At Apple, thin is in--sometimes too much

It's one thing to lose a gadget and know where you lost it. It's another thing to have the thing seemingly vanish.

Such was the experience I had last December with the iPod Touch I had shelled out $400 for just a couple months earlier. I had it one night and went to look for it the next day and it was gone. For weeks, I thought it might be somewhere in my house or the friend's house I was at that night. But it never turned up either place.

Missing: One iPod Touch, last seen somewhere around here...

(Credit: Apple)

Newsweek's Steven Levy recently had a similar experience with a MacBook Air he had on loan from Apple.

Now, it's not that losing tech products is anything new. I'm sure the value of cell phones, cameras and other gadgets left in taxis alone would be enough to build a lot of schools and libraries.

The only thing that I think Apple's products have added to the mix is a thinness that makes it possible to lose the things without even knowing you have lost them.

It's not the first time the thinness of Apple's products has wreaked havoc in my household. There was an incident a couple years back where an iPod Nano was left in a back pocket of some jeans and went through the washing machine. It's still a sore subject, so I won't go into details. Suffice to say, it is the cleanest, whitest, nonfunctioning Nano you've ever seen.

Now, I'm not blaming Apple. And I freely (or expensively) admit that I am more forgetful than most. I just think that the next time you see the ad and lust that the MacBook Air is small enough to fit in a manila envelope, remember one thing: it is small enough to fit in a manila envelope.

[sbwinn]

Danger

Don't buy Apple products. . . you'll lose them.

Don't buy Apple products. . . you'll be stopped at airports.

Don't buy Apple products. . . complete strangers will want to
play with them.

etc. etc. etc.

Sure, no one actually says, "Don't buy Apple products". But what
is the point of all these cautionary tales if not to warn people
away from buying the products they are being cautioned about?

[windelbocnet]

Washing the iPod

Washed an iPod Shuffle once. Just let it dry, and it has continued to
work perfectly ever since.

[rdgadz]

pointless

i am not a fan of apple in any sense, but this article was kind of pointless.

dont buy gold or diamonds because they are small and expensive....

[roar08]

Are you serious?

I've been reading News.com for many, many years. I've never replied to any article until now. I appreciate your disclaimer indemnifying Apple from your inability to keep track of your personal belongings but this is the most useless, inane article that's ever appeared on this otherwise very useful and interesting site. The implication people shouldn't purchase items because they're small is mindless. Maybe you shouldn't, but don't impose your thoughtlessness on the rest of your audience simply because you have the tools to disseminate such meaningless pieces as this on a whim.

[BlackMicro]

Here Here!!!

Here Here!!!

[fredtheviking]

Most pointless Blog ever?

The most iniate Blog Post ever on this site? Are you serious? Author was merely musing about the thinness of apple gagets and the downsize to that. I wouldn't say it was pointless. Granted you have a point, this author and this site usually does a better job, but I have seen worst from this site. You have to keep in mind this is just a blog post, which is as expected just a mere musings.

[jsheaney]

Are you serious? Not too

I didn't see the implication that people should not buy this
product. I saw it as a word to the wise when one does buy this
product. I think people who buy laptops because of their
diminutive size would be stoked to hear that they have to be
concerned about losing them.

[wigmo]

Here's a thought

Maybe it was stolen?

[Vonmaxx]

You only loose Apple products?

So why is it that you only loose Apple products and none from any
other manufacture? Maybe staff loves testing Apple products that
they "misplace them" so they get to keep them.

[sachxn]

thin

I think 'being thin' is another thing. This suggests that Apple products are technically much advanced and attract people's attention and those who are unable to buy those (cause these are expensive), steal those.

Sachin

[sachxn]

thin

I think 'being thin' is another thing. This suggests that Apple products are technically much advanced and attract people's attention and those who are unable to buy those (cause these are expensive), steal those.

Sachin

[SeizeCTRL]

Thin?

Thin is nothing but a gimmick when it comes to the Air notebook. It's underpowered, lacks a DVD drive, one USB port and excessively expensive for what it is. Great! it's thin, big freaking deal, I'd rather have a thicker laptop that I can actually watch DVDs on, plug in a few extra things without having to rely on a USB hub... I like having a big screen, a big harddrive, a fast processor and I did all that for $1200 cheaper than the Macbook Air.

Oh noes, my laptop is over an inch high and won't fit into an envelop... what will all my hip friends think of me and my lack of trendy thin electronics!

[usario clave]

Lost my mind

It slipped out of the back of my head, because it's so thin.

[solrosenberg]

Check your friend's eBay auctions

You had it when you went to your friend's house and you didn't have it when you left. Seems pretty straightforward. Check your friend's eBay auctions.

[punterjoe]

Time for the i-clip

It worked for mittens when we were kids. This may be the most valuable accessory Apple ever made. No doubt they could find a way to make it chic.

[ncheese]

Possibly the dumbest article ever on CNET

I can't believe I took the time to read this. I want my time and brain cells back. It was enough to get me to create an account on CNET though, to post a reply. Maybe it was just a ploy to get more subscribers?

[computerdude103]

Agreed

The article had sbsolutely no point. They complain Apple makes products so small that they get lost, then they say it's not Apple's fault. I'm really not sure what the point of the article is, but I can't believe I wasted my time reading it.

[M C]

Possibly the dumbest comment ever on CNet...

Did you read the teaser? Or did someone force you to click on a random page?

I criticize CNet plenty, but in this case, you got exactly what was promised, so you can only blame yourself for your lost lifespan.

[TheSmellyMoa]

Steve Ballmer Stole It

Did you see how he tried to snap Guy's Air in two at Mix?

He doesn't want media types enjoying computing products that work. They might start to expect it and point out that everything MSFT products is an abject failure in comparison.

[SeizeCTRL]

Get real

I don't know what kind of computing some of you people do, but I rarely ever have problems on Windows. When it comes down to it, my crashes are about equal on Windows XP/Vista as they are on OSX. I say 98% of my XP crashes in the past were drivers related. Now is that Microsoft's fault because Nvidia had a bug in a driver release which they later corrected?

Is it Microsoft's fault anytime a game from EA crashes because EA released the game when it wasn't ready?

[M C]

LOL at the "dumb article" comments...

Did you people not read the teaser? Or did someone force you to click on a random page?

I criticize CNet plenty, but in this case you got exactly what was promised, so you can only blame yourself for your lost lifespan.

However, I think it speaks to the declining level of their readership that THIS is the kind of article that stimulates comments.

[rdgadz]

CNET News Rss feeds

im saying this article is pointless because it is misplaced. it should not come up as a cnet news rss feed that goes straight to my homepage.

[jeffrlung]

Good point!

This is something that I have thought about too. When is small too small? Just because we can make technology devices smaller and smaller, doesn't mean that we necessarily should. For me the i touch is too thin & doesn't feel comfortable or "solid" in my hand. I felt the same way about the Razor when it came out.

[ghego1]

My grass is too green...

Are you complaining because your grass is too green?

[Gasaraki]

Jeez People

This wasn't an 'article'. This was his blog. He can put whatever he wants or thinks. If you don't like his blog, you people should just stop reading it. Just because he's saying that he loses his Apple stuff and some stuff are just too thin for there own good, doesn't mean that he can't put his thoughts on his blog.

[sanjayb]

He!!???

I thought Ina was a woman. Yikes!

[satayboy]

thin stuff that gets lost

Sounds like your mind is thin too.

[megustansalchichas]

I once ate popcorn

*** do you get paid to do, come up with 150 words each day? as long as they reference technology somewhere? how do I get a job like that? here's my submission for an article:
"I once ate popcorn while watching TV. The TV was a plasma TV."
ok, do I get paid for that? again, where do I sign up for this job?
sheesh

[swashbuckles]

You are posting because you forget things?

I don't think it's fair to use a product--any product--online in this type of forum as a scapegoat because you are a forgetful person. Come-on!

How about coffee cups, pens, rings, earrings, clippers, tacks, remote controls, documents at word, a thumb drive....
Come-on.

Be fair. People always want to use the popular kid, and smash them, to make their point.
As a writer you appear okay, but as a thinker, you have some ways to go.

[JeffW42]

Clearly, a new i-Product is needed!!!

Apple must build the i-Rack; a place to put ALL the i-Products for safe keeping. The i-Rack needs to be stable, secure, and inexpensive...