Google Embraces Fidget Spinner Mania, Offers a Virtual 'Spinner'

Article by George Norman (Cybersecurity Editor)

on 21 Jun 2017

Remember when everyone was obsessed with playing Pokémon Go? Well, that was last year’s fad and people have moved on to something else: spinning toys that are supposed to relieve stress and help those who suffer from anxiety, ADHD, autism, and other types of problems where you just can’t stop fidgeting.

Opinions about fidget spinners are divided among experts and regular folk alike. While the experts argue if these toys actually have any health benefits, regular folk like myself argue whether they’re a massive waste of time and money.

I’m going to go with massive waste of time, money, and energy.



I don’t know how and I don’t know why Google has decided to jump onto the fidget spinner fad, and at this point I don’t even think that it matters. What is important is that fidget spinners, the toys that the internet loves to hate, have managed to grab Google’s attention. The search engine is offering a virtual fidget on desktop as well as mobile.

Simply search for "spinner" and Google Search will bring up a fidget spinner quick answer card.

Like this.



The virtual spinner is interactive, meaning that you can stop it and spin it with your mouse (if you’re using a desktop browser) or your finger (if you’re using Google’s mobile app for iOS and Android).

Use the toggle from the upper right hand corner and you can switch to a spinning number wheel. By default, the wheel features 6 numbers. From the Wheel Size dropdown menu you can set it so the spinning wheel presents as little as 2 numbers or as many as 20.



Depending on how you feel about fidget spinners, Google’s spinner quick answer card is either a welcome surprise or waste of time. If you fall in the latter category, here are a few other queries you might want to try: flip a coin, roll a die, Pac-Man, and fun fact.


In related news…

Google recently introduced a Quibla Finder web app that’s meant to help Muslims during Ramadan and, why not, during the rest of the year as well. The app uses Augmented Reality (AR) to point them in the right direction when it’s time to pray.



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