The great Google TV hoax
Hoaxes and practical jokes are nothing new to YouTube. But the latest hoax, a video that purportedly shows you how to obtain an invitation to join Google TV (a non-existent service, by the way), is so well done, that it’s worth a look – especially if you know that some people have actually been taken in by it (videos are at the bottom of this report).
Google Television being demonstrated, not
The video features Mark Erickson from “Infinite Solutions”, an archetypal nerd, who demonstrates a convoluted process, which involves logging in and out of your Gmail account to receive an invitation to join Google TV – a fantastic new service that offers on-demand access to all the latest television shows. It’s so amazing, it’s like, too good to be true.
Mark (if that’s his real name) Erickson smirking at the end of the first video
The video has all the hallmarks of great hoax:
- Good camera work and editing, so it’s looks credible
- A call to action that requires you to undertake a convoluted process that may need some playing around in order to work
- A compelling reward in the form of access to the unbelievably exciting Google TV
Apparently, when the video first came out, some people logged in and out of their Gmail account hundreds of times to try to get it to work.
Here’s the first video:
And here’s the follow up video:
I think that if you watch the videos you’ll see that there are a few clues that this is obviously a practical joke.
For example, the cheesy intro sequence, the use of an archetypal nerd as a presenter, and the presenter’s little smirk at the end of the first video.
Incidentally, Mark Erickson may also become the man who finally killed the goatee; I shaved mine off after seeing this video.
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January 28th, 2007
No, you’ve got it wrong – Google TV is real – chcek this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-eCO5L9wXQ
April 13th, 2009
love his videos, hilarious.
whats even funnier is the people who take it serious