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February 6, 2006  |  Paul Thurrott  |  The Connected Home Tech Blog
Apple Faces iPod-Based Hearing Loss Lawsuits

Apple Computer is facing at least two lawsuits that claim the company's iPod MP3 players contribute to hearing loss. Aside from the notion of common sense, the issue appears to be that Apple doesn't provide any warnings in its iPod packaging that listening to music with the device at loud volumes for long periods of time can permanently damage users' hearing. According to one lawsuit, iPods are "inherently defective in design and are not sufficiently adorned with adequate warnings regarding the likelihood of hearing loss." As a sufferer of tinnitus, I can corroborate the fact that iPods and other MP3 players can contribute to hearing loss: Because many people tend to use these devices in loud environments such as subways, buses, airplanes, and the gym, they often turn the volume up to dangerous levels in order to drown out the ambient sounds. My opinion is that common sense and a good pair of headphones will solve this problem more readily than a lawsuit, but then I'm not the litigious type.

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Turning up music to loud thru headsets have been available for how long? 40, 50 years? I say slap the idiots bringing the lawsuit upside the head and take away the lawyers license to practice. Next they will claim they found a finger in the packaging ala Wendys.

Scumbags like that just add cost to these products, and to the cost of living in general.

Joe -February 8, 2006



Common sense isn't all that common, hense the lawsuit.

Elizabeth -February 8, 2006



Doesn't anybody take personal responsibility for their actions anymore? Is the current generation so stupid that they don't know that loud sound will damage your ears? I guess the answer to both questions is no. Stupid suit. Greedy lawyers. What more is there to say?

John -February 8, 2006



Maybe I'll be the litigious type. I think I'll sue the complainants and their lawyers. I've found them to be "inherently defective in design and are not sufficiently adorned with adequate warnings" about what giant ****heads they are. Such warnings are necessary so companies, businesses, and individuals can refuse to sell them anything ever, thereby avoiding the resulting hassle.

PB -February 8, 2006



Makes you wonder if they will sue God if they forget to breath. Oh but wait I was not born with a warning label!

Back in the day if you were stupid enough to stick your butt in the fire they would call it Natural Selection. Stop the stupid people from beeding for heavens sake!

Dave -February 8, 2006



Sad thing is, this is prob not a case of stupidity, but a case of greed on the clients and lawyers parts. Too many people sit around scheming trying to figure out a way to squeeze $$ from large corporations for ridiculous things like this. They look for the loopholes, Apple forgot the warning, so did Mcdonalds on the coffee cups.

The old saying used to be "The warning sticker is there because some moron did it and got hurt"

So the new saying should be " The warning sticker is there because some greedy person will use it as a loophole to get $$ from us"

Andy -February 14, 2006



There is no doubt about that. We have too many unemployed lawyers creating work for themselves.

Dave -February 17, 2006



Apple has a bunch of defective products anyway, so when you try to take the product back they give you a long list of resons why it shouldn't be replaced. If they did replacements for their defective iPods they would go out of business.

Satan -April 5, 2006



IDIOTS. Apple does not need to make a warning about hearing loss. Turning up the volume is your own moronic choice. Common Sense is what many lack, this is a perfect example.

Sue -May 4, 2006


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