File this one under extreme fanboyism -- a man has performed his own surgery to put magnets under his skin in order to hold his iPod Nano in place like a watch. Evidently nobody told him they make straps that do the same job.
The bloke in question is Dave Hurban, a tattoo artist working in collaboration with Kaleidoscope Kreative. His background in all things pointy, ink-filled and painful means that he's at least used to foreign objects invading his person, but this really seems a step too far.
In the video below you can see Dave going through the painstaking process of measuring the Nano, marking out the spots on his skin and then setting about drilling into his own flesh in order to insert the magnets. It's frankly rather grim, so if you're squeamish and prone to fainting at the slightest sight of blood then I suggest watching it while lying on some cushions.
Eventually, the magnets are set in place and Dave successfully manages to clip the Nano directly onto his skin, which I'm sure makes him very happy indeed. In his defence, it seems to work quite well, with the player staying in place even when his arm is upright. On the downside, it will surely make it easy for people to quickly steal it from him on the bus and he might find himself accidentally picking up keys or loose paperclips.
The iPod Nano has arguably been made a little redundant by the introduction of the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad, so I wouldn't mind seeing Dave try to implant an iPad stand into his chest in order to do an excellent impression of the Teletubbies.
If you too want an iPod Nano stuck to your wrist but don't fancy punching metal into your flesh then pick yourself up one of the wrist straps that let you wear it like a watch. They're only about 15 quid and you're much less likely to get septicaemia.
What do you think to Mr Magnet's efforts? Is it a step too far for Apple fans, or is it a great way to hold onto your gadgets without bothering with cumbersome straps? Let me know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page.
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Comments 20
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anonymous 11 May, 2012 17:15
"extreme mental fanboyism" this isn't Luke Westaway by any chance is it?
anonymous 11 May, 2012 17:43
Surely you mean septicaemia not the lung disease emphysema? idiot
Andrew Hoyle 11 May, 2012 17:52
Kudos! I did. Thank you for the compliment :)
Paul Davey 11 May, 2012 18:06
Are Nanos not made of aluminium then????
nicebiscuit 11 May, 2012 18:42
I was tempted by this but then I came to my senses!
anonymous 11 May, 2012 19:00
Pure Madness - Lets hope an M.R.I is never required, or any strong opposing poles are in his proximity . . Those magnets 'will' breakdown / degrade over time, in turn causing massive irritation.
Daniel Rawr 11 May, 2012 19:09
What a blimming IDIOT....
ace9988 11 May, 2012 19:15
you can only go so far....really? really? really??? I think this is the kind of people samsung and crapberry refer to
Mat Greenfield 11 May, 2012 22:08
Is it just me or does this sound like the origin story of a Spiderman villain?
anonymous 11 May, 2012 23:57
Easier to glue that **** on
anonymous 12 May, 2012 07:49
Just what in the minds of such people makes this idea comprehensible?
anonymous 12 May, 2012 08:20
Actually, this type of modification (though not usually for this purpose) is becoming more common, though it sits in a legal grey area. The magnets are coated in (I believe a silicone related) sealant to stop the magnetic deterioration from entering the body. I'm sorry I don't have the exact details, but if you google neodymium magnetic implants the info is readily available. The current generation of magnetic implants has been doing well, but as this is a relatively new procedure, the long term effects are not known. They are more commonly placed in fingertips, in small groups, to allow the modified individual to feel electromagnetic fields. There would be a problem with an mri, but there are other tests to use (like those used on vetrens that have shrapnel embedded in them), and can not be done with out permission (in other words, they can't mri you until you are in a state to tell them its ok. And although the video is a bit gruesome, this man is a professional at what he is doing, using sterile equipment, and most certainly aware of the risks involved. Not an idiot by any stretch.
pablouk1 12 May, 2012 16:38
Another tattoo cover freek walks the planet
anonymous 12 May, 2012 19:07
Contrary to what is written above - you can have an MRI without consent, although they would notice the metal, and they probably would have done a CT scan first.
Even if the implant does not enter the surrounding tissues with time, it is possible that some form of inflammation will develop around it, and with time he may develop an "allergy" to the implants in the sense that it is a foreign body.
He is likely to have observed asceptic procedures by the looks of it, and in this case you would be far more likely to have a infection in the surrounding area initially well before any form of septicaemia develops. Where did the emphysema comment come from?
In my view, a silly thing to do, but longer term I think more and more people will start to do these sorts of things, think about those who have spacer earrings generating a hole which beyond a certain size will not close by itself, they now require surgery to correct the defect.
anonymous 12 May, 2012 23:43
All these nonsense comments and opinions by people without any bodymods make me laugh. They're purely spouting rehashed text from an article the read online. Talking about allergies, septicaemia, defects, etc and giving advice like you're medical professionals. All of your statements make you look like ignorant children.
anonymous 13 May, 2012 03:29
You all call him an idiot, I call him an innovator. I'm sure people have done worse to themselves so why bash this guy around?
professerclever 13 May, 2012 08:50
I needed to take iron tablets after trying this as I suffered a deficiency everywhere except my wrist which got rusty after a shower!
anonymous 14 May, 2012 14:34
I really like this idea, The possibilities are great, and after all humans are always putting technology into themselfs, look at the fake heart, its a piece of machinery that can actually replace a human heart, brain surgery where they put small electric impulses into the brain to stop headaches, inflatable tubes that are placed in the **** to help people who suffer from erectile disfunction.. the only reason people think this video is crazy is because hes doing it himself instead of a surgeon doing it to him, but whats the difference really, he is a proffessional, and I for one prefere doing my own body mods to letting someone i dont know doing them, I dont see this as weird or freakish, but as advancement is human evolution, building upon the human body to make it better, who knows, maybe one day we will have funny sockets in the back of our heads like the matrix... dont knock it until youve tried it, grow up, and if you dont like it, why go around saying to people you dont like it? do somethiung you do like instead of wasting your life moaning about things you dont like.. think about that one..
CSuk 21 May, 2012 14:51
What a total IDIOT...if he's so techno minded how on earth did'nt he not know to just purchase a strap?
anonymous 23 May, 2012 13:02
It is extra funny to see twits trying to pretend that "body mod" is something someone who is mentally competent would indulge.
Ever the losers... they are desperate to find something at which they can excel.
Sadly... they excel at being losers.