When Citibank offered free 4 GB iPod Minis to new customers in 2004 and 2005, the product was retailing for $249, and Citibank indirectly acknowledged the value of the product by saying they’d substitute an mp3 player of “equal or greater value” if there were fulfillment problems. There weren’t, but by the time Citibank got around to passing out the iPod Mini, it had dropped in price and a new 6 GB version was now on the market for $249. Citibank chose to take the savings and distribute the now cheaper 4-gig versions. Now there’s a class action lawsuit against Citibank in California, where it seems all class actions are born. You can read the ruling for the certification here (PDF).
ipods
By 5.23.08
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After a successful pilot program, Macy’s is putting fancy Japanese-style vending machines in 400 of its stores. They’ll sell things like iPods and cameras. Looks like Macy’s will have to add another list of things excluded from its not-very-valuable coupons. [Reuters]
"Free iPod" Claims Cost Spammer $2.9 Million
By 3.21.08
The FTC slammed nuisance advertiser ValueClick with a record-breaking $2.9 million fine for littering the internet with deceptive ads for free iPods, PS3s, and plasma TVs. Instead of providing freebies, ValueClick tricked people into signing up for useless services and then failed to safeguard their personal information.
Thief Pretends To Work At Target, Steals $17k Worth Of iPods
By 2.8.08
The North Miami police are looking for Antonio McKenzie, a “fake Target clerk” suspected of stealing numerous iPod Touches from Target Department Stores in South Florida.
By 1.12.08
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Woman sues Apple for not letting iPods play WMA files. [Cnet]
5 Years, 6 iPods, and $1495 Later, You Just Want One That Works
By 1.4.08
Last week, Reader Andrew CC’d us on this email to Steve Jobs:
Shopdropped iPods Implore Buyers: "Reclaim Your Mind From The Media Shackles"
By 12.29.07
Joe Ellis arranged for Santa to deliver an iPod to his daughter for Christmas. Santa instead left an anti-capitalist rant. The iPod purchased from a Maryland Walmart contained a note written in ransom-letter caps reading:
RECLAIM YOUR MIND FROM THE MEDIA SHACKLES. READ A BOOK AND RESURRECT YOURSELF.
Research Group Suggests iPods Are To Blame For Increase In Crime
By 9.28.07
A research group in Washington, D.C. has suggested that the spike in violent crime, particularly robberies, in the past two years correlates with the rising popularity of the iPod line of products. They don’t really back this up with rigorous statistical analysis, they just say it. So now you know.
iPods Download Lightning?
By 7.13.07
An iPod won’t attract lightning, but it will make your injuries worse if you are struck by it, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. A 35 year-old man was brought into the emergency room after having been struck by lightning that had jumped to his body after striking a tree, a phenomenon known as “side flash.”
iPods May Affect Pacemakers
By 5.11.07
Thinking of buying Gramps an iPod for his birthday? If he has a pacemaker, you might want to hold off according to a new study “presented by a 17-year-old high school student to a meeting of heart specialists on Thursday.” A high school student? Yeah!
Fill Out Our Survey, Get Chance To Win iPod Shuffle
By 3.2.07
UPDATE: Survey max response number reached. Poll closed. Thanks everyone!
Don’t Chuck That Busted iPod
By 8.16.06
People on their third or fourth iPod well know how prone the device is to breaking. If you neglected to opt for a replacement plan, instead of smashing the pod with a brick, give Matt Bremmer a call. Treehugger pointed us to his ipod refurb services and we think it’s fantastic stuff.
Best Buy Fulfills Its Name
By 5.19.06
Man goes to Best Buy. Buys iPod. Has good experience. Universe implodes.
Google Trends Forecasts Our Watery Demise
By 5.12.06
Using the fancy new Google Trends web app launched today, we were able to rank which US cities are searching for Wal-mart, iPods, Amazon and Sex the most, as well as compare results by city.
UPDATE: Soho Store a Scam?
By 5.1.06
Last Friday, we wrote about the online “Soho Store” offering some obscene discounts on iPods (10 60gb video iPods for $2699!, an over $1000 discount off MSRP). We just thought it was too good a deal to be true.
