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Ultimate iPhone Review — Will It Blend?

I've been enjoying the Will it Blend videos forever. There's something about a labcoat clad crazy man putting things like marbles and soda cans into a blender and after reducing them to powder, warning you not to breathe in the particles. Well today they ask the ultimate question of the latest over-hyped internet sensation Will the iPhone Blend? Fans of these videos can probably guess the answer... and this story made my morning. I've been waiting for an excuse to link these forever. If you haven't seen these, you're in for a real treat.

71 of 347 comments (clear)

  1. It always seems to by andyh3930 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    As well as being fun, its an amazing ad for the company, everything they but into their blenders ends up as toxic dust!!!

    1. Re:It always seems to by Technician · · Score: 2, Informative

      everything they but into their blenders ends up as toxic dust!!!


      Not quite.. Look up the crowbar one. It reminds me of a slippery politician. The crowbar get a sidestep. So you are left wondering will it blend?

      While the iPhone video is slashdotted, enjoy these.

      If you want to look into the tougher jobs, look up the videos for "Will it shred"
      Here is a starter for a BMW
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNvvSWEbuTs
      Computers/Printers
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1_uvM-5xKs&mode=re lated&search=
      Boat
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JL77ECcOoQ&mode=re lated&search=

      --
      The truth shall set you free!
    2. Re:It always seems to by Hotawa+Hawk-eye · · Score: 5, Informative

      Go look at eBay item number 170129995323. You get the iPhone remnants, a blender, a DVD, and an autographed T-shirt. Not bad, if you're in the market for a blender or are into pulverized electronics.

    3. Re:It always seems to by jimstapleton · · Score: 5, Funny

      As well as being fun, its an amazing ad for the company, everything they but into their blenders ends up as toxic dust!!!

      Yes, because I really want my spaghetti sauce to become toxic dust. I think I'll take a blender that doesn't make everything toxic.

      --
      34486853790
      Connection too slow for X forwarding? Try "ssh -CX user@host"
    4. Re:It always seems to by Rogerborg · · Score: 5, Funny

      Can they blend one of their own blenders? Wow, meta headrush.

      --
      If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
    5. Re:It always seems to by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Amazingly, the dust still had to be sent to Apple to get the battery out.

    6. Re:It always seems to by Random832 · · Score: 3, Funny

      And in case the PP didn't get it, the iphone ends up as toxic dust because it is made of toxic dry materials. If you just put a piece of wood in, you'd end up with ordinary (not toxic) dust, and if you put spaghetti sauce in you won't end up with any kind of dust unless you use a lot less water than normal people do.

      --
      We've secretly replaced Slashdot with new Folgers Crystals - let's see if it notices.
    7. Re:It always seems to by Mister+Whirly · · Score: 2, Funny

      If that is the case, I would suggest buying spaghetti sauce that doesn't contain any toxins to start with; I hear that really cuts down on the amount of toxic dust produced. Of course the sauces that DO contain concentrated toxins are generally priced much lower than the higher quality ones that contain only food grade ingredients. But it's really up to the consumer if they want to save that extra .50 cents or not...

      --
      "But this one goes to 11!"
    8. Re:It always seems to by Ambidisastrous · · Score: 5, Funny

      Minor clarification: The fully assembled skyscraper would also be harmful if you inhaled it.

  2. Gotta admit, that blender is quite good... by MSFanBoi2 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I don't think I've seen anything stop it from blending.

    1. Re:Gotta admit, that blender is quite good... by qplnm · · Score: 3, Informative

      There was one where they were about to try a crowbar, then took it out and replaced it with something else. I didn't watch them with sound so I don't know why they did that, but it seemed pretty obvious the crowbar wasn't going to blend. Everything else went in about 30 seconds though!

  3. Oh its not so bad by JeanBaptiste · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've been breathing that stuff for a while and nothing has ha *THUD*

    (he wouldn't just type thud, would he?)
    (maybe he was dictating)
    (oh shut up)

    1. Re:Oh its not so bad by dsginter · · Score: 5, Funny

      (he wouldn't just type thud, would he?)

      It is generally accepted that computer crashes, dropped connections and death is represented by the "NO CARRIER" stamp (line noise optional). For example:

      Hey guys - I'm currently installing a nitrous oxide system on my chainsaw and I'm wondering what happens if I turn this mixture adjustment screw^%$#^%%^&

      NO CARRIER


      --
      More
    2. Re:Oh its not so bad by thc69 · · Score: 4, Funny

      King Arthur: [about the inscription on the rock] What does it say, Brother Maynard?
      Brother Maynard: It reads, "Here may be found the last words of Joseph of Aramathia. He who is valiant and pure of spirit may find the holy grail in the Castle of Aaauuuggghhh...
      King Arthur: What?
      Brother Maynard: "The Castle of Aaaauuuggghhhh"
      Sir Bedevere: What is that?
      Brother Maynard: He must have died while carving it.
      King Arthur: Oh come on!
      Brother Maynard: Well, that's what it says.
      King Arthur: Look, if he was dying, he wouldn't have bothered to carve 'Aaaauuuggghhhh'. He'd just say it.
      Sir Galahad: Maybe he was dictating it.
      King Arthur: Oh shut up!
      Sir Robin: Well does it say anything else?
      Brother Maynard: No, just "Aaaaauuuugggghhh".
      [knights making groaning sounds]
      Sir Bedevere: Do you think he could have mean, 'Camaaaauuuuggghhhh'?
      Sir Galahad: Where's that?
      Sir Bedevere: France, I think.
      Sir Lancelot: Isn't there a Saint "Aaaaavvvveeeesss" in Cornwall?
      King Arthur: No that's Saint "Ives".
      Sir Lancelot: Oh, yes. "Iiiiiivvvveeessss"!
      [All knights saying, "Iiiiiivvvveeessss"]
      Sir Bedevere: Whooooouuuuaaa!
      Sir Lancelot: No no no, it's "Aaaaauuuugggghhhh" from the back of the throat.
      Sir Bedevere: No I mean, "Whoooouuuuaaa!" as in surprise and alarm.
      Sir Lancelot: Oh, you mean like, "AAAHH!"
      Sir Bedevere: Yes, that's it. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

      --
      Procrastination -- because good things come to those who wait.
    3. Re:Oh its not so bad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
      Truly dedicated /.ers have their browsers hooked up to a dead man's switch, so that if they are incapacitated, they automatically submit whatever is currently in the "Post Comment" field. A sort of "L4st Psot!!1!!," if you will. Here, let me demonstr1-0$%#$I)%^%)#%

      NO CARRIER

  4. Great for kids! by PIPBoy3000 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    My kids and I spent nearly an hour looking at all of these last night. Sam kept exclaiming "That's totally awesome!" Even four year-old Emma enjoyed the blending of the Barbies.

    I assume the whole thing is a viral marketing deal for the brand of blender, but it's so beautifully done. My wife and I decided that it was pretty obviously marketing towards men. Women might enjoy chopping up a rake or two, but men's eyes grow wide and they get a funny grin whenever you start tossing in glow sticks, marbles, iPhones, and other fun things.

    The other thing of note is that he probably should have been wearing a respirator for some of these tricks. The marbles in particular were very nasty. Breathing in small amounts of glass smoke is incredibly bad for your lungs. That's why they banned asbestos, after all.

    1. Re:Great for kids! by mnmn · · Score: 2, Funny

      Did you get to the section where they blend frogs and gerbils?? ...

      (ok ok, I was only kidding. Stop with that look on your face!)

      --
      "Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
    2. Re:Great for kids! by ShamrawkNRoll88 · · Score: 2, Informative

      I work at a Starbucks Coffee Co. cafe. We use blendtech blenders for Frappucino's. They really will blend most things that we would ever think of putting in them. People ask to have their brownie's blended into their frappucino's (which is against company policy - and I hate doing it because customers that make demands like that annoy me) and they do it just fine.
      They never break either... ours have been strong and kicking for a good 4 years.

    3. Re:Great for kids! by pongo000 · · Score: 4, Informative

      Asbestos has nothing to do with glass

      While I'm sure folks appreciate your safety message, please don't try to practice chemistry at the same time. Both glass and asbestos are silicates, and are indeed chemically related. The danger from asbestos is that, even though it's inert, inhaled crystals that fall within a narrow range of size lodge deep within the lung tissue and cause scarring that can lead to further complications.

      In fact, inhaling glass dust can lead to silicosis, which is just as devastating.

  5. Re:As funny as the videos are.... by shoptroll · · Score: 5, Insightful

    That's the entire point. It's supposed to be an advertisement. But it's a lot better than most of the adverts you see on tv these days.

    --
    Insert Sig Here
  6. Re:As funny as the videos are....DUH by g051051 · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's not "like an advertisement", it's nothing BUT an advertisement. And it's sure nice to see a company advertising it's products in a funny, entertaining way that also nicely shows off the products' capabilities, without fluff.

  7. Sell it on eBay... by Choad+Namath · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Assuming this is real, he wasn't just joking at the end.

    1. Re:Sell it on eBay... by TheThiefMaster · · Score: 4, Funny

      I like how it says "Product: iPhone Condition: Used" :)

    2. Re:Sell it on eBay... by dueyfinster · · Score: 2, Funny

      Maybe Slashdot should be: News for Nerds, Stuff that shatters?

      --
      --- Duey Finster http://www.dueyfinster.com
  8. Re:As funny as the videos are.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Of course it's an advertisement! But hardly a "waste" of a good product -- links on digg, slashdot, and all the mac sites to boot for under a grand is the cheapest ad campaign ever.

    If you're looking for wasteful advertising, try the Olympics.

  9. Re:Spoiler by Evanisincontrol · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's pieces of the iPhone's evil, black heart.

  10. Direct link to youtube by choas · · Score: 4, Informative

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg1ckCkm8YI

    Just in case the server 'blends'...

    --
    I will work to elevate you, just enough to bring you down
  11. Innovative and Groundbreaking by rueger · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sure the innovative and groundbreaking iPhone will change the face of blending forever. Never before could you blend a full featured implementation of Apple's award winning Safari browser.

  12. The iPhone is pretty tough by PorkNutz · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Notice how long the screen kept going. Even after the blender had started shredding the phone... the screen was still working. Impressive.

    -----
    Übergeek Necktie T-Shirt
    Funny Shirts @ ProStoner.com

    1. Re:The iPhone is pretty tough by rossifer · · Score: 4, Informative

      I use LiPos on my RC helicopters. If the battery is broken or punctured, they tend to start a fire...
      Actually, I think you've got it a bit backwards. Puncturing a lipo is how you deactivate them when you want to throw them into a landfill (though you really should recycle them instead of tossing them). That's completely safe as long as the cell isn't fully charged, and even then, it's not that dangerous.

      When a lipo cell has an overcurrent failure, part of the cell vaporizes (puffed cell failure). In particularly bad failures after heavy use (low voltage, abusive current loads, etc.), the vapors can ignite from the heat of the cell. When this happens, the cell wall is guaranteed to fail, and then you get the green flames of death.

      But just poking a hole in your lipo won't start a fire. I also fly RC helis (T-Rex 450).

      Regards,
      Ross
    2. Re:The iPhone is pretty tough by neolith · · Score: 2, Informative

      I too fly heli's and other lipo powered aircraft (Really? RC geeks hang out at slashdot? Whodathunkit?), and I think this misconception stems from the fact that on some hard impacts, a wire can get broken or even the tabs on the lipos themselves, cause a short circuit, which then leads to puffing or even fire. Post crash forensics lead to the conclusion that the damage to the battery itself led to the situation. Both improperly charging, and rapidly discharging can lead to lipo fires, but physical damage to the cell doesn't directly. It can damage a cell or bust a connection, which then leads you charging in effect a 2 cell lipo on a 3 cell setting, but I digress...

      --
      Like my comments? Try my podcast: http://www.baldmove.com
  13. Re:As funny as the videos are.... by Ngarrang · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They kind of piss me off, too. It's always a waste of a good device/product. How is that? I thought it was an excellent use of a blender. The blender survived just fine.
    --
    Bearded Dragon
  14. The REAL spoiler by Whiney+Mac+Fanboy · · Score: 4, Funny

    The real spoiler is in the slow motion bit. Listen closely & you can distinctly hear the iphone death cry 'Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan'.

    iPhone. The Shatner of cell phones.

    --
    There are shills on slashdot. Apparently, I'm one of them.
  15. Re:This guy's a liar! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    Try here.

  16. Re:As funny as the videos are.... by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Also, it's like an advertisement.

    I'm amazed by how many people can't recognize a blatant advertisement when it's staring them in the face. It's not "like" an advertisement, it *is* an advertisement.

    --
    This guy's the limit!
  17. Not that great by LighterShadeOfBlack · · Score: 5, Funny

    My kids and I spent nearly an hour looking at all of these last night. Sam kept exclaiming "That's totally awesome!" Even four year-old Emma enjoyed the blending of the Barbies. You do realise you're going to have to keep your blender under lock and key for the next 12 years right?
    --
    Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and stupid comments are intentional.
  18. WM5 Phone by Stevecrox · · Score: 4, Funny

    Do you know I watched this on my Windows Mobile phone and seems to have broken it the video just keeps looping over and over I'm not certain but I think the "happy" midi tune plays every now and again

  19. Re:Spoiler by CaptainPatent · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, it just spews a black cloud of overrated whenever the marketing hype wire in the iphone is severed.

    --
    Well, back to rejecting software patent applications.
  20. Obi Wan: by RicoX9 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I felt a great disturbance in the intertubes, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.

  21. Re:As funny as the videos are.... by cyphercell · · Score: 5, Funny

    After recently purchasing a $85 blender that bit the dust on a box of frozen strawberries, this is just the kind of advertising I appreciate right now.

    --
    Under the influence of Post-Cyberpunk Gonzo Journalism
  22. Crowbars don't blend....easily. by TapeCutter · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Many moons ago I worked at a sawmill, the wood chipper would get blocked on a regular basis and required a crowbar to unblock it. I was not the first person to try and blend the crowbar. These (accidental) experiments demonstrated that crowbars don't blend easily, but you can slice the end off one if you have several tons of flywheel behind the blade.

    --
    And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
    1. Re:Crowbars don't blend....easily. by smellsofbikes · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I spend a lot of time in metal yards, buying scrap for various art projects. One of the frightening things to watch is people using stock woodworking equipment on aluminum, and I'm talking running a 2" thick plate of aluminum 5" wide and 10' long through a radial arm saw with a standard carbide blade on it. The noise is incredible, especially when they're running, say, huge sheets of 1/8" plate aluminum through tablesaws.
      I have yet to buy/use one, but people are selling blades that are rated to cut steel using a standard cutoff/skilsaw, one of those handheld ones. It's hard to describe the showers of sparks coming off these things. My neighbor across the street and I both have abrasive cutoff saws, and we can easily throw sparkstreams across the street into each other's yards cutting heavy steel tubing. But of course those are *designed* for cutting steel. It's frightening watching woodworking tools that can tolerate/handle steel.

      actually now I'm reminded of a time when my brother was cutting a hole for a garage door in a building, with a skilsaw, and someone came up and set a storm sewer grating against the wall where he was working. He said the cut speed really slowed down and there were a *lot* of sparks, but he got through several of the crossmembers, which were probably 3/4" square, before the skilsaw really started acting unhappy. He said he thought he'd just hit some nails. (it wasn't HIS skilsaw so he didn't stop immediately: the tragedy of rental tools writ large.)

      --
      Nostalgia's not what it used to be.
  23. the real Ultimate Review by interactive_civilian · · Score: 4, Informative
    Cute, but if you want a real ultimate review of the iPhone, get your butts over to ArsTechnica to read their incredibly comprehensive iPhone review. They cover just about everything you could want to hear (including some brutal stress testing that culminates in the iPhone being flushed down a toilet) and the following discussion has some good follow-ups by the authors.

    Yeah, maybe a shameless plug, but it is the best iPhone review I have seen so far.

    --
    "Empathise with stupidity, and you're halfway to thinking like an idiot." - Iain M. Banks
    1. Re:the real Ultimate Review by Bazman · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well that's as maybe, but its the ultimate review for *that* particular iPhone!

      1913 Webster definition of ultimate is rather apropos:

      3. Incapable of further analysis; incapable of further
                  division or separation; constituent; elemental; as, an
                  ultimate particle; an ultimate constituent of matter.
                  [1913 Webster]

  24. Re:As funny as the videos are.... by ahoehn · · Score: 4, Insightful

    As someone who work at an ad agency, let me say, I would be freaking thrilled to come up with an idea half this good. Not only do these clips entertain the viewers, they also highlight what's excellent about the product being sold. Compare that to something like the Subservient Chicken, which is entertaining but really says nothing about Burger King's product.

    I hope Blendtec sticks with whatever agency/marketing intern came up with this concept. It's solid gold.

    --
    Mod my comments down. It'll be fun.
  25. The ultimate end to this blending thing by paiute · · Score: 4, Funny

    "We found the Holy Grail"

    it blends

    "Cure for cancer"

    blend it

    "Kids, in this cage is the last living mouse lemur on Earth."

    where's that outlet?

    --
    If Slashdot were chemistry it would look like this:Cadaverine
  26. $599 smoothie by starbuckr0x · · Score: 2, Funny

    Good god, that's one expensive smoothie! Have to admit, though, it put up a pretty good fight in those first few whacks!

    --
    -50 DKP for lame post!
  27. Re:Spoiler by Penguinisto · · Score: 3, Funny
    ...and here I thought it was just the ashes of all those kittens Apple cremates daily, after using them to make sacrifice to Steve Jobs. They have to hide the remains somewhere (that pile is getting awfully big back behind the Cupertino offices...) What better place to stash kitten ash than in consumer products that seem to be flying off the shelves. It is also well known that kitten ash is a vital component in making sure that LCD screens shine brighter while reducing battery draw. How, you ask? Well, since all kittens are innocent, and their cute little souls remain attached to their earthly remains for some time, the cremated kitten tends to glow quite a bit when in the presence of an electrical field, due to electromagnetic reaction against the lingering kitten soul.

    It's cheaper than the standard backlighting, easier on your battery, environmentally friendly, and is super quiet (except for the occasional barely-discernible "mew!" at startup). Now if it weren't for all those damned moralists out there, I could have one of those 25" LCD's that're augmented by kitten ash that the State Department refuses to import! Sure, color calibration is a bitch (cats are somewhat color-blind), but once it's all set up, you get a peaceful soft glow that is very easy on the wattage.

    (seriously though - I think it's prolly the battery contents, which could be reacting with either a metal or some other subtstance in the iPhone's makeup.).

    (...and yes, I own and use a Mac @ home).

    (...and yes, I have two cats living @ home with me. Whether they fear me or I fear them - I leave up to you to decide).

    /P

    --
    Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
  28. Re:Spoiler by timster · · Score: 2, Informative

    If you watch the "crowbar" video, where they actually do a bunch of cell phones, you can clearly see some small explosions. Of course, the iPhone uses a lithium-polymer battery, not lithium-ion, so it's unlikely to explode anyway.

    --
    I have seen the future, and it is inconvenient.
  29. Re:Spoiler by Kehvarl · · Score: 2, Informative

    The battery seems to be uncompromised until the black stuff appears, so I would assume the black stuff is a pretty good indication of why we don't puncture Lithium Polymer batteries.

  30. Fun? by mi · · Score: 4, Funny

    As well as being fun ...

    Fun? I was, actually, rather revolted... It always saddens me, when things break irreparably. I once felt depressed for a week after accidentally dropping an old hard-drive on the floor — it worked before, but broke due to my sloppiness...

    To do this sort of thing on purpose, with a shiny, new (and beautiful!) piece of high-tech electronics is a sin. To enjoy watching it is perverse, in my humble opinion...

    --
    In Soviet Washington the swamp drains you.
    1. Re:Fun? by nerdup · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Being depressed for a week over dropping an inert piece of metal on the floor is more perverse than getting a charge out of watching one great piece of engineering chew up another, in my humble opinion...

      You might want to reexamine your priorities

    2. Re:Fun? by NutMan · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I had the same thought. Once I attended a small group discussion on hunger at a local University. A student from Africa said that when he first came to the U.S., he was in the cafeteria one day when a big food-fight erupted. It made him sick because of the contrast between the U.S. & Africa. He saw people starving over there, but here food is so plentiful we waste it by throwing it at each other as a joke.

    3. Re:Fun? by blincoln · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Rich kids with too much free money to spend...

      Agreed. It's in the same category of stupidity and arrogance as rock stars smashing instruments.

      The cluster of "Look! We're revealing the secrets of the iPhone! By breaking it!" articles on release were equally lame in my opinion.

      If you have something useful that you don't want, have the good nature to give it to someone who can make use of it.

      --
      "...always new atoms but always doing the same dance, remembering what the dance was yesterday." -Richard Feynman
    4. Re:Fun? by mrchaotica · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Rich kids with too much free money to spend...

      The guy in this video isn't a "rich kid with too much free money to spend," he's the owner (I think) of a blender company trying to advertise his product.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    5. Re:Fun? by flooey · · Score: 5, Insightful

      To me, it's a terrible waste of money and technology. My parents would have gone mad if I had ever deliberately broken something as expensive as that.

      Rich kids with too much free money to spend...


      You do realize this is an advertisement, right? He's spending $500 on an iPhone, plus production costs, in order to sell what's likely to be thousands (possibly tens of thousands) of dollars in blenders. Not exactly a waste.

    6. Re:Fun? by zero_offset · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Let me guess: the result was for everyone to feel bad about this terrible contrast and engage in little personal guilt trips for "having it so good", instead of asking why his African ancestors apparently can't grow crops and raise food animals like everybody else on the planet has managed to do for the past 50,000 fucking years.

      --

      Slashdot quality declines as the number of hot grits posts decreases. - Provolt's Law, Apr-09-2005

  31. Had to be said: by Lars+T. · · Score: 2, Funny

    - I think that voids the warranty.
    - I don't think Apple will replace the battery on that one.
    - So now they are stuck with a 2 year AT&T plan and don't even have an iPhone.

    --

    Lars T.

    To the guy who modded me down from perfect to terrible Karma - Apple haters still suck

  32. Scratches by jbeaupre · · Score: 2, Funny

    They could ask for a refund or replacement claiming the screen scratches too easily.

    --
    The world is made by those who show up for the job.
  33. Re:I don't quite enjoy it so much by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm guessing you're just jealous he blended an iPhone when you don't have one.

  34. Blend a Book by jameskojiro · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Preferably the Holy Bible, or the Koran or Dianetics. But if they blend a Koran I guess we will be seeing a follow up episode, "Will Tom's decapitated head blend for the glory of Allah". If he blends a Bible then I guess the pope will just get pissed off and bitch about it. If he blends Dianetics he will get his ass sued by the "Church" of $cientology.

    Maybe he would be better off blending the latest Harry Potter book when it comes out, but then he might piss off Dumbledore and Tom would get turned into a blender, doomed to spend the rest of eternity blending things that shouldn't be blended.

    --
    Tsukasa: All I really want, is to be left alone...
  35. Re:Point taken, however... by DogDude · · Score: 2, Insightful

    finely divided glass dust is NOT something that you want to inhale.
    Not to mention the fact that the blender jar and blades are now contaminated with the remnants of the iPhone, rendering the blender unfit for food preparation.

    You're proving my point.
    When I was a kid, kids did stupid things, got hurt, broke things learned from their mistakes, and grew up to be normal people. Now, we've got kids afraid of their own shadows, and on all kinds of dangerous prescription crazy drugs to help them deal with their neuroses. The kids coming out of today's ultra-neurotic parenting are gonna be fucked up people and I feel bad for them. Hell, I know 6 year olds that are on anti-depressants that are covered head to toe in antibiotic SPF 1000 sunscreens just to leave the house (and even then, only to play in an adult-supervised, fenced in back yard). That's sick.

    --
    I don't respond to AC's.
  36. Re:Every other sentence by neonmonk · · Score: 2, Funny

    He just told you that so he could 'examine' your prostate. =D

  37. Tom Dickson Jr is a genius by drix · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Lots of people complain about the fawning praise lavished on the iPhone by a credible press. Tom Dickson is the only person I have seen yet who was shrewd enough to co-opt this for his own gain. It's like he established a hype resonance field--taking all the iPhone puffery, squaring it, and making it his own. I'm guessing he didn't wait all night to score those two iPhones. He probably picked a couple up off eBay for two grand; that he's willing to blow half that on a 10-second video clip testifies to how much more he's getting in return.

    Tom Dickson Jr., I salute you.

    --

    I think there is a world market for maybe five personal web logs.
  38. Re:As funny as the videos are.... by The+One+and+Only · · Score: 2, Funny

    And if you DO get them packed in metal, just use a Blendtec blender. Yes, It Blends!

    --
    In Repressive Burma, it's not just your connection that dies. slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=314547&cid=20819199
  39. Re:I don't quite enjoy it so much by nuzak · · Score: 2, Funny

    The stick up your ass: will it blend?

    --
    Done with slashdot, done with nerds, getting a life.
  40. Re:I don't quite enjoy it so much by The+One+and+Only · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Except it was to prove that the blender will fucking tear through everything you put in it. That's more than good reason for a series of "Will It Blend" videos.

    --
    In Repressive Burma, it's not just your connection that dies. slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=314547&cid=20819199
  41. Re:Best use by Tacvek · · Score: 2, Insightful

    For the record, I have spent perhaps 2 hours tops using an Apple Computer. So I'm no expert. However I have been quite impressed by what I have seen of OSX.

    It is important to remember the target markets of Apple: New or fairly inexperienced computer users, and certain specialist markets (like video editing).

    1. interfaces are oversimplified and prevent real work from being done in many cases pertinent to me.

    The interfaces are simplified, but often the powerful features are there, you just need to look harder (not in all cases of course). Hiding certain powerful tools helps new users immensely as it prevents them from accidentally Messing things up. The more powerful stuff is more hidden. For example the calculator has a very nice scientific mode, and apparently even has an RPN mode. Yes, the stock calculator program supports RPN! That is surprising. Often power stuff can be used by holding down one of the keyboard modifying keys (shift, option, etc.) while clicking. Other times there are keyboard shortcuts. It may not be easy to discover some of these, but they are often there. After all, open the terminal app, and you have a full BSD system (unless you chose not to install it). I will admit the not being able to discover some of the advanced things easily is not great.

    Oversimplified interfaces ensure that people never learn about computers, and is analagous to using a calculator in a third grade arithmetic class. the interfaces should rather focus on being well-designed, capable, and efficient with a good balance of learning curve and power, not entirely focus on being "simple". this way, work will get done efficiently, the population will know a little about computers instead of none, and so on.

    The target market has generally has little computer knowledge, and often little to no interest in learning very much. Lets face it, most people who use the computer to browse the web (go to very specific sites and/or watch YouTube videos), email, and basic word processing don't have much need to understand RAM, File systems, etc. Understanding that there is a limit to the storage space of the computer is useful, but that is about it. Also note that simple is often efficient (although of course not optimally efficient, and not always efficient).

    3. oversimplified and unintuitive hardware. cd-rom drives that don't have an eject button at the OBVIOUS location, where you put the freaking cd in. cases without power buttons.

    I will agree with this point completely. The CD-drive thing especially. I know the Macbooks have obvious power buttons, as does Mac Pro. The Mac mini has a clearly marked power button on the back. However, I have never been able to find a power button on the iMac.

    4. badly-designed hardware. slot-loading cd drives that scratch disks, don't eject disks, and have no easy way to manually take them out in emergency. batteries that cannot be replaced by the user, on iphone and many ipods.

    I have little to no experience with the hardware being bad. I will say that the batteries not being removable appears to have everything to do with Steve Jobs sense of aesthetics. A battery cover would look terrible in his opinion, and besides it could get lost.

    5. badly-designed hardware as a marketing tactic to get people to spend more on tech support (batteries, being the biggest culprit).

    I'm strongly doubting this. Originally Apple did not have a battery replacement program. This appeared to be because Steve Jobs honestly believed most users would choose to buy a new iPod model for its new features, etc. before the battery wore out. Further I think they already were selling OEM batteries to third party repair shops, who could then replace the battery. Apple appears to be fully co-operative with third party repair shops, but of course, makes no guarantees on behalf of those shops. Also remember that for the cost of replacing the battery

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    Stylish sheet to fix many problems in Slashdot's D3: https://gist.github.com/801524
  42. Re:Spoiler by Thing+1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's pieces of the iPhone's evil, black heart.
    "Mom, Dad, don't touch that! It's pure evil!"
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    I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
  43. democratization and increased value by SoyChemist · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You Tube has not just democratized film production, but also increased the value of advertisements. With high quality viral advertising like this, I actually feel that the video deserves my attention. With television ads, I often feel that they invade my attention and are unworthy of it.

  44. don't be silly by commodoresloat · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's just kool-aid.