Apple Threatens A Lawsuit To Block The Sale of its Trash (Literally!)
Apple Threatens A Lawsuit To Block The Sale of its Trash (Literally!)
Posted 02/28/2010 at 7:55pm
| by Justin Kerr
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Apple has a reputation for being rather controlling when it comes to its hardware and software designs, but a new story coming out of Gizmodo really pushes this perception to a new level. Ex Apple employee Mark Burstiner is in legal hot water with Apple over allegations of theft, but his story isn't as clear-cut as it might sound.
Over a year and a half ago Mark was coming off a shift at the Fifth Avenue New York Apple store, while construction workers were hauling away pieces of a broken step that needed to be replaced near the entrance. Mark was dressed in civilian clothing, and for some unknown reason, asked if he could keep the cracked 250lb glass step that was presumably being hauled away to the dump. The construction crews helped him load up his price, and if this were a normal story, it would end here.
Fast forward to eight days ago when Mark was preparing to move, and decided to list his prize on Ebay. Rather than being mocked and ridiculed for attempting to sell a broken piece of trash, he received several bids, and was eventually contacted and harassed by Apple legal representatives who requested he return the broken step. You could argue the legality of this case on behalf of Apple, or squatter's rights, but either way it is a bizarre story.
Feel free to read his entire testimony for yourself, but can anyone come up with a plausible theory for why Apple would care? It certainly adds evidence to the theory that some people will buy anything from Apple, even trash. The current bid was $6,300 at the time of this posting, go figure.
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WindowsXP
March 01, 2010 at 3:03pm
Apple stooped to an even lower platform. How the heck do you manage to go any lower?
Apparently this answers my own question. Also I didnt realize apple would brick YOUR ipod when you put custom firmware into it.
Unless they change their ways (lol) I wont be buying anything from them soon..
nadako
March 01, 2010 at 3:04pm
Come on apple your just making yourself look like criminals and you were going to throw it away anyways so why bother? I would just let it go and just watch and see how much the dam thing sells for then when you do some kind of maintaince just sell your broken or not broken crap on ebay like the cowboys stadium. durr. Oh and the current bid is at $9,950. ....
8jwong14
March 01, 2010 at 1:48pm
I think Apple just doesn't like people to take stuff that they purchased even if it now is junk or a treasure depending on the person. This is probably what Apple is think: "If people want this step, they have to buy it from us so we make money off garbage."
dracoress
March 01, 2010 at 11:45am
Steve Job's was missing part of his world domination plans years ago and now it's finnally been found! It's imbedded in the glass molecules in the step. It can only be recovered with special laser data transferance device.
Caboose
March 01, 2010 at 10:04am
wow... I'm... speechless...
-= I don't want to be dead, I want to be alive! Or... a cowboy! =-
bigm0ney13
March 01, 2010 at 9:09am
I think Apple created fake accounts to raise up the price to complain publicly about their trash. Free publicity. This is the only LOGICAL reason that I can come up with for the absorbent price.
Tekzel
March 01, 2010 at 2:11pm
How much liquid can that price absorb, exactly? Oh wait, you must have meant "exorbitant". :)
There is another reason, also mentioned in this thread, that actually makes more sense. Shilling. My "shillings" are on shilling. Haha. God, I am a hoot.
QuakindudeMod
March 01, 2010 at 8:36am
More than anything, Apple is getting one HELL of a lot of advertising out of this. For cheap money too!
Personally, I cannot stand Apple anything beyond the iPod. And even then, I won't install their shitty iTunes software. I turn the iPod into a normal HDD and use it from there. But don't ever update the firmware on your iPod after doing that. Apple will brick the damned thing if you do and since you "violated" their Terms and Conditions by choosing HOW to use YOUR property, they get away with it.
The only way to stop Apple from being so anal about shit is for people to stop buying their products. Vote with their wallets. But so many people are blinded by the "exclusivity" of Apple crap, they justify being told how they can use the property they have bought.
Pissed off about someone selling a broken piece of stairs? Give me a break!
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Tekzel
March 01, 2010 at 6:54am
Apple can suck it. This is just another example of their ridiculous control fetish. It permeates every aspect of their company and products. Now they actually want to control the trash? Someone really needs to smack them on the nose with a rolled up newspaper and say "NO! Bad Apple!"
bigassmangina
March 01, 2010 at 3:22am
They steped in only because they want a piece of the money since it's over 6G's.............
PDX-1337
March 01, 2010 at 12:53am
If you look at the bid history, something does not add up.
Some bids seem legit, most do not...
Had to paste the bids in plain text because the MaxPC Spam Filter would not let me do otherwise, but you can look at them for your self here: http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=110500632369
b***f has a feedback score of 10, and 0% positive
i***i has a feedback score of 5
1***b has a feedback score of 0 !!!
I would not sell ANYTHING to someone with 0% positive or 0 feedback score.
These are HUGE red flags...
Bid history below:
b***f( 10Feedback score is 10 to 49) US $6,300.00
Feb-28-10 20:48:48 PST
1***b( 0 ) US $6,200.00
Feb-28-10 18:53:11 PST
1***b( 0 ) US $6,000.00
Feb-28-10 18:46:02 PST
1***b( 0 ) US $5,000.00
Feb-28-10 18:45:39 PST
l***u( 161Feedback score is 100 to 499) US $3,201.00
Feb-28-10 17:36:16 PST
b***f( 10Feedback score is 10 to 49) US $3,101.00
Feb-28-10 17:14:48 PST
b***f( 10Feedback score is 10 to 49) US $2,950.00
Feb-28-10 17:11:39 PST
b***f( 10Feedback score is 10 to 49) US $2,850.00
Feb-28-10 17:11:15 PST
b***f( 10Feedback score is 10 to 49) US $2,700.00
Feb-28-10 17:10:51 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $2,500.00
Feb-28-10 11:45:44 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $2,100.00
Feb-28-10 11:45:29 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $2,000.00
Feb-28-10 11:38:56 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $1,500.00
Feb-28-10 11:38:18 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $1,100.00
Feb-28-10 10:36:51 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $1,050.00
Feb-28-10 10:36:08 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $1,000.00
Feb-28-10 10:33:40 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $700.00
Feb-28-10 10:33:25 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $650.00
Feb-28-10 10:32:41 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $600.00
Feb-28-10 10:32:29 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $525.00
Feb-28-10 10:32:11 PST
i***b( 23Feedback score is 10 to 49) US $500.00
Feb-28-10 10:19:13 PST
m***o( 16Feedback score is 10 to 49) New eBay Member (less than 30 days) US $360.00
Feb-28-10 10:24:04 PST
i***i( 5 ) US $350.00
Feb-28-10 10:00:41 PST
a***i( 132Feedback score is 100 to 499) US $350.00
Feb-28-10 10:18:54 PST
a***i( 132Feedback score is 100 to 499) US $310.00
Feb-28-10 10:18:29 PST
t***2( 16Feedback score is 10 to 49) US $300.00
Feb-28-10 09:41:51 PST
t***2( 16Feedback score is 10 to 49) US $250.00
Feb-28-10 09:31:05 PST
b***b( 116Feedback score is 100 to 499) US $250.00
Feb-28-10 09:32:48 PST
Starting Price US $200.00
Feb-27-10 18:18:21 PST
athlon11
February 28, 2010 at 11:20pm
It was trash. Trash is public domain hence he legally obtained it and Apple has no legal recourse against him what so ever. Its the same as someone picking up an old TV or couch on the side of the road.
publicimage
February 28, 2010 at 11:13pm
I thought all they had to offer was trash in the first place. :P Apple is the new evil.
DBsantos77
February 28, 2010 at 10:07pm
Apple is just arrogant. Simple as that.
They also want the public to talk about apple and apple only. They got what they wanted so far.
-Santos
Gigabyte 785GX Micro Atx
AMD Phenom II 720 (Quad @ 3.6 Ghz 1.47v.)
6 GB DDR3 1333
Corsair 500w
Arctic Cooling Freezer Pro Rev.2
HIS HD 5850 @ 940/1175/1175v
500 GB
Scootiep
March 01, 2010 at 5:36am
I just hate Apple in general.
To start press any key...ohh, where's the "Any" key. - Homer Simpson
knexkid
February 28, 2010 at 9:12pm
Apple would do that. What I don't get is who the hell would pay $6000 for that??!?!? Apple fanboys really are stupid and obviously have more money than they know what to do with.
Keith E. Whisman
March 01, 2010 at 12:39am
You described Apple computer consumers to a T, literally. Apple consumers have been paying a premium for the Apple brand on obsolete hardware since day one. An Apple computer is more likely to be obsolete and cost more than a PC. $2000Dollars buys a much more faster and loaded PC than can be had if you spent that money on a Mac. And on the Mac you would still need to purchase a copy of Windows 7 just to use it because who the hell wants to use Mac OS. LOL.. Really who? LOL.. just too funny... Mac OS LOL.. Who uses that anyway... LOL.... What a waste. Might as well use a linux distro.
Hello my name is Keith and I have a problem.. I freaking hate Apple. Not because of their race but because of what they do and who they are. By their very nature they are assholes..
I really don't understand why Rush Limbaugh uses a mac. He brags just way too much about it on his radio program. I just cringe because I enjoy Rush but when he brags about his over priced Mac it just makes me sick. I've always equated the Mac to liberalism or at least what liberalism stands for today. Basically the removal of rights and total control over everything and every person in all aspects of American Life. Basically what Obama wants. Thank God Democrat senators want to get reelected, that is why Obama isn't able to destroy the USA in it's entirety. But enough of politics.
There I've managed to pretty much ramble on about everything.
OK Kids remember to help control the human population and wear a condom. I have 3kids and my life is hell. Please learn from us condemned fathers. Just ignore your girlfriends and wives plea for children.
There I have now helped the younger generation as well.
Great article.
Tekzel
March 01, 2010 at 6:51am
Psst, in all likelyhood Rush is using a Mac, and bragging about it on the air, as part of a paid sponsorship. Thats how it's done.
Keith E. Whisman
March 01, 2010 at 3:25pm
You know I've never even thought of it that way. Your probably right. I know Rush talks about everything he does and says on the radio is in the pursuit of profit. So I guess Rush is a Ferengi.
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