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[The Faceless Master]

As Errol Rose made preparations on Monday to bury his 15-year-old son, Christopher, who was killed last week in Brooklyn during a fight over an iPod, he received a telephone call from a stranger. The man spoke in tones that the grieving father said had momentarily quieted his anguish.

The stranger, Mr. Rose soon learned, was Steve Jobs, chief executive of Apple Computer, the company that makes the iPod.

"I didn't know who he was," Mr. Rose said yesterday. "He called me on my cellphone, at 4 maybe. Or maybe it was 5." Mr. Rose said he had stopped noticing the passage of time since his son was killed.

The men spoke for a few minutes.

Source: The New York Times


for those of you who haven't heard, subway crime in NYC is up 17% due to ipod theft (coined iRob).
without taking the thefts of such devices into account, crime would actually be down this year.
this is the first time someone (in NYC) actually died due to an ipod robbery though.

 

[Macam]

That's thoughtful, though I hope that's the only call Jobs will have to make in the future. It's an iPod.

 

[Lemurnator]

This doesn't make me feel anything different towards Steve Jobs, he's not doing that out of sympathy or compassion but because it makes him look good. Nobody's blaming him, it just makes him look like a good guy. Is he going to attend the funeral?

I don't see how this is news. It's a shame that something so worthless in the grand scheme of things will get you killed though.

$300-400 isn't that much. Then again, I think my iAudio is the most expensive thing I carry around on a regular basis other than jewellery which would be the same for people who carry around their iPods.

 

[Brannon]

70%+ of these iPod thefts wouldn't happen if they would just stop using those shitty assed white earphones.

 

[fart]

well it was jobs that chose to ship it with the stupid ostentacious earbuds and it was jobs who has been instrumental in turning hte ipod into such an object of desire, so the very least he can do is apologize

 

[xsarien]

well it was jobs that chose to ship it with the stupid ostentacious earbuds

However, he doesn't include a note with each iPod stating that owners simply must use the included headphones.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

This doesn't make me feel anything different towards Steve Jobs, he's not doing that out of sympathy or compassion but because it makes him look good. Nobody's blaming him, it just makes him look like a good guy. Is he going to attend the funeral?

how the fuck do you know? Maybe this really troubled him, some kid getting killed over something he created. Oh right, he's rich, must be a jerk.

 

[Days like these...]

how the fuck do you know? Maybe this really troubled him, some kid getting killed over something he created. Oh right, he's rich, must be a jerk.

You beat me to it catfish. I'm sure she knows him on a personal level thats how she knows he doesnt care.

 

[fart]

However, he doesn't include a note with each iPod stating that owners simply must use the included headphones.

i'm definitely not implying that ipod users are anything but stupid

 

[Lo-Volt]

well it was jobs that chose to ship it with the stupid ostentacious earbuds and it was jobs who has been instrumental in turning hte ipod into such an object of desire, so the very least he can do is apologize

If it wasn't the iPod, it would have been Sir Howard Stringer calling from Tokyo about a slain PSP owner. Should he or Kaz Hirai also be blamed when that inevitably happens on a 6 train? With a thief, it will always be something that catches their eye, and someone else would be considered expendable as a result; it'll always be something. The person's bag, watch, shoes. It doesn't mean a subway rider, or a person in some other public place, should be careless about possessions, but why should Steve Jobs apologize for something he could not control?

 

[fart]

every manufactured object should be a small mattee gray box without any distinguishing features made in a factory of the people. nonconformists should either repent or kill themselves to make way for the coming revolution

 

[Mupepe]

I was sure we were going to get the obligatory "Steve Jobs doesn't give a shit" response. I find it amazing that people think that just because you get rich your heart turns to stone. I don't know if he really did do it out of personal sympathy for the family, but like me, no one else knows exactly what was said on that telephone. The father said that the way Jobs spoke momentarily quieted his anguish. Thats pretty damn hard when your son is dead and it's a stranger speaking to you. At least Jobs didn't pull a Mariah Carey and do a damn photo shoot with the family. You cynics could at least give him that.

 

[Lemurnator]

how the fuck do you know? Maybe this really troubled him, some kid getting killed over something he created. Oh right, he's rich, must be a jerk.

Possibly.

It's a shame what happened. Still business men are business men and I take everything the most successful say or do like that with a grain of salt. Maybe that's a problem, I don't know but it doesn't affect anyone else so I don't see how it matters much. I think when you're that successful you do your fair share of walking over people, especially in business in an industry as competitive as the computer industry.

Maybe wrongfully my dislike for Jobs Whores is leaking onto the man itself which is wrong and I apologize. I don't know him, it's just a general feeling I have for people in the same position as Jobs. Maybe I need to remember that Business =/= personal life, but for a lot of these people that's kind of muddled. It just seems pretty self important to me, but I could be and probably am like always, wrong.

Did Steve Jobs actually CREATE the iPod?

 

[Fatalah]

Steve Jobs is a person before a businessman--and through his own trials of life and death, I'm sure he's hurt that he has anything to do with a teenage boy's death. Come now, this is a tragic thing.

 

[Macam]

Did Steve Jobs actually CREATE the iPod?

No one created it in particular as it's obviously a team thing, but Jonathan Ives designed it (and the iMacs as well), and Jobs certainly had a heavy hand in the ultimate product as he does with just about anything Apple does. Whether he greenlighted it initially or not, I'm not sure. I'm still earning my Apple stripes.

Jobs is a ruthless businessman for the most part, but he does have a heart.

 

[miyuru]

Yeah I believe Steve Jobs did this out of his heart. Screw you haters.

 

[xsarien]

You know, if this was a PR move, the story would've been told from the side of Apple. But if you'd actually read the article, you'll see that it's obviously the father who decided to tell reporters that Jobs called, something that he could've just as easily kept to himself.

 

[miyuru]

You know, if this was a PR move, the story would've been told from the side of Apple. But if you'd actually read the article, you'll see that it's obviously the father who decided to tell reporters that Jobs called, something that he could've just as easily kept to himself.

Exactly (I wasn't sure, so didn't mention it). I mean some people might *still* believe it was a cleverly disguised PR move. Well...eh, there are more important matters in the world.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

You know, if this was a PR move, the story would've been told from the side of Apple. But if you'd actually read the article, you'll see that it's obviously the father who decided to tell reporters that Jobs called, something that he could've just as easily kept to himself.

exactly.


Anyways it was still a decent thing to do.

 

[norinrad21]

Steve is a great man

 

[Joe]

 

[DCharlie]

"well it was jobs that chose to ship it with the stupid ostentacious earbuds and it was jobs who has been instrumental in turning hte ipod into such an object of desire, so the very least he can do is apologize"

it's not Jobs fault that a lot of people are out and out cunts.

 

[mrklaw]

I bought some white Sony EX-71s at the airport (only colour they had). Do you think they'd swap them for black ones if I say I'm scared to use them outdoors?

 

[Zaptruder]

"Hello, Mister -----... yes, I'm calling about your son.... that died over... MY IPOD! As a consolation gift, we'll upgrade your next Ipod purchase to a 40GB iPhoto. Again, condolences to you over your son, and remember, we'll upgrade any of your next ipod purchases to the 40gb iPhoto! Including the iPod mini ranges; but not the iShuffle I'm afraid."

 

[fart]

jobs is a pretty good guy with a lot of heart. i don't think for a second that the phone call wasn't 100% genuine. he's just kind of delusional most (all) of the time, and although it's terrible that someone had to die for something so stupid (or at all), it pleasures me to think that jobs' stubbornness is repsonsible

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Did Steve Jobs actually CREATE the iPod?

He created the situation that lead to the ipod. And is responsible for a lot of how popular it is, despite being an awesome device in general.

You've got to realise, you don't have to be evil to be extremely wealthy. Being really clever can also get you there.

I dunno why I'm defending steve jobs really, oh yes I do, my ipod rules. The guy deserves credit, can't have been easy to get apple in the position it's in now.

 

[shantyman]

...and although it's terrible that someone had to die for something so stupid (or at all), it pleasures me to think that jobs' stubbornness is repsonsible

What the HELL does that mean? There are way too many cynical dickheads on this board.

 

[scorcho]

although it's terrible that someone had to die for something so stupid (or at all), it pleasures me to think that jobs' stubbornness is repsonsible

wow. that's possibly the dumbest comment i've ever fucking read, but it seems par for the course for you.

 

[Grifter]

Amazing that a thread about a dead teen leads to these not-so-subtle Mac hate responses. Double points to Lemur for working in his ipod killer.

 

[Kintaro]

jobs is a pretty good guy with a lot of heart. i don't think for a second that the phone call wasn't 100% genuine. he's just kind of delusional most (all) of the time, and although it's terrible that someone had to die for something so stupid (or at all), it pleasures me to think that jobs' stubbornness is repsonsible

Go away.

Anyways, was nice of Jobs to do this. It's got to be some sort of surreal feeling. All you wanna do is have people enjoy music with the iPod, and make some money doing it. But now you see people will KILL over it...that's just surreal.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

The white headphones have been ingeneous marketing. Very recognizable and as such, desirable. Like anything visible and desirable, people get robbed for them, sometimes killed.

At least it wasn't over a pair of shoes. Remember that?

 

[DarienA]

The white headphones have been ingeneous marketing. Very recognizable and as such, desirable. Like anything visible and desirable, people get robbed for them, sometimes killed.

At least it wasn't over a pair of shoes. Remember that?

What do you mean remember that like it was something old school?

That shit still happens TODAY my friend.

Crazy world.

 

[Baconäger]

I respect Jobs for calling. He certainly wasn't obligated to call nor is he at fault, but most of the scumbag CEOs at big companies wouldn't bat an eyelash at a story like this.

And I believe Jobs also has a son, so this probably hit a bit closer to home.

 

[Hitman]

well it was jobs that chose to ship it with the stupid ostentacious earbuds and it was jobs who has been instrumental in turning hte ipod into such an object of desire, so the very least he can do is apologize

I wish you had an iPod so I could kill you guilt free. It would of course be Steve Jobs fault afterall.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

What do you mean remember that like it was something old school?

That shit still happens TODAY my friend.

Crazy world.

Allow me to try again:

"Remember when that was novel enough to make the news?"

 

[Phoenix]

70%+ of these iPod thefts wouldn't happen if they would just stop using those shitty assed white earphones.

You mean the ones that look similar to those on the PSP?

 

[WHOAguitarninja]

well it was jobs that chose to ship it with the stupid ostentacious earbuds and it was jobs who has been instrumental in turning hte ipod into such an object of desire, so the very least he can do is apologize

I can see what you're trying to say, but your logic is flawed. It's almost like blaming Boeing(or whomever made the planes) for 9/11. Ya know, if they hadn't had such large fuel capacity, and hadn't been large enough to carry so many people, 9/11 wouldn't have happened. The scale is smaller, yes, but it's similarly bad logic.

What would he be apologizing for, good marketing? Making a product that the consumers like? I do think it's thoughtful of him to call and offer his condolences, but to actually apologize for making the iPod popular? That's kindof silly.

 

[chinch]

the Apple/Jobs haters really have ruined this thread and shown their ignorance. No doubt they didn't bother to read the story anyways.


Apart from the iPod, the boys who attacked Christopher and his friends stole tennis shoes and a cellphone, the police have said.

 

[akascream]

"Yeah, this is Mr. Jobs...I make ipods. So it's really sad about your son. What are your thoughts on the frivolous law suits in our society today?"

 

[AB 101]

Haven't people been mugged or killed over Air Jordan shoes?

 

[bionic77]

Haven't people been mugged or killed over Air Jordan shoes?

Usually by Jordan himself.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

hey, here's a crazy thought, but instead of blaming apple for the white headphones, why not blame the fuckwads who killed some kid over something as trivial as an ipod? If it wasn't an ipod, it would have been a pair of sneakers or a nice jacket or a playstation. Fuckwads are fuckwads.

 

[scorcho]

and then blame the countless high end designers who see fit to plaster their logos/names all over our clothing as well. it's not Jobs' fault that thugs will be thugs, or that people can't be bothered to change their headphones, ever.

 

[shantyman]

hey, here's a crazy thought, but instead of blaming apple for the white headphones, why not blame the fuckwads who killed some kid over something as trivial as an ipod? If it wasn't an ipod, it would have been a pair of sneakers or a nice jacket or a playstation. Fuckwads are fuckwads.

Amen to that.

I noticed fart disappeared. What a dumbass.

 

[The Faceless Master]

the sad thing is if it was videogames being blamed, everyone here would be like "whatever", but becase it's an ipod, it's not the killer's fault...

i mean, i'm no ipod fan, but what's that got to do with a 15 year old being killed?

 

[fart]

fart
Member
(Today, 02:47 AM)
Reply | Quote | Edit/Del

i'd like to sit around posting on gaf 24 hours a day responding to people who are too stupid to understand abstract concepts like "sarcasm", "reading", etc. but i sometimes i have to do things like sleep and work. sorry!

 

[TheOMan]

i'd like to sit around posting on gaf 24 hours a day responding to people who are too stupid to understand abstract concepts like "sarcasm", "reading", etc. but i sometimes i have to do things like sleep and work. sorry!

Sarcasm? Sorry, never heard of it.

Don't mind me, just a little bitter.

 

[DMczaf]

Usually by Jordan himself.

Im sure people kill over Magic's shoes

 

[Macam]

And I believe Jobs also has a son, so this probably hit a bit closer to home.

He has two daughters, but he also just overcame a rare form of pancreatic cancer and that hit him close to home as he noted in his Stanford commencement speech last month.

 

[Cauliflower of Love]

Sarcasm? Sorry, never heard of it.

Don't mind me, just a little bitter.

:lol