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Just kidding! April Fools' gadgets go nuts (pictures)

Companies roll out a parade of April Fools' gadgets ranging from a flat-pack lawn mower to the saddest Batman car decals every conceived.

Amanda Kooser
Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET. When not wallowing in weird gear and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto.
Amanda Kooser
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1 of 11 ThinkGeek

Eye of Sauron desk lamp

Ever feel like you're being watched? ThinkGeek's April Fools' Eye of Sauron desk lamp brings "The Lord of the Rings" to your office. A glowing eye at the top follows your every move." Its gaze pierces cloud, shadow, earth, and flesh, so you should probably keep it away from children and hobbits," ThinkGeek says.
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2 of 11 ThinkGeek

Bane Mask Walkie Talkies

Remember how erudite Bane was in the lastest Batman movie? If ThinkGeek's Bane Mask Walkie Talkies set were real, you would be able to bring the sound of the mush-mouthed villain home with you. The fictional gadgets turn your voice into Bane's incomprehensible growl.
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3 of 11 Ikea

Ikea's foldable lawn mower

Ikea is famous for its flat-pack products. How about a flat-pack lawn mower? Ikea UK unveiled the GRÄSSAX for April Fools' Day, declaring it "light, foldable and easy to store, perfect for saving space in small gardens!" Plus, it's done up in the classic Ikea colors of yellow and blue.
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4 of 11 ThinkGeek

'Aliens' Chestburster-in-a-Can

The Chestburster from the "Alien" franchise had the element of surprise going for it. One moment, you're just sitting there. The next moment, an alien spawn pops out of your chest. ThinkGeek's April Fools' "Aliens" Chestburster-in-a-Can imagines that moment as a spin on the classic spring-in-a-can prank. It looks like a Colonial Marines can of cornbread, but it contains a springing Chestburster.
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5 of 11 Virgin Atlantic

Oh look, a glass-bottom airplane

A Richard Branson blog post for April Fools' Day takes a turn for the terrifying by introducing the first glass-bottomed plane. Not for the faint of heart, this prank concept would give travelers a view straight down to the clouds and landscapes below.
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6 of 11 Delta

Double Decker Armrest for flying comfort

"Say goodbye to confusing elbow etiquette," Delta says in an April Fools' Facebook photo caption for the Double Decker Armrest. Two layers of armrests would give fliers plenty of space to park their arms without having to jockey for position.
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7 of 11 ThinkGeek

Sad Batman family car decals

Batman's unfortunate family history comes to the fore in ThinkGeek's Batman family vehicle decal set. Good thing it's not a real product. Funny, yes. Sad, yes. The set includes two gravestones and one sad Batman. ThinkGeek declares it an "officially licensed DC Comics collectible."
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8 of 11 Video screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET

Toshiba redefines the gaming experience

Toshiba has been known for some pretty out-there April Fools' product concepts. The company delivers for 2013 with the Shibasphere, a motion-detection gaming system so advanced it has 12-core 3.5GHz processors and a feature called "Logical Aggression Monitoring" designed to keep players happy.
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9 of 11 Video screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET

Sony speakers for hamsters

For April Fools' 2013, Sony branches out into the world of products for animals with the Animalia line. Hamster speakers are perfectly sized to fit into a hamster cage. The speakers play energetic music to encourage hamster-wheel workouts for the little critters.
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10 of 11 Video screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET

Video system for dogs

Sony's big April Fools' prank for 2013 is a video about the new Animalia line of tech products for pets. There are headphones for cats, but also a video system sized for dogs.
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11 of 11 Video screenshot by Amanda Kooser/CNET

Otterbox do-it-yourself iPhone case kit

OtterBox pays tribute to the maker movement with its April Fools' entry, the OtterBox Maker Series. The first in the fictional series is a set of plans for a make-at-home iPhone kit crafted from wood. You supply the wood and tools.

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