As a rule, you shouldn’t mess with someone else’s computer. But this computer mouse prank is harmless and quick—sort of like a real mouse. Try it on an especially technologically challenged adult.
what you need
* Access to a friend’s or family member’s computer mouse (it must be an optical or laser mouse, the kind with a red light)
* A small square of paper
* Tape
What you do
THE SETUP
1 When your victim is away from his computer, attach the small square of paper to the bottom of the mouse with tape so it covers the little light.
2 Make sure the paper doesn’t stick out along the edges of the mouse. Tear off the edges if necessary.
PULL THE PRANK
1 Turn the mouse upright and leave it where you found it. When your victim tries to use the mouse, it will appear to be “dead.” You can offer to make funeral arrangements, but if it looks like the person is about to purchase a new mouse, it’s time to ‘fess up.
FOR MORE COMPUTER PRANKS, GO TO WORKMAN.COM/COMPUTERPRANKS
VERY IMPORTANT PRANKS
V.I.P
A Giggle from Google
Every year on April Fools’ Day, technology companies (such as Google) try to outdo each other with their online pranks. In 2011 some computer wizards at a college in California outdid Google at its own prank.
On April 1 Google told users of Gmail that it was introducing a new version of the service called Google Motion that let them control Gmail with their bodies. The company produced a video that showed how the service worked: Users could swing one arm backward to reply to a message; swing two arms to reply to all; and lick their hand and tap their knee to send a message. It was all supposed to be a joke. But the joke was on Google when researchers at the University of Southern California quickly created a version of Google Motion that really worked! Hours after Google announced its prank version of Google Motion, the researchers posted a video showing their real version. They introduced it by saying, “For whatever reason, Google’s application doesn’t appear to work. So we demonstrate our solution.” Game over!