strategy of launching its digital TV service to their clients and assuring that the decoder will have full internet connectivity for its online products.

This new TV service is aimed to give you best service at reasonable price monthly.

Google went reverse

Was it just an “April fools joke or was it an official design”?

Google is known for coming up with cool new ideas in terms of designing its website each day, but this prank has taken people by storm today, since it’s “April fools day” Google came up with a fun prank of confusing people like the reverse site where the website is turned up-side-down and has everything in reverse and every search posted backwards including the pictures.

They also came up with a fun way of making Google maps interesting, by changing the site into a “Pac Man game”, which enables you to play to play the game on every street in every city. All you need to do is to go to Google maps, and hit the button next to satellite view then you get to play the cool game.

SafariNow’s Nkandla retreat was up for grabs

SafariNow’s holiday resort is located just two hours away from the tranquil lagoon resort of Richards Bay. It was renovated to the price of R250 million which will now offer everything a family will need. This holiday retreat is designed with a motor gate, and an electric fence and a doubled homestead since 2009. There is no getting bored in this resort because you and your family members will be pampered 24/7.

The area is just a hop away from the airport and helicopter ride away, the free ways have smooth roads to make your dive easier and faster.

However, there is financial options that can be arranged, like getting a loan arranged or an EFT, but you must inform the resorts managers when you intend on paying back the money borrowed.

BBDO Group introduced an impressive-but-not-so-productive robot

South African ad agency BBDO almost launched a custom-designed, personalised robot computer that is able to conceptualise and execute 12 ideas an hour.

“We’ve always been about solving problems through creativity, so why not apply it to our most vexing one: increasingly unrealistic deadlines,” explained BBDO Group CEO Keith Shipley in a statement.