Around the Web on April 1st

The Guardian is reporting that it’s ditching ink and paper in favor of Twitter.  From now on all news stories will come in the form of tweets, propelling the newspaper way, way ahead in the race to adopt new technologies:

Consolidating its position at the cutting edge of new media technology, the Guardian today announces that it will become the first newspaper in the world to be published exclusively via Twitter, the sensationally popular social networking service that has transformed online communication.

The move, described as “epochal” by media commentators, will see all Guardian content tailored to fit the format of Twitter’s brief text messages, known as “tweets”, which are limited to 140 characters each. Boosted by the involvement of celebrity “twitterers”, such as Madonna, Britney Spears and Stephen Fry, Twitter’s profile has surged in recent months, attracting more than 5m users who send, read and reply to tweets via the web or their mobile phones.

Meanwhile, Google announces a new feature for Gmail – Autopilot – which allows users to respond automatically to all their emails without having to lift a finger!  Here’s a sample of this amazing technology at work:

Google, it appears, has gone all out.

Alternative web browser, Opera, has this exciting new feature:

Wikipedia reports all sorts of interesting things on today’s main page:

Youtube has turned all its videos upside down (on-site), claiming that upside-down monitors have a much better picture than their righted counterparts.

Microsoft announces its new yodeling game, Alpine Legend:

The Economist is diversifying by opening “Econoland” – a business themed theme park.  (interactive map available!)

Apple has a new iPod shuffle out – and it talks to you.

Al Gore has launched his own brand of vegan products to help fight climate change:

Still unclear is whether Gore will actually embrace the vegan lifestyle promoted on his boxes. With factory farming considered a major contributor to C02 emissions, Gore has received flak (especially from PETA) for not embracing a plant-based diet. “He’s still not even vegetarian, but figures these products might go a long way to convincing others it’s the right thing to do,” continued the source. “At the end of the day, it’s the message that matters.”

The Washington City Paper has adopted a new look which is, quite frankly, a little familiar.  Can’t quite put my finger on it though.  So has Reddit.

And if all of this is a little much, you can now book flights to Mars for only $99.  (Ever notice how the more plausible the prank is, the funnier it is….?)

That’s all the April Fools I found so far.  Link up to more in the comments if you find anything funny out there today….

Cheers!

Update: Kind of a crappy day to hear your conviction is being voided by the Justice Dept., isn’t it?  Do you think somewhere in the back of Stevens’ mind is the knowledge that today is April 1st?

Update II: Patrick has a round-up of his own – of the “fun or lack thereof” which is a good point.  This year’s April Fools has been a little short on goodies…

Update III:  Via Steven Waldman it appears the Holy Trinity has been expanded to include Oprah Winfrey…

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 1 — Oprah Winfrey has been declared the fourth person of the Trinity, according to an astonishing new theological agreement hammered out by the world’s major Christian denominations. Along with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the popular talk show host will be recognized as one person in the sacred and indivisible unity of the Godhead–or Quadhead, as the updated Trinity will now be called.

Update IV: The Applie iPod shuffle that talks is real and not a prank.  But it would have been a good prank, you know?  It certainly seemed like a prank!

Update V:  Sorry Andrew.  I did miss yours….