@cribbageleft: The article states very clearly that the iPod was purchased at Wal-Mart and not an Apple Store.

The Apple assembly line is in China, where I doubt anyone who could speak English so well would be working on an assembly line for 10 cents an hour. It's entirely possible that somebody in the distribution channel made the switch, but it's even more like that somebody bought an iPod at Wal-Mart, took the iPod out, put the note in, and returned it. iPod boxes aren't shrink-wrapped, and I can imagine the people at Wal-Mart not bothering to check (or it could have been one of their own).

Jesse in Japan

Because nothing is more convincing that being an asshole.

Imaria

@ACTUALLYMAYBE: Well, everyone needs one hand to hold up their pants. So it's really hard to steal two things. Duh.

Pope John Peeps II

@cribbageleft: why not steal two ipods fro the assembly line?

ACTUALLYMAYBE

As a new Zune80 owner, this makes me grin from ear to ear. :D

chiablo

oh crap I forgot, walmart... but still!

cribbageleft

am I the only one here who thinks maybe, just maybe, this is some kind of elaborate hoax designed to get 2 ipods for the price of 1?

Cynical? Maybe, but it seems a longshot that a factory worker on the Apple assembly line switched the item for a piece of paper and noone noticed!

Furthermore, how did the thief know that the product was bought at an Apple store and not, say Walmart, Macys, Best Buy, Target or any other of the numerous retailers stocking this thing?

I call bullshit!

cribbageleft

Why do these parents never check out the contents of the boxes *before* they wrap them up for their kids to open on Christmas Day? Granted, nobody expects to pull out a note like this, but who hasn't purchased something and discovered something wrong with the product?

katillathehun

Capitalism is corrupting us. It's making people steal iPods and put stupid, misspelled notes in their place.

Yes, truly the answer to ending the corruption in capitalism is to become a stealing, douche bag. Congrats!!!

quayzar

This reads a lot like the highschool communists I had the misfortune of being in class with. It wasn't entirely their fault though they were brainwashed by my magnet school communist hippy teachers.

Word of warning don't ever send your kid to Grover Cleveland Highschool in Reseda CA. They'll ruin your childs naive teenage idealism, changing it into a self hating commie rhetoric loving fiasco that will taint them for the rest of their lives. Unless they're strong enough to resist it and then they will be failed for not "conforming" to the hypocrisy.

pokebud

Actually, most of the message is not absurd at all.

polyex

Oh, and Che Gueavra was an idiot.

JOAT

Ha, that's funny. Feel bad for the kid, but come on, that is pretty funny - hey, it didn't happen to me. Lastly, that guy or girl (you don't know) is an ass. A pig's ass because they eat their own crap and then crap it out... again. That almost makes me wonder how many times the pigs do that.

JOAT

I think that the bigger issue is Gizmodo has came the closest to insulting Oprah that anyone has. Gizmodo if I were you I would be on the look out for anyone following who is looking too happy.

Tukdude

Giz, cmon this was on consumerist 15 hours ago...

myotheralt

I wonder if it was the parents. I bet they hid the iPod and were planning to give it up but the kid made a huge stink that the parents didn't want to look like the bad guys.

But hey, now they have two iPods! Lucky them!

sugardeath

Steve Jobs might have done it... As a form of sparking more purchases from spite of the writer. Uh.. Like those people that do something opposite to spark interest in the hindered product...

But I don't know. Whoever did it was a douche.
That kid will be scared to open up presents and apple products for a while.

ph15h

At least they gave him a refund... Unlike what Best Buy did when someone found some ceramic tiles in their hard disk box...

And WTF happened to the fun little preview thing?

Mondoz

Wow. That's pretty fucked.

dead_red_eyes

d-bag

PirateSasquatch

This "note writer" complains about capitalism yet they work for a company that sells the damn thing.
There is no victory for him... Only sadness and self hatred.

JohnT

Shouldn't the parent have noticed an apparent lack of weight from the box? I mean iPods are lightweight...but to the equivalent of a piece of paper?

DashTheHand

that is correct.. this man is a douche

JohnT

Note the spelling of ressurect (sic). And that from someone who wants people to read more.
Still, I agree with his message (people should read more), but not the method of delivery. stealing an ipod is not the right way to go cos
a) you stole an ipod. it is now in your possession, hypocrite. (at least leave it in)
b) you stole an ipod. we have audiobooks; an HDTV would have been better.
c) you stole an ipod. people aren't gonna listen to you if you piss them off.
d) you stole an ipod. you ruined this kid's christmas.

Alfonzo

oh you 13 year old revolutionaries. One day you will change the world.

bobide

At least they are leaving something in return! Can you imagine the poor kids face!

kendra68

Let Denton and all of his advertisers know that this is the post that will make me stop reading Gizmodo for good. How's that for capitalism??!?!

Good work, Haroon. I think that puts you at -1 for net readers you've attracted to the site.

Maybe the blog will give Joat a job next: you and Jizzmodo deserve each other.

Christan_Eff

the article makes sense guys, and if the guy stole the ipod (which I feel s/he didnt, dumped it somewhere instead) that makes a lot of sense in fight against capitalism too, destroy the purchase, destroy the capital...

I think you`re being though on our new little i-narchist...

Crescent

Funny, I read books whilst listening to my iPod. Helps me concentrate by drowning out the world around...

middlelurch

He/she is a dick, but at least he/she feels they are doing something about it.

And hey: they got their message, however trite, out to a few tens-of-thousands of people.

This 13 year old, uh, revolutionary gets a pat on the back from me. Not so much if it was my iPod he stole, so that sorta paints the line I'm ultimately standing beside. (That is is douchery, if you didn't get that.)

tokiwartooth

What an almighty twat.

Collins1

I don't think people at walmart speak English well enough to wirte a letter like that as well. I think the chinamen at the assembly line had a better chance. Anyway smells like a scam, who buys gadgets at walmart anyway?

sp00nix

@snathanb: That was a Zune, which adds to the assumption this happened somewhere on Wal-Mart's side.

sumocat

I would have rather had the iPod from Walmart that came preloaded with porn.

snathanb

I think it's funny. The kid got their iPhone and a story that they can tell for years to come.
The guy is a thief, but a funny one.
Lighten up a little.

vitamincm

What Jobs should do is go after the douche. They have the ability because they can track the unit by the serial number. The next time this douche syncs, there will be FBI knocking on his door.

Noobs-R-Us

I guess pretending to have an agenda would distract somewhat from the fact that they're no better than any other thief.

That note could just as likely just be a BS red Herring.

strider_mt2k

This is pretty funny.

But of course not funny to those who are huge fans, but funny in general cause of the nature people are lately over consumer goods.

Of course those same huge fans would laugh their ass off if this was a Zune, and dont lie!

EnigmaNemesis

@myotheralt:

You do realize that Giz and Consumerist are GAWKER related right? RIGHT? RRRIIIGGGHHHTTT?

dead_red_eyes

This wouldn't have happened at the factory. Someone must have surreptitiously done it at the store. It's called "shopdropping":
[www.nytimes.com]

snej

Anyone against capitalism in America is a hypocrite for being in America. Because unless you know how to live absolutely free without grifting/mooching/stealing in this country than you're living in hypocrisy.

Go kill yourself now please, thanks.

Communist bastards.

absentblue

Whomever bought this iPod should be smacked because all the iPod boxes now have the iPod showing. It's right there behind the plastic. He bought the note with full knowledge i'm sure. Ooh god the average consumer scares me!

Ryanraven

I used to know somebody in the dorms who'd go to Frye's in the next state with cash... then shrink wrap the box back up with rocks in it, and return it for his refund. Pretty sure that's a felony, with the amount he was stealing.

That guy was a serious prick. Should've ratted him out, but really I never actually saw him do it. Just know he had a shrink wrap machine and he bragged about it.

dcartist

@Ryanraven: You realize that's a PICTURE of an iPod, not the actual iPod 'behind plastic', right?

Talk about scary.

bitfactory

Wow...anti-capitalism is sooo alternative and original. Fight on brothers. Fight on.

Papercutninja

This smacks of Fight Club...

GforGRENADE

@katillathehun:
maybe its because apples packaging is impossible to reassemble once opened? At least the Nano I got last year was that way.

to everyone;
why are you all defending capitalism as if its some battered underdog? Capitalism is might makes right, its winner take all, its feudalism with a nice face. just because you dont like capitalism doenst make you a commie either. Same as not liking chocolate doesnt mean you like vanilla.
Capitalism is what got us into this tight place with the mortgage lending fiasco. Yeah, way to go banks.

calaverasgrandes

@Papercutninja: Since when did something like this get called ant-capitalism? Why is trying to get people to take a time out from being superficial and or read a book akin to joining the Communist party? I admit the joke is a little silly and juvenile, but what is the matter with you young people today? Your a bunch of techno junkie foxnews conformists. Your supposed to want to be poor when your young and try and change the world. Don't be in such a rush to embrace "Capitalism" you will have plenty of time to go belly up with credit card debt and over extended mortgages when your older and supposed to retire.

polyex

@pokebud: What about it is Communist?

polyex

the note is a farce. This guys' ebaying the hell outta 500 ipods now, leaving the notes to make people suspect they were simply thrown away... at least that's what i would do. Did I say that out loud?

MasterYong

@polyex:

ROFL ... nice post!

EnigmaNemesis

The iPod is a piece of garbage. This is true.

DetergentDinners

@polyex: Is it possible you were absent the day they explained capitalism?

Pender

@cribbageleft: It was bought in Walmart. The "thief" said go to the nearest Apple store so they can get back their iPod. He shouldn't have gone back to Walmart. He should've gone to 5th Avenue. It really wouldn't matter where it was bought from, just where it was returned, an Apple store.

Just wanted to clarify.

nintendude

@myotheralt: All these blog sites, Lifehacker, Kotaku, Consumerist, Gizmodo, are all under the same company, Gawker Media.

nintendude

@DashTheHand:

Unless you picked up more than one box, you probably wouldn't notice. The packaging probably weighs more than the iPod, even one with a hard drive.

@Ryanraven:

I bought an iPod Classic a few months ago, and the iPod is definitely not visible through the all-cardboard packaging.

Sketch242

Che Guevara is dead, a failed revolutionary, and as JOAT said an idiot.

bbfreak

@Crescent:
"and if the guy stole the ipod (which I feel s/he didnt, dumped it somewhere instead)" ...
Um, how does what they did with it after *they took it without permission* make it NOT STEALING?!?

xj_4x4

what's this "book" think I keep hearing talked about?

sonicwind

@calaverasgrandes:

You know what helps people? The free flow of capital, people and goods. You put a factory in a poor village and suddenly people have money for proper nutrition, schools and soap. All the hippies in the world fighting to protect native cultures can't do as much good as an Old Navy garment factory.

You know why people work in a sweatshop for 50 cents an hour? Because it's a better opportunity than slogging though a rice field for 50 cents a day.

Sihanouk-s-Poodle

You know, the day I found out they sold high-priced maternity wear with Che Guevara's face on it..I knew anything he had said or done had lost it's thunder in the face of today's absurd pop culture.

Posthaus

Soooo glad at the lack of anti-capitalist comments here. My GOD how people get on bandwagons and think they are cool.

whitjm5

Well just imagine - no don't imagine, do a bit of research - how much pollution, packaging waste, etc. comes along with capitalism. There is a balance folks. Just think about what you really need/want and spend carefully. Fuck bandwagons. Drive your own cart.

NachoBoy

As much as I love my gadgetry I have to agree a bit with this guy. We have become addicted to the principles of consumerism. While all of these modern comforts are nice they can often times distract us from things that are far more important in the world. While his tactics may be a bit crude I don't feel his ideology is flawed. If we had all of these amazing gadgets and there weren't people lacking the essentials of life I wouldn't have as much of a problem with it. But its always difficult for the well off to realize that not everyone can live as well as they can. Hell our president couldn't even check out at a grocery store because he never had to shop at one.

Y1n_X1

@Christan_Eff:
Your statement would be a bit more useful if you would, say, give a single reason why this post made you leave Gizmodo... and of course, calling it a juvenile name doesn't do anything to make anyone take you seriously.

Dreamwriter

That iPod totally has some Rage Against the Machine on it now.

Player2

@snathanb: IIRC correctly, it was a girls Zune that was actually loaded with gay porn. So I think you'd rather have the commie note.

(Sounds like an excuse to me: Daughter? What's This Gay Porno doing on your Zune? "Embarresed Daughter":
Well, it came like that daddy...)

cromptonenator

Who says this guy is communist? Why is it always when someone argues one way, it always means they're far to the extreme? Defending capitalism the way some of you guys are is pretty comical.

Mald0m

It's OK, fake Steve is gonna get to the bottom of all of this...

[fakesteve.blogspot.com]

willcate

OK i think this is a bunch of bullshit. someone wants to get recognized and famous so what do they do..... they buy the ipod and come up with a lame saying place it in the box and Holy shit apple gave me this paper and no ipod. Now I'll get rich or someone will give me another ipod and headline news that way my son will have an ipod and so will I. wake up people america is full of people that lie sue each other and fuckin steal from one another..... and that's the bottom line cuz i said so. what happen was some jackass bough the ipod took it home and opened it up took the ipod out of it and placed that paper inside then wrapped it with the same wrapper that wal mart used to return it as an unopened box. Thus the Wal mart employee not knowing anything puts it back on the shelf and here walks in the victim plain and simple. I am studying psychology and there are some twisted minds in this world that I have come across and get into there minds and see what they see.

apple4life

I don't understand why someone can't enjoy the convenience of listening to music on an ipod and still read books. Do the new ipods automatically make you an idiot incapable of reading cause i've had one for years and still find myself capable of reading and rational thought.

jughead789

Funny, I tend to read whilst listening to my iPod... blocks out the rest of the world and helps me concentrate.

nightelfmohawk