April Fools' Pokemon challenge

SALVADOR RODRIGUEZ

Google has kicked off the tech world's annual round of April Fools' Day gags with a Pokemon Challenge.

The tech company's LatLong blog on Monday announced an update for the Android and iPhone versions of Google Maps that lets users go around and, you guessed it, try to catch all the Pokemon.

The mini-game is part of Google's fictional recruiting search for the newly available position of Pokemon Master.

To earn the job, recruits must catch all 150 Pokemon that can be found in the game, the company jokes in a video.

Users can play the game by first updating their Google Maps app, then tapping on the search bar at the top of the screen. Below it, a small Pokeball icon will appear next to the words 'Press Start' - users must tap there.

The app will take users to the location of the Pokemon Lab, which will be surrounded by Pokemon that users can tap to catch. Users can view the profiles for each of their Pokemon by checking their Pokedex, the famous index from Pokemon that stores each creature's information.

The game is real, but sadly, the Pokemon Master gig is not.

For starters, the deadline to apply is April 2. And also, there's this little caveat: 'Our hiring committee must first battle to determine who can best judge the Pokemon Master. The battle date has yet to be set, so the role of Pokemon Master is not yet available.'

Google has a long-standing tradition for April Fools' jokes, and in recent years many of the company's departments have come up with their own independent pranks.

GMAIL SELFIES

For another April Fools' prank, Google is jumping on the selfie bandwagon by letting users upload their self-portraits to use as Gmail inbox themes.

The company is also letting users share these themes with one another. They're shareable selfies, or as Google calls them: 'shelfies'.

And as a joke, Google is taking credit for starting the whole selfie trend.

'As the pioneering platform for selfies, Gmail is committed to being at the forefront of innovation in the selfie space,' the company says in a satirical blog post. 'And we think it's a tragedy that your handsome hair, luscious lashes and beautiful brows have been trapped in your own inbox. Until now, that is.'

Users can choose to upload their own shelfie themes, send them to their friends or use the top trending shelfies.

- MCT

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