NYU warns students against wearing iPod Earbuds
New York University has begun a campaign to warn its students against sporting iPod earbud headphones while venturing on and off campus, according to tipsters. The tiny, white earbud headphones, which ship with Apple's iPod digital music players, have become a telltale sign for thieves looking to hijack iPods in the fast-paced streets of Manhattan. This week members of the campus community began plastering NYU dorms with posters warning students not to wear the standard iPod headphones. According tipsters enrolled in the college, there have been an increasing number reports from students who've been held up by city crooks demanding that they hand over their iPod. They suggest it's time Apple begins offering a less recognizable alternative.
Comments
it'll just become the new "telltale sign"
Originally posted by 12houripod
if apple offers a "less recognizable alternative"
it'll just become the new "telltale sign"
Exactly what I thought. However, it could even be worse as new earbuds usually would mean brand new (latest revision) iPods.
Don't blame Apple, these people choose to live and work in one of the major cities in the world, they will be robberies and thefts, with or without Apple's white earbuds.
I was born in Northern NJ and spent time in NYC. I however chose to live in Orlando, FL where only tourists are stolen from. (Just kidding!)
p.s.
Maybe they should be posting tips how best to conceal an iPod, and how best not to attract attention to oneself in public, like clothing, jewelry, money exposure, loudness of music, etc (not by commenting on choice of earbuds or headphones).
1.) Lower Manhattan's streets are not as fast-paced (nor crime-ridden) as many think,
2.) EVERY NYU student has one and flaunts them while drunk (very wealthy private school),
3.) J&R probably started this rumor to get a boost in business.
Originally posted by zingboy
"have become a telltale sign for thieves looking to hijack iPods in the fast-paced streets of Manhattan"
1.) Lower Manhattan's streets are not as fast-paced (nor crime-ridden) as many think,
2.) EVERY NYU student has one and flaunts them while drunk (very wealthy private school),
3.) J&R probably started this rumor to get a boost in business.
I have never seen a drunk student flaunt an iPod before, but maybe it's just because I am on the upper west side....
seriously speaking, I see an average of 10-15 people with ipods on my way to school, work and home on the train. I'm sure if an ipod owner was being held up, fellow ipod owner(s) would jump to the rescue.
Originally posted by 2112
I just moved to NYC last year and for awhile I've wondered when some punk will work me over for my iPod. There may be much less crime than a decade ago, but make no mistake, this city is loaded with thieves and losers who live off others and it happens every day.
When my neice wanted to go to Columbia, I looked up the crime statistics. Turns out that my area (Chapel Hill/Durham) has way more crime than NYC. I'll admit that I was scared riding the subway late at night (or walking on 125th street at night), but it was probably all in my mind I guess.
As a college student in the city, I can share NYU's sentiments. I ditched the iPod headphones long ago (partly due to their crappy sound) so that people wouldn't know I had an iPod just from seeing me on the street.
It seems to be more about high schools than colleges in the Post, and
http://www.engadget.com/entry/0264939848437927/
it had been claimed to be a hoax previously.
Not only do they sound crappy, but they hurt like hell after an hour or so.
Originally posted by nagromme
if these students really need to be TOLD not to show expensive valuables on the streets of New York... then I'm very glad someone is telling them!
Haven't been to New York, but in principle you are right, just a matter of having a degree of street smarts.
Originally posted by e1618978
When my neice wanted to go to Columbia, I looked up the crime statistics. Turns out that my area (Chapel Hill/Durham) has way more crime than NYC. I'll admit that I was scared riding the subway late at night (or walking on 125th street at night), but it was probably all in my mind I guess.
not really. riding the subway after midnight and walking around above 95th street are not things i would recommend to anybody. while i only knew one person who ever got mugged in the 3.5 years i lived there, you were always trying to stay aware of your surroundings (to the point of near paranoia). the area around nyu isn't so bad though. i used to live a couple blocks from there. but the area around columbia, that's a different matter altogether.
Originally posted by ipodandimac
shouldn't they be warning them of WIndows XP and how much it sucks?
DONT WEAR WHITE iPOD EARBUDS
ALSO, DONT USE WINDOWS XP IT SUCKS ASS
OH, AND PRACTICE SAFE SEX
see? i saved NYU thousands of dollars on their marketing/student services/ whatever budget
I don´t know about NYC though, never been there. But if you care about your security, learn to defend yourself.
Originally posted by Denmaru
So what´s the problem if someone tries to steal something from you? Teach him the lesson that all he gets from you is a world of pain. That´s what I did, worked like a charm.
I don´t know about NYC though, never been there. But if you care about your security, learn to defend yourself.
You can go to jail if you try that. A friend of a friend was a marine, and he pistol whipped a robber in a macdonalds bathroom, and he was charged with assault (I don't know if he went to jail or not).
Originally posted by admactanium
not really. riding the subway after midnight and walking around above 95th street are not things i would recommend to anybody. while i only knew one person who ever got mugged in the 3.5 years i lived there, you were always trying to stay aware of your surroundings (to the point of near paranoia). the area around nyu isn't so bad though. i used to live a couple blocks from there. but the area around columbia, that's a different matter altogether.
Bingo!!
NYC is a relatively safe city. Relative to London..
Crime exists here and the ipod is a product that many can't afford and still want. Badly enough to bop you over the head to get.
Evolution provided ears by which we hear danger approaching. Music can distract you from what is around you. That is mostly a good thing. Unless that danger wants your music.
Oh, and in a large school such as NYU there are bound to be many very sheltered kids who have never had to deal with a city environment. The area is mostly safe as it has gentrified to a great degree. However, it is still NYC and a short ride or walk from many crappy areas.
Gives a whole new meaning to
DON'T STEAL MUSIC!
Now, Let's be safe out there!