Ultimate iPhone Review — Will It Blend?

I've been enjoying the Will it Blend videos forever. There's something about a labcoat clad crazy man putting things like marbles and soda cans into a blender and after reducing them to powder, warning you not to breathe in the particles. Well today they ask the ultimate question of the latest over-hyped internet sensation Will the iPhone Blend? Fans of these videos can probably guess the answer... and this story made my morning. I've been waiting for an excuse to link these forever. If you haven't seen these, you're in for a real treat.

Great for kids!

[PIPBoy3000 (619296)]

My kids and I spent nearly an hour looking at all of these last night. Sam kept exclaiming "That's totally awesome!" Even four year-old Emma enjoyed the blending of the Barbies.

I assume the whole thing is a viral marketing deal for the brand of blender, but it's so beautifully done. My wife and I decided that it was pretty obviously marketing towards men. Women might enjoy chopping up a rake or two, but men's eyes grow wide and they get a funny grin whenever you start tossing in glow sticks, marbles, iPhones, and other fun things.

The other thing of note is that he probably should have been wearing a respirator for some of these tricks. The marbles in particular were very nasty. Breathing in small amounts of glass smoke is incredibly bad for your lungs. That's why they banned asbestos, after all.

Re:

[mnmn (145599)]

Did you get to the section where they blend frogs and gerbils?? ...

(ok ok, I was only kidding. Stop with that look on your face!)

Not that great

[LighterShadeOfBlack (1011407)]

My kids and I spent nearly an hour looking at all of these last night. Sam kept exclaiming "That's totally awesome!" Even four year-old Emma enjoyed the blending of the Barbies.

You do realise you're going to have to keep your blender under lock and key for the next 12 years right?

Re:Great for kids!

[pongo000 (97357)]

Asbestos has nothing to do with glass

While I'm sure folks appreciate your safety message, please don't try to practice chemistry at the same time. Both glass and asbestos are silicates, and are indeed chemically related. The danger from asbestos is that, even though it's inert, inhaled crystals that fall within a narrow range of size lodge deep within the lung tissue and cause scarring that can lead to further complications.

In fact, inhaling glass dust can lead to silicosis, which is just as devastating.

Sell it on eBay...

[Choad Namath (907723)]

Assuming this [ebay.com] is real, he wasn't just joking at the end.

Re:Sell it on eBay...

[TheThiefMaster (992038)]

I like how it says "Product: iPhone Condition: Used" :)

Direct link to youtube

[choas (102419)]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg1ckCkm8YI [youtube.com]

Just in case the server 'blends'...

Innovative and Groundbreaking

[rueger (210566)]

Sure the innovative and groundbreaking iPhone will change the face of blending forever. Never before could you blend a full featured implementation of Apple's award winning Safari browser.

The iPhone is pretty tough

[PorkNutz (730601)]

Notice how long the screen kept going. Even after the blender had started shredding the phone... the screen was still working. Impressive.

-----
Übergeek Necktie T-Shirt [prostoner.com]
Funny Shirts @ ProStoner.com

Re:The iPhone is pretty tough

[rossifer (581396)]

I use LiPos on my RC helicopters. If the battery is broken or punctured, they tend to start a fire...

Actually, I think you've got it a bit backwards. Puncturing a lipo is how you deactivate them when you want to throw them into a landfill (though you really should recycle them instead of tossing them). That's completely safe as long as the cell isn't fully charged, and even then, it's not that dangerous.

When a lipo cell has an overcurrent failure, part of the cell vaporizes (puffed cell failure). In particularly bad failures after heavy use (low voltage, abusive current loads, etc.), the vapors can ignite from the heat of the cell. When this happens, the cell wall is guaranteed to fail, and then you get the green flames of death.

But just poking a hole in your lipo won't start a fire. I also fly RC helis (T-Rex 450).

Regards,
Ross

WM5 Phone

[Stevecrox (962208)]

Do you know I watched this on my Windows Mobile phone and seems to have broken it the video just keeps looping over and over I'm not certain but I think the "happy" midi tune plays every now and again

Obi Wan:

[RicoX9 (558353)]

I felt a great disturbance in the intertubes, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.

the real Ultimate Review

[interactive_civilian (205158)]

Cute, but if you want a real ultimate review of the iPhone, get your butts over to ArsTechnica [arstechnica.com] to read their incredibly comprehensive iPhone review [arstechnica.com]. They cover just about everything you could want to hear (including some brutal stress testing that culminates in the iPhone being flushed down a toilet) and the following discussion has some good follow-ups by the authors.

Yeah, maybe a shameless plug, but it is the best iPhone review I have seen so far.

Re:the real Ultimate Review

[Bazman (4849)]

Well that's as maybe, but its the ultimate review for *that* particular iPhone!

1913 Webster definition of ultimate is rather apropos:

3. Incapable of further analysis; incapable of further
            division or separation; constituent; elemental; as, an
            ultimate particle; an ultimate constituent of matter.
            [1913 Webster]

The ultimate end to this blending thing

[paiute (550198)]

"We found the Holy Grail"

it blends

"Cure for cancer"

blend it

"Kids, in this cage is the last living mouse lemur on Earth."

where's that outlet?

Had to be said:

[Lars T. (470328)]

- I think that voids the warranty.
- I don't think Apple will replace the battery on that one.
- So now they are stuck with a 2 year AT&T plan and don't even have an iPhone.

Scratches

[jbeaupre (752124)]

They could ask for a refund or replacement claiming the screen scratches too easily.

Oh its not so bad

[JeanBaptiste (537955)]

I've been breathing that stuff for a while and nothing has ha *THUD*

(he wouldn't just type thud, would he?)
(maybe he was dictating)
(oh shut up)

Re:Oh its not so bad

[dsginter (104154)]

(he wouldn't just type thud, would he?)

It is generally accepted that computer crashes, dropped connections and death is represented by the "NO CARRIER" stamp (line noise optional). For example:

Hey guys - I'm currently installing a nitrous oxide system on my chainsaw and I'm wondering what happens if I turn this mixture adjustment screw^%$#^%%^&

NO CARRIER

Re:Oh its not so bad

[thc69 (98798)]

King Arthur: [about the inscription on the rock] What does it say, Brother Maynard?
Brother Maynard: It reads, "Here may be found the last words of Joseph of Aramathia. He who is valiant and pure of spirit may find the holy grail in the Castle of Aaauuuggghhh...
King Arthur: What?
Brother Maynard: "The Castle of Aaaauuuggghhhh"
Sir Bedevere: What is that?
Brother Maynard: He must have died while carving it.
King Arthur: Oh come on!
Brother Maynard: Well, that's what it says.
King Arthur: Look, if he was dying, he wouldn't have bothered to carve 'Aaaauuuggghhhh'. He'd just say it.
Sir Galahad: Maybe he was dictating it.
King Arthur: Oh shut up!
Sir Robin: Well does it say anything else?
Brother Maynard: No, just "Aaaaauuuugggghhh".
[knights making groaning sounds]
Sir Bedevere: Do you think he could have mean, 'Camaaaauuuuggghhhh'?
Sir Galahad: Where's that?
Sir Bedevere: France, I think.
Sir Lancelot: Isn't there a Saint "Aaaaavvvveeeesss" in Cornwall?
King Arthur: No that's Saint "Ives".
Sir Lancelot: Oh, yes. "Iiiiiivvvveeessss"!
[All knights saying, "Iiiiiivvvveeessss"]
Sir Bedevere: Whooooouuuuaaa!
Sir Lancelot: No no no, it's "Aaaaauuuugggghhhh" from the back of the throat.
Sir Bedevere: No I mean, "Whoooouuuuaaa!" as in surprise and alarm.
Sir Lancelot: Oh, you mean like, "AAAHH!"
Sir Bedevere: Yes, that's it. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Re:Oh its not so bad

[by Anonymous Coward]

Truly dedicated /.ers have their browsers hooked up to a dead man's switch, so that if they are incapacitated, they automatically submit whatever is currently in the "Post Comment" field. A sort of "L4st Psot!!1!!," if you will. Here, let me demonstr1-0$%#$I)%^%)#%

NO CARRIER

The REAL spoiler

[Whiney Mac Fanboy (963289)]

The real spoiler is in the slow motion bit. Listen closely & you can distinctly hear the iphone death cry 'Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan'.

iPhone. The Shatner of cell phones.

Re:Spoiler

[Evanisincontrol (830057)]

It's pieces of the iPhone's evil, black heart.

Re:Spoiler

[CaptainPatent (1087643)]

No, it just spews a black cloud of overrated whenever the marketing hype wire in the iphone is severed.

Re:Spoiler

[Penguinisto (415985)]

...and here I thought it was just the ashes of all those kittens Apple cremates daily, after using them to make sacrifice to Steve Jobs. They have to hide the remains somewhere (that pile is getting awfully big back behind the Cupertino offices...) What better place to stash kitten ash than in consumer products that seem to be flying off the shelves. It is also well known that kitten ash is a vital component in making sure that LCD screens shine brighter while reducing battery draw. How, you ask? Well, since all kittens are innocent, and their cute little souls remain attached to their earthly remains for some time, the cremated kitten tends to glow quite a bit when in the presence of an electrical field, due to electromagnetic reaction against the lingering kitten soul.

It's cheaper than the standard backlighting, easier on your battery, environmentally friendly, and is super quiet (except for the occasional barely-discernible "mew!" at startup). Now if it weren't for all those damned moralists out there, I could have one of those 25" LCD's that're augmented by kitten ash that the State Department refuses to import! Sure, color calibration is a bitch (cats are somewhat color-blind), but once it's all set up, you get a peaceful soft glow that is very easy on the wattage.

(seriously though - I think it's prolly the battery contents, which could be reacting with either a metal or some other subtstance in the iPhone's makeup.).

(...and yes, I own and use a Mac @ home).

(...and yes, I have two cats living @ home with me. Whether they fear me or I fear them - I leave up to you to decide).

/P

Re:

[timster (32400)]

If you watch the "crowbar" video, where they actually do a bunch of cell phones, you can clearly see some small explosions. Of course, the iPhone uses a lithium-polymer battery, not lithium-ion, so it's unlikely to explode anyway.

Re:As funny as the videos are....

[shoptroll (544006)]

That's the entire point. It's supposed to be an advertisement. But it's a lot better than most of the adverts you see on tv these days.

Re:As funny as the videos are....

[cyphercell (843398)]

After recently purchasing a $85 blender that bit the dust on a box of frozen strawberries, this is just the kind of advertising I appreciate right now.

Re:As funny as the videos are....DUH

[g051051 (71145)]

It's not "like an advertisement", it's nothing BUT an advertisement. And it's sure nice to see a company advertising it's products in a funny, entertaining way that also nicely shows off the products' capabilities, without fluff.

Re:As funny as the videos are....

[by Anonymous Coward]

Of course it's an advertisement! But hardly a "waste" of a good product -- links on digg, slashdot, and all the mac sites to boot for under a grand is the cheapest ad campaign ever.

If you're looking for wasteful advertising, try the Olympics.

Re:As funny as the videos are....

[ahoehn (301327)]

As someone who work at an ad agency, let me say, I would be freaking thrilled to come up with an idea half this good. Not only do these clips entertain the viewers, they also highlight what's excellent about the product being sold. Compare that to something like the Subservient Chicken [subservientchicken.com], which is entertaining but really says nothing about Burger King's product.

I hope Blendtec sticks with whatever agency/marketing intern came up with this concept. It's solid gold.

Re:As funny as the videos are....

[Ngarrang (1023425)]

They kind of piss me off, too. It's always a waste of a good device/product.

How is that? I thought it was an excellent use of a blender. The blender survived just fine.

Re:As funny as the videos are....

[gEvil (beta) (945888)]

Also, it's like an advertisement.

I'm amazed by how many people can't recognize a blatant advertisement when it's staring them in the face. It's not "like" an advertisement, it *is* an advertisement.

Re:

[Technician (215283)]

everything they but into their blenders ends up as toxic dust!!!


Not quite.. Look up the crowbar one. It reminds me of a slippery politician. The crowbar get a sidestep. So you are left wondering will it blend?

While the iPhone video is slashdotted, enjoy these.

If you want to look into the tougher jobs, look up the videos for "Will it shred"
Here is a starter for a BMW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNvvSWEbuTs [youtube.com]
Computers/Printers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1_uvM-5xKs&mode=re lated&search= [youtube.com]
Boat
http [youtube.com]

Crowbars don't blend....easily.

[TapeCutter (624760)]

Many moons ago I worked at a sawmill, the wood chipper would get blocked on a regular basis and required a crowbar to unblock it. I was not the first person to try and blend the crowbar. These (accidental) experiments demonstrated that crowbars don't blend easily, but you can slice the end off one if you have several tons of flywheel behind the blade.

Re:

[smellsofbikes (890263)]

I spend a lot of time in metal yards, buying scrap for various art projects. One of the frightening things to watch is people using stock woodworking equipment on aluminum, and I'm talking running a 2" thick plate of aluminum 5" wide and 10' long through a radial arm saw with a standard carbide blade on it. The noise is incredible, especially when they're running, say, huge sheets of 1/8" plate aluminum through tablesaws.
I have yet to buy/use one, but people are selling blades that are rated to cut steel

Re:It always seems to

[jimstapleton (999106)]

As well as being fun, its an amazing ad for the company, everything they but into their blenders ends up as toxic dust!!!

Yes, because I really want my spaghetti sauce to become toxic dust. I think I'll take a blender that doesn't make everything toxic.

Re:

[Mister Whirly (964219)]

If that is the case, I would suggest buying spaghetti sauce that doesn't contain any toxins to start with; I hear that really cuts down on the amount of toxic dust produced. Of course the sauces that DO contain concentrated toxins are generally priced much lower than the higher quality ones that contain only food grade ingredients. But it's really up to the consumer if they want to save that extra .50 cents or not...

Re:It always seems to

[Random832 (694525)]

And in case the PP didn't get it, the iphone ends up as toxic dust because it is made of toxic dry materials. If you just put a piece of wood in, you'd end up with ordinary (not toxic) dust, and if you put spaghetti sauce in you won't end up with any kind of dust unless you use a lot less water than normal people do.

Re:It always seems to

[Ambidisastrous (964023)]

Minor clarification: The fully assembled skyscraper would also be harmful if you inhaled it.

Re:It always seems to

[Rogerborg (306625)]

Can they blend one of their own blenders? Wow, meta headrush.

Re:It always seems to

[by Anonymous Coward]

Amazingly, the dust still had to be sent to Apple to get the battery out.

Fun?

[mi (197448)]

As well as being fun ...

Fun? I was, actually, rather revolted... It always saddens me, when things break irreparably. I once felt depressed for a week after accidentally dropping an old hard-drive on the floor — it worked before, but broke due to my sloppiness...

To do this sort of thing on purpose, with a shiny, new (and beautiful!) piece of high-tech electronics is a sin. To enjoy watching it is perverse, in my humble opinion...

Re:

[NutMan (614868)]

I had the same thought. Once I attended a small group discussion on hunger at a local University. A student from Africa said that when he first came to the U.S., he was in the cafeteria one day when a big food-fight erupted. It made him sick because of the contrast between the U.S. & Africa. He saw people starving over there, but here food is so plentiful we waste it by throwing it at each other as a joke.

Re:

[zero_offset (200586)]

Let me guess: the result was for everyone to feel bad about this terrible contrast and engage in little personal guilt trips for "having it so good", instead of asking why his African ancestors apparently can't grow crops and raise food animals like everybody else on the planet has managed to do for the past 50,000 fucking years.

Re:

[blincoln (592401)]

Rich kids with too much free money to spend...

Agreed. It's in the same category of stupidity and arrogance as rock stars smashing instruments.

The cluster of "Look! We're revealing the secrets of the iPhone! By breaking it!" articles on release were equally lame in my opinion.

If you have something useful that you don't want, have the good nature to give it to someone who can make use of it.

Re:

[mrchaotica (681592)]

Rich kids with too much free money to spend...

The guy in this video isn't a "rich kid with too much free money to spend," he's the owner (I think) of a blender company trying to advertise his product.

Re:Fun?

[flooey (695860)]

To me, it's a terrible waste of money and technology. My parents would have gone mad if I had ever deliberately broken something as expensive as that.

Rich kids with too much free money to spend...

You do realize this is an advertisement, right? He's spending $500 on an iPhone, plus production costs, in order to sell what's likely to be thousands (possibly tens of thousands) of dollars in blenders. Not exactly a waste.

Re:It always seems to

[Hotawa Hawk-eye (976755)]

Go look at eBay item number 170129995323. You get the iPhone remnants, a blender, a DVD, and an autographed T-shirt. Not bad, if you're in the market for a blender or are into pulverized electronics.

Re:

[qplnm (228906)]

There was one where they were about to try a crowbar, then took it out and replaced it with something else. I didn't watch them with sound so I don't know why they did that, but it seemed pretty obvious the crowbar wasn't going to blend. Everything else went in about 30 seconds though!