Google made you a fidget spinner just as you stopped caring about them

By Randall Colburn  |  June 20, 2017 | 8:35pm
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“Who gives a shit about what these things even are?” we bellowed into the heavens when last we were forced to write about fidget spinners, but, alas, here we are again. The news, however, was almost going to be that “fidget spinners are over,” which is the take of this FiveThirtyEight piece from Monday. Using data culled from Google Trends, writer Walt Hickey noticed a rising disinterest in the fidget phenomenon.

Well, it seems Google may have a vested interest in the fidget spinner. As of today, if you search for “fidget spinner” or “spinner,” you’ll be greeted with a virtual fidget spinner that responds to your clicker. Go ahead, give it a try. We’ll wait, mesmerized by that triangular blur of motion, our anxiety rising from our shoulders and disintegrating into the summer breeze.

Of course, this isn’t the first virtual fidget spinner. The Verge has written about the rise of fidget apps on the market now, though Google’s is no doubt the easiest to access. But, hey, if you’re already in the app store and looking to relieve some stress, might we suggest Binky, the app that does nothing?

 
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