7 ms·

Retro amazon, http://www.amazon.com/ http://www.amazon.com/

by wippler 11y ago

masida 11y ago
Amazon Dash Button https://www.amazon.com/oc/dash-button https://www.amazon.com/oc/dash-button
- aroman 11y ago
  Not sure if you were being cheeky or not, but that's not an April Fool's joke.
- simonk 11y ago
  Dash is real.
  - zaroth 11y ago
    No it's not.
    - pimlottc 11y ago
      They've certainly gone to a lot of trouble writing support docs if it's not real: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_bc_nav?ie=UTF8&nodeId=201706050 http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_b...
      - just150e 11y ago
        Did you read those docs? > Note: You may need to increase your iPhone volume, since Dash Button uses ultrasonic tones to sync with your iPhone during setup. If prompted, drag the volume slider to the recommended level, at or above where it says Best. Ultrasonic tone sync?
        zaroth 11y ago
        I actually wrote a library that does this, FSK to WAV and back is just a few lines of code, and fairly reliable. There are even Javascript libraries that can do it. I think it probably is real, it just shouldn't be. :-/
        techstrategist 11y ago
        Ultrasonic communication is also used by some of the 2nd screen tv apps.
        kevinoconnor7 11y ago
        Doesn't the Chromecast have that capability?
        JoblessWonder 11y ago
        Isn't that what Clinkle was supposed to be using? It was supposed to be the hot new tech that could replace NFC. Or something or other... [1] http://www.thewire.com/technology/2013/07/what-is-clinkle/66792/ http://www.thewire.com/technology/2013/07/what-is-clinkle/66...
        cbhl 11y ago
        That's actually pretty established technology nowadays. I'm not surprised they're using it.
    - Delmania 11y ago
      Dash is 100% real: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tn-amazon-dash-button-20150331-story.html http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tn-amazon-dash-button-....
    - ctdonath 11y ago
      No reason it shouldn't be. Brilliant idea: put a "reorder consumable product" right where you will be the moment you realize you need to reorder a particular consumable product. Running low on laundry detergent? TP? fabric softener? trash bags? push button. You walk away from that location, you'll immediately forget you needed to order (which means drive to store or fiddle with browser). Devices can be built dirt cheap now: button, minimal wifi, ease setup via (yes) nigh-unto-free microphone. App gathers requests, confirms them (my first thought was "great, kids sit there pushing button and order 137 bottles of Tide"), done, product arrives in 24/48 hours. Sign me up.
- Cshelton 11y ago
  Hey, I actually thought it was an April Fools joke as well, but then realized that we've gotten to the point where it is crucial to have 1 day delivery for toilet paper...Honestly, it's cool, but from a sense of self-pride...no. This is how civilizations collapse...let's be honest.
  - johnduhart 11y ago
    > This is how civilizations collapse...let's be honest. You're right, it's a little known fact that the cause for downfall of the Roman empire was the ability to order personal hygiene products using a button placed in people's home!
- hobarrera 11y ago
  That's a real product, and was actually announced March 31st.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
sneak 11y ago
Wow, that must be costing them a fortune. This is the biggest example of conspicuous consumption I have ever seen.
- theonekeith 11y ago
  I think it's likely they are partnering with P&G at least on promoting this.
- adrusi 11y ago
  The be vendors that offer the buttons for their products are probably financing the whole thing. They'll also be the ones paying for the buttons, as opposed to customers. Imagine how great it would be for a paper towel company to make buying its towels a single button press (with high coolness factor) whereas any other brand would require a trip to the store, or at least 2 minutes to order on amazon. They could just automatically include the device in some shipments.
M8 11y ago
This is embarrassing: if they are too afraid to actually re-style it for a day (with all potential losses), then they shouldn't bother with a static image. Sometimes you get too big to be cool.
- 91bananas 11y ago
  I completely disagree. They run a system that is arguably very complex. I would not want to restyle my entire app (for a day) (so people like you would approve of it). They took something that was low risk, made it happen across the board, reliably. Site still works. It drums up chatter around offices. Makes people visit. Enjoy your misery.
  - M8 11y ago
    Wow, no need to overreact. I remember VK offered Soviet and Pre-revolutionary versions of their web-site as an easter egg: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VK_%28social_networking_website%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VK_%28social_networking_website... "Russian-speaking users can choose between the standard Russian version and two extras: a Soviet version and a Pre-Revolutionary version. Other than language tweaks (e.g. telegrams for messages and comrades for friends) these versions contain other easter eggs. For example, all private messages in the Soviet version have a stamp saying 'passed server censorship'. The pre-revolutionary version uses old-style Russian orthography. Both extra versions are also ad-free." Amazon is naturally much bigger, but VK is not a small fry either.
    - 91bananas 11y ago
      It wasn't an overreaction, it was merely defending their decision and implementation. It was far from "embarrassing".
- kevando 11y ago
  Would probably result in millions of lost revenue because of the UI.. Although that number would be interesting to see.
general_failure 11y ago
WOW, just wow. Will they not be losing money this way?
- netrus 11y ago
  Short term, long term. "Hey, have you seen the Amazon.com homepage today?" - someone in every office everywhere today.
  - spacemanmatt 11y ago
    Possibly overrating the green field Amazon has left. I can't imagine any less than a savage disregard for Amazon's half-assed retro April fool's joke around my office. YMMV.
LeoPanthera 11y ago
It's bad enough having a full-page single-image image map (I'd almost forgotten image maps were a thing), but to use a jpeg is just offensive.

Retro amazon, http://www.amazon.com/ http://www.amazon.com/

by wippler 11y ago

Retro amazon, http://www.amazon.com/ http://www.amazon.com/

masida 11y ago

Amazon Dash Button https://www.amazon.com/oc/dash-button https://www.amazon.com/oc/dash-button

aroman 11y ago
Not sure if you were being cheeky or not, but that's not an April Fool's joke.
simonk 11y ago
Dash is real.
- zaroth 11y ago
  No it's not.
  - pimlottc 11y ago
    They've certainly gone to a lot of trouble writing support docs if it's not real: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_bc_nav?ie=UTF8&nodeId=201706050 http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_b...
    - just150e 11y ago
      Did you read those docs? > Note: You may need to increase your iPhone volume, since Dash Button uses ultrasonic tones to sync with your iPhone during setup. If prompted, drag the volume slider to the recommended level, at or above where it says Best. Ultrasonic tone sync?
      - zaroth 11y ago
        I actually wrote a library that does this, FSK to WAV and back is just a few lines of code, and fairly reliable. There are even Javascript libraries that can do it. I think it probably is real, it just shouldn't be. :-/
      - techstrategist 11y ago
        Ultrasonic communication is also used by some of the 2nd screen tv apps.
      - kevinoconnor7 11y ago
        Doesn't the Chromecast have that capability?
      - JoblessWonder 11y ago
        Isn't that what Clinkle was supposed to be using? It was supposed to be the hot new tech that could replace NFC. Or something or other... [1] http://www.thewire.com/technology/2013/07/what-is-clinkle/66792/ http://www.thewire.com/technology/2013/07/what-is-clinkle/66...
      - cbhl 11y ago
        That's actually pretty established technology nowadays. I'm not surprised they're using it.
  - Delmania 11y ago
    Dash is 100% real: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tn-amazon-dash-button-20150331-story.html http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tn-amazon-dash-button-....
  - ctdonath 11y ago
    No reason it shouldn't be. Brilliant idea: put a "reorder consumable product" right where you will be the moment you realize you need to reorder a particular consumable product. Running low on laundry detergent? TP? fabric softener? trash bags? push button. You walk away from that location, you'll immediately forget you needed to order (which means drive to store or fiddle with browser). Devices can be built dirt cheap now: button, minimal wifi, ease setup via (yes) nigh-unto-free microphone. App gathers requests, confirms them (my first thought was "great, kids sit there pushing button and order 137 bottles of Tide"), done, product arrives in 24/48 hours. Sign me up.
Cshelton 11y ago
Hey, I actually thought it was an April Fools joke as well, but then realized that we've gotten to the point where it is crucial to have 1 day delivery for toilet paper...Honestly, it's cool, but from a sense of self-pride...no. This is how civilizations collapse...let's be honest.
- johnduhart 11y ago
  > This is how civilizations collapse...let's be honest. You're right, it's a little known fact that the cause for downfall of the Roman empire was the ability to order personal hygiene products using a button placed in people's home!
hobarrera 11y ago
That's a real product, and was actually announced March 31st.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

sneak 11y ago

Wow, that must be costing them a fortune. This is the biggest example of conspicuous consumption I have ever seen.

theonekeith 11y ago
I think it's likely they are partnering with P&G at least on promoting this.
adrusi 11y ago
The be vendors that offer the buttons for their products are probably financing the whole thing. They'll also be the ones paying for the buttons, as opposed to customers. Imagine how great it would be for a paper towel company to make buying its towels a single button press (with high coolness factor) whereas any other brand would require a trip to the store, or at least 2 minutes to order on amazon. They could just automatically include the device in some shipments.

M8 11y ago

This is embarrassing: if they are too afraid to actually re-style it for a day (with all potential losses), then they shouldn't bother with a static image. Sometimes you get too big to be cool.

91bananas 11y ago
I completely disagree. They run a system that is arguably very complex. I would not want to restyle my entire app (for a day) (so people like you would approve of it). They took something that was low risk, made it happen across the board, reliably. Site still works. It drums up chatter around offices. Makes people visit. Enjoy your misery.
- M8 11y ago
  Wow, no need to overreact. I remember VK offered Soviet and Pre-revolutionary versions of their web-site as an easter egg: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VK_%28social_networking_website%29 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VK_%28social_networking_website... "Russian-speaking users can choose between the standard Russian version and two extras: a Soviet version and a Pre-Revolutionary version. Other than language tweaks (e.g. telegrams for messages and comrades for friends) these versions contain other easter eggs. For example, all private messages in the Soviet version have a stamp saying 'passed server censorship'. The pre-revolutionary version uses old-style Russian orthography. Both extra versions are also ad-free." Amazon is naturally much bigger, but VK is not a small fry either.
  - 91bananas 11y ago
    It wasn't an overreaction, it was merely defending their decision and implementation. It was far from "embarrassing".
kevando 11y ago
Would probably result in millions of lost revenue because of the UI.. Although that number would be interesting to see.

general_failure 11y ago

WOW, just wow. Will they not be losing money this way?

netrus 11y ago
Short term, long term. "Hey, have you seen the Amazon.com homepage today?" - someone in every office everywhere today.
- spacemanmatt 11y ago
  Possibly overrating the green field Amazon has left. I can't imagine any less than a savage disregard for Amazon's half-assed retro April fool's joke around my office. YMMV.

LeoPanthera 11y ago

It's bad enough having a full-page single-image image map (I'd almost forgotten image maps were a thing), but to use a jpeg is just offensive.