Filed under: iPod Family, Odds and ends
SmashMyiPod nothing but a scam?
We first wrote about SmashMyiPod back on October 10th, and then posted an update on the 21st, when the site had apparently reached its goal. As you may remember, SmashMyiPod was (supposedly) run by some folks who intended to publicly destroy an iPod purchased with funds donated by readers. The destruction would be videotaped and posted to the site, so that iPod haters everywhere could revel in the cathartic glee. Now, it looks like the entire thing was a scam - a scam that got the webmaster a brand new 5G iPod, courtesy of his readers. More after the jump.[Via Cult of Mac]
While the site claimed, "mission accomplished" on the 21st, they didn't post any video of the actual smashing until today. It's ten minutes long, and the first nine minutes feature the webmaster's purchase of a (brand new, 5G) iPod. He tries to stomp on it in the store, but is escorted out before finishing the job.
Next, he is seen smashing what is clearly a 20GB, 4G iPod in an alley with a hammer. Scam.com says, "Obvious scam." We only hope you didn't give this guy any money.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
joe said 8:55AM on 11-01-2005
awwwww TUAW :( you couldnt even watch the video first?
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GP said 3:38PM on 10-31-2005
I said this would happen and people (not on this site) flamed the hell outta me. Too bad I'm a good person, because there are many ways you can scam people these days.
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KissTheRing said 3:42PM on 10-31-2005
Not the worst scam I've ever seen, after all he did provide a video of an iPod being smashed. Cool idea wish I had done something like that rather than pay $300 for my 5G iPod.
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Michael Boutros said 3:43PM on 10-31-2005
The "obvious scam" topic at scam.com was posted by a Junior member with 1 post, and the tpoic only has 3 replies.
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Grappik said 12:30PM on 11-01-2005
Dave, you should really pay attention to the video. The guy actually buys a 20GB iPod. He has a discussion with the clerk about it, and also they show the clerk put a 20GB iPod box on the counter. It is clearly marked as such. When the guy opens the iPod box, it is the larger 20GB iPod box. The 5G box is small.
Maybe you didn't actually watch the video? It is way too clear in the video which model he buys to confuse it with a 5G iPod.
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William Bright said 12:53AM on 11-01-2005
This makes me sad. As someone who's seen an incredible amount of generosity of visitors to a website I can't abide how others are abusing the good will (or sense of humor in that site's case) of the people who donated.
Why didn't he just say, "donate to buy me a 5G iPod and I'll destroy my 4G for you..." or something?
Ugh.
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BE said 3:54PM on 10-31-2005
Scam? Probably. Which is too bad, because it could have been a fun and entertaining idea. People in general are WAY too uptight about this (see reader comments over at Engadget). I would never give any money to these people, but it seems harmless to me.
If you read this from the beginning it seemed like it wouldn't work, based on trying to destoy it in the Apple store. They probably couldn't have pulled it off without getting arrested for disturbing the peace or possibly damaging the store's property. So it seemed unlikely that this would go off as planned, but overall it seemed like a creative (though admittedly stupid) thing to try to accomplish.
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Mark said 3:56PM on 10-31-2005
I watched the video this morning beucase i've been following the site for a while today.
I'm SURE that this guy just wanted a new iPod... he references it as an "inferior audio player" in the movie, but you can see the obvious delight on his face while he is buying the iPod.
SCAM.
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Grappik said 12:29PM on 11-01-2005
From looking around at this and other blogs, I am seeing way too much of the "me too" mentality.
Too many people are just jumping on this bandwagon without actually watching the video. It is not a scam. It's a publicity stunt, that's all. He got the money from people who felt it was worth seeing, and he actually followed through with it in the video.
Watch the video for yourself! Don't even take MY word for it.
As a general rule of thumb, people, please make your own EDUCATED opinions. Don't believe what you read anywhere, without proving it to be true yourself.
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Ian said 10:44PM on 11-03-2005
Anyone remember cutoffmyfeet.com?
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Tim Dorr said 4:27PM on 10-31-2005
He goes into the store, buys what is clearly a 20GB 4th gen iPod, and goes and breaks it. How did a 5th gen iPod even enter into this? There doesn't appear to be *any* proof that he's purchased a 5th gen at any point in time. Just because it's risky doesn't mean it's evil...
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Kieran said 4:38PM on 10-31-2005
He bought a 20GB 4G iPod...look at the video closely, it's the bigger box from the older iPods.
I love his comment at the end, in the Sony Store, as well... "I just put it in my pocket, and..." :-)
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Jer said 4:30PM on 10-31-2005
Honestly this whole thing makes me sick. The guy himself is an a**hole, as is everyone who's given him money. There are so many causes worth giving your money to and every single one of them is better than this. No one gets anything at all from this. I'd be happier if he kept the iPod because at least then someone would have gotten something worthwhile from the donations of others.
I'm not saying what he did should be illegal--hell, the 1st Amendment lets any idiot spend his money on whatever he wants--I'm just saying he and everyone who gave him money should be ashamed and possibly executed. He's got no business living amongst the rest of us in decent society.
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ChillyWilly said 4:29PM on 10-31-2005
This was one of the most stupidest things you could do, scam or no scam, iPod or no iPod.
As someone else corrected, the video clearly shows him purcahsing and taking out of the box, a 20Gb 4G color iPod.
Regardless, I'm glad I didn't send him any money.
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Ryan said 4:29PM on 10-31-2005
I just watched the video. Looks legit to me. He certainly buys a 20 GB iPod and that is exactly what is smashed. As much as I was opposed to the whole concept of the website when I first heard about it, I actually found the video amusing. It was great to see the reactions of the Apple and Sony guys when he shows them the iPod after he's put it back together and says that it just fell apart when it dropped from his pocket. Yeah, the money is probably better spent on something else but that reason has never stopped the government.
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Tank said 4:39PM on 10-31-2005
"Simpson didn't respond to a request for comment. But in the video, you can see him buying a new iPod for yourself. "
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Guillermo said 6:36PM on 10-31-2005
On a totally unrelated note, I really want to smash a Quad G5 PowerMac with 16 gigs of RAM and four 30-inch displays. So, uhh, please paypal me some money, I promise I'll post a video of me smashing my 7 year old Presario.
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Mike said 6:22PM on 10-31-2005
Yes, he clearly bought a 4th gen, and smashed a 4th gen 20 gig. So at least that was true.
I felt scammed when the host was suck an unoriginal, unwitty little funbling geek. Bleh. I was so bored... I felt like I was watching a 12 year old..
hehehehehe, I'm going to break something... hehehehe.
Gah!
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Yegor Simpson said 5:28PM on 10-31-2005
What a bunch of lies... read http://www.smashmyipod.com for the REAL story.
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Zoli Honig said 5:32PM on 10-31-2005
It is clearly a 4G ipod box!!!!!!!
These guys are legtit.... u should change the post
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