Microsoft's iLoo Project A Hoax

minesweeper writes "It appears that the 'iLoo,' a portable toilet with Internet access designed by Microsoft, was actually just a hoax issued by its MSN division in the United Kingdom. In addition to receiving press here on Slashdot, the fake release was also covered by The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press, and Reuters. See a diagram of the iLoo here."

Comments

Well duh

[Pingsmoth]

At the risk of a few karma points...

seriously, a porta-potty with internet access? Come on. It was one of those things that's just too ridiculous to believe from the start.

Re:Well duh

[ausgnome]

Well If i can have a fridge with internet access why not the toilet as well ??

Apple iTolete

[POds]

i wonder if this was inspired by the Apple iToilet

lawsuit possibility

[moojin]

not that i can't take a good joke, but is their some legal precedence that would enable a person or entity to sue MSN UK? couldn't the media companies that took the time to research and publish (print, tv, internet media) this story could sue for lost revenue, lost wages, lost time, lost reputation (for printing a hoax? couldn't companies with analysts covering microsoft or the embedded devices market sue for lost revenue and lost time?

not that i would sue, but shouldn't their be some legal ramifications for this hoax? what if somebody could prove that MS stock price actually increased in the time directly after the announcement?

just my ramblings...

Yeah, but it made you look anyway.

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, but it made you look anyway. It made a good distraction from huge fines, this week's MSTD (Fizzer), more enlightened users, redistibution of wealth and probably a few more goodies...

Kinda like when DanQuayle used to get sent out to publicly spell potato/potatoe/tomato/tomatoe to take the heat off of Big Bush. Or when Monica showed off her stained dress to let the DMCA have a little breathing room.

Re:Do we all believe it actually is a hoax ?

[Fishstick]

the headline claims it was a hoax, the article says the release was "false", but then later says

The Associated Press received confirmation of the project from both Microsoft Corp.'s Waggener Edstrom public relations firm and London-based Red Consultancy, which handles such work for the software giant in England.

In an e-mail sent last week to The Associated Press, Red Consultancy's Ben Philipson wrote "MSN is really working on building a prototype for the Summer festivals, perhaps Glastonbury ... This is very much a 'toe in the water' experiment to gauge interest so we'll have to see how it goes, although judging from response so far it's really captured people's imagination!"

Malina Bragg, who helps with MSN's account for Waggener Edstrom, also verified last week that the project was true.

Where did Microsoft say that this wasn't real? All they said was that it wasn't "sanctioned commuinication" and that they "apologized for any "confusion or offense". Sounds like they just are embarassed. They might get the UK office to pull the plug on the thing, but it doesn't sound like anyone "made this up".

Sounds like somebody just really wanted to put "hoax" in the headline, regardless of the facts.