What is Digg?98 Comments
- MasterThief117, on 10/10/2007, -9/+60Why not make a case that looks like a Zune?
- meshman, on 10/10/2007, -6/+42"In a lot of ways, it's a lot like DRM, but for electronic devices."
Yeah, I bet it is.
"Digital signature not detected on this file. File has been deleted."
"Communication denied due to possible copyright infringement."
"Unauthorized media. Device has been locked. Please call your local Apple store" - wildfire, on 10/10/2007, -2/+34IT'S A TRAP!
- smurf22, on 10/10/2007, -0/+27lets take it a step further, just put sony batteries in it, so itll self-destruct after 5 uses.
- jakv5, on 10/10/2007, -1/+27Seeing I've had 3 ipods that sprouted legs... I think this is a great idea!
- norman619, on 10/10/2007, -0/+22I can see it now. Users bricking their own equipment everywhere. Will Apple be willing to replace the bricked equipment when their users set off their own "booby traps?"
- geminitojanus, on 10/10/2007, -1/+16Actually it's DRM in the sense that the charger has to match the device; basically the charger and the device "handshake" and assure that one is registered to work with the other.
A few notes, however: this is likely never to make it into production, due to the sheer resistance to it in the market place. Battery manufacturers tried the same ***** with laptop and cellphone batteries and they were completely unsuccessful; about the only market left where the consumable/expendable part is linked with DRM to the hardware is the printing industry and those damned expensive ink cartridges. Also, while it'd be possible to create this sort of "link" for a new connector, it'd be completely useless for older ones; you couldn't make an old connector forward compatible without completely defeating the purpose. It'd also likely be possible to add multiple charging devices through some kind of API, but if they went through the trouble to steal your device, why not go the extra mile and crack the power connector too?
In the end, the best, most straight forward solution is device registration and recording your serial numbers (which should be done automatically in iTunes these days). - inactive, on 10/10/2007, -0/+10For me it's Conceal Carry Permit but whatever floats Apple's boat
- jamwil87, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9I'd rather have one that self destructs with a 10 foot blast radius.
That'd teach em. - Stuntaneous, on 10/10/2007, -1/+10theres always a way around this crap..
- ers35, on 10/10/2007, -0/+9I would prefer to keep it booby if you know what I mean.
- magus_melchior, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8For most of us, I'm thinking the booby traps are used to keep boobs such as you from getting to... boobs.
- ffleming, on 10/10/2007, -0/+8This rests on the assumption that people who steal ipods use them instead of selling them on ebay or craigslist or pawn shops.
- zeromancer, on 10/10/2007, -1/+9"Under any of those conditions, the device would be alerted that it's being subject to suspect activity and ask the user for its preassigned security code. "
so why not just put a password on it and be done with it? if it's going to come down to a password anyway, then why the ***** bother recognizing connected and authorized devices? total crap, imo. - tomis, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7This looks to me like a) giant tech support nightmare waiting to happen and b) a thinly veiled excuse to force people into using only Apple-branded powersupplies/cables etc.As others have said, lock the thing with a password and make it so the only way you can reset it is by going to an apple store and showing proof of ID, or by unlocking it in itunes with your appleid, password, etc. But either way, that's still not going to stop a thief. The only way is to 1) Not leave your ipod sitting out in your car, 2) learn self defense so you can properly defend yourself against a would-be mugger.
- Arcotik, on 10/10/2007, -0/+7Naw, it doesn't render them powerless. There's always people who just enjoy taking your devices and shoving them in unsuspecting orifices. Now that's power.
- virtualball, on 10/10/2007, -1/+7kingfoot: Don't count on it becoming true. Where's my iPod with 16 key, my video conference iPod 2G, my karaoke iPod, my touch screen remote, LCD screen with thousands of cameras in it, my home folder to go, iTunes to iPod streams, my iTablet, and the newly added, my DRM'd electricity. If anyone has ever paid attention to Apple's patents it would seem they patent anything they think of so maybe in 20 years, they'll look back on it and say "Let's do that!"
- wreckosaurus, on 10/10/2007, -2/+7I just had my ipod stolen a couple days ago, out of my car, in broad daylight, while I was visiting my grandma. Just wanted to vent
- primetime75, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5it either has to blatantly destroy hardware (in which case you better cross your fingers you never accidentally activate antitheft measures)...or the thief will easily be able to reset it later (using online software developed for people who accidentally locked themselves out of their own device)
either way it seems falsely comforting - Lacero, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6Great idea! Thieves will now be encouraged to steal even more iPods hoping to increase their chances that that iPod was not "locked" by its owner.
- inactive, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5It's not like they haven't had the opportunity and capabilities to do this before.
I think the catalyst of this sounds like "cha-ching!" - PathDaemon, on 10/10/2007, -1/+6It's pretty similar to carrying chipped car keys — not exactly easy to deal with losing it, but far better than getting the car stolen. While people often lose their keys temporarily, it's pretty rare to lose them for good.
- Cowfrommars, on 10/10/2007, -0/+5That is not real, just in case you thought it was.
- SmackaMuta, on 10/10/2007, -1/+5http://hideapod.com/
Already been made. - HappyScrappy, on 10/10/2007, -0/+4First of all, reading patents tells you little about what a company is developing. Patents have a huge lead time. If this was granted today, it was applied for years ago and thus Apple already discarded this idea (since they didn't ship it).
Anyway, this is useless because thieves are stupid and steal stuff without knowing everything about it. So they steal and iPod and find out later it is useless to them. You're still out your iPod. Ask anyone who ever had a car stereo stolen, despite the theft-lock systems that mean you need to enter a secret code to make it work again after it is removed from the car.
Hell, they'll even take it if you take the removable faceplate off! - Whaines, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3Did you RTFA? You just input your security code and it everything works normally.
- zzz@tkz, on 10/10/2007, -5/+8Zing!
- inactive, on 10/10/2007, -4/+7I think you need to take a bit of responsibility for the safekeeping of your own devices before resorting to the manufacturer to secure your stuff.
- 21.0, on 10/10/2007, -2/+5Yea what kind of 'thieves' are we talking about exactly... Apple isn't calling us all thieves now for using music without DRM, are they?
- WaterDragon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+3The person who wrote this article obviously doesn't get out much.
In the REAL world, or at least in NYC, thieves who steal such a device will immediately sell it for real cheap -- just to get that quick $20 or $50 -- to buy some more crack.
So, the whole idea merely penalizes the people who buy things on the street -- no questions asked. It does absolutely NOTHING to deter the thieves! blind fools. - jonahan52, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Are you retarded? You really think the iPhone has more market share than a Mac?
- Jerkpie, on 03/03/2009, -1/+3Regardless, having your iPod stolen would suck. Bricked for the thieves or not.
- batshitcrazy, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3GPS tracking would work too
- WaterDragon, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2so you are happy that a thief somewhere is enjoying it, and feeling good about the whole idea of thievery!
You deserve to be robbed! Idiot! - akinnee, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2I'm sure there's a way to "un-booby" it. Like connecting it to your computer and entering a passcode? Something like that....?
- RobotCitizen, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2I want my iPod to explode like a phosphor grenade when a thief tries to use it. Anything short of that doesn't interest me.
- Cyber_Akuma, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2And whats to stop a thief willing to far enough from just soldering two extra wires and charging the battery directly, bypassing the software?
- WaterDragon, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3Or make it look like an old 'Walkman' Then the thieves will want to give you an i-pod instead.
- jasonnovak, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2Since everyone has to use itunes, why not have it phone home with your serial number whenever you sync and have it compared to a list of reported stolen devices? Then it could be disabled if appears there.
- heavyd14, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3Your car has a glovebox. Use it. It probibly locks too.
- jull1234, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2I usually shoot those.
- fkr3, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2It's good in theory but it's like those anti-rape devices invented in South Africa, it may just encourage (more) violent crime.
Having been robbed a few weeks ago at knifepoint for a cell phone some guy thought was an ipod I don't like the idea of there being a reason to make the ordeal longer or the thief more agitated. - 4degrees, on 10/10/2007, -1/+3nope, another $300 please...
- crashflow, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2I just made my own iPod booby trap. Duct taped two mouse traps on both sides of the iPod.
- sneakerelph, on 10/10/2007, -0/+2"Booty traps!"
"You mean booby traps."
"That's what i said!" - OrangeTide, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1after you spend $40 on a "cheap" laptop a few times only to find it won't work when you get home I'm guessing you'll be less likely to buy them off the street again in the future.
Also a lot of those devices are funneled into shady businesses that buy and sell used equipment. after you buy a laptop from a crackhead you can go over and sell it as a used laptop to one of these businesses that specialize in not being suspicious of people who sell them 10 laptops a week. There is enough of a disconnection between the thief and the business that it's hard to follow through with a trafficking charge. These businesses usually just cooperate with the police and are told to quit buying from that one guy. so the guy just goes to a different store. - EntangledPhysx, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1So a password everytime the device is booted up? Talk about a huge pain in the ass.
- MacParrot, on 10/10/2007, -1/+2Hmmmm, Apple's profits were up, they sold a record number of Macs, over 9 million iPods. Yes obviously they're doomed.
- JohnnyXmas, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Plus, its not gonna prevent theft; its just gonna piss off the thief who took it. What's he gonna do, bring it back to you? No, he's gonna pitch it in the river. I'm glad they kicked the price of the iPod up another $50 for that.
In any event, if they cant come up with something simple, nearly fail-safe an unobtrusive, then its no less annoying than DRM. I'd say use an RFID tag, but even that is pricey, and you'd always have to have you ID tag on your person to use the device. -
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