Apple strikes back - the police searches Gizmodo editor's house

27 April, 2010
We are sure all of you are already familiar with the tale of the lost and found iPhone 4G prototype. It seems Apple won't give up until "justice" is served to all, whose hands touched the device, despite the...

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  • I
  • I hate apple
  • F3L
  • 29 Apr 2010

It's a conspiracy between apple and ask kissing gizmodo. How would the person who found the phone know that it was a prototype? It was camouflaged.

    • c
    • charlemagne
    • nDW
    • 28 Apr 2010

    I don't want to make a politics issue out of this but, ...well... somebody here said that that's the difference between Apple and Nokia - I would rather say that's the difference between US and a civilized European country - a Scandinavian one. I'm an Apple user , I use the Iphone since 2007 but this kind of news do disturb me and somehow makes me thinking twice about buying the new Iphone 4g - if there is actually such a thing. I guess I'll finally go for a Samsung - they manage to produce a zillion new phones since the last Iphone hit the market...

      • c
      • coopere
      • RHb
      • 28 Apr 2010

      a simple phone call or email would have resolved this. break into the guy's home and confiscate his property. weren't they looking for a phone? why take computers and a server. that is ridiculous, i am disappointed.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • FJT
        • 28 Apr 2010

        pM, 28 Apr 2010They are exactly like the users they have... Very stupids a... moreYou do not understand because you lack education on how the legal system works. So I suggest you stop judging iphone users and get some education :)

          • ?
          • Anonymous
          • FJT
          • 28 Apr 2010

          Lucian, 28 Apr 2010I would understand if the police storm in because Chen was ... moreWell you wouldn't understand because you don't own and protect a multi billion dollar company :)

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • FJT
            • 28 Apr 2010

            Anonymous, 28 Apr 2010wa this is totally disgraced....if i lost my wallet i can j... moreWell if your wallet could potentially profit billions of dollars like that iphone prototype, then yes. A little common sense please :)

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • Ui{
              • 28 Apr 2010

              wa this is totally disgraced....if i lost my wallet i can just finger point this Guy living in this house have my wallet so does that means police can do anything they want just to dig out the missing item without warrant search or even with warrant search it would sounds really absurd !

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • UGj
                • 28 Apr 2010

                Micio, 28 Apr 2010The REACT-Police Force acted "independently" upon... moreapple in that committee.. they do the planning and strategising as well

                  • C
                  • Common Sense
                  • 0aS
                  • 28 Apr 2010

                  Common guys, common sense please. If this will end u costing Apple millions of dollars because people will not buy the 3GS anymore and wait for the new device don't you think they ought to be serious? Yes, I said millions of dollars. That's serious business. If they want to send a message, good. They should. All you guys complaining about the 'bully' of Apple. Maybe their business strategy is 10x better than any other company. Common sense please, not off-the-cuff emotional responses like these ones.

                    • T
                    • Tyler
                    • 0aS
                    • 28 Apr 2010

                    Anonymous, 28 Apr 2010I'm a fan of this site but this post seems inappropriate. I... moreYour comment is the only one that seems logical so far. Everyone else just seems to have a chip on their shoulder. Thanks.

                      • M
                      • Micio
                      • PT5
                      • 28 Apr 2010

                      Lucian, 28 Apr 2010I would understand if the police storm in because Chen was ... moreTotally agree with you on this. As if Chen is a "terrorist".

                      Do we hear NEWS of the same kind of activity done by a Police Force on any lost valued item by an average citizen who report it as an act of theft?

                      I think not...

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • TRJ
                        • 28 Apr 2010

                        How are they(Apple) different from loansharkers(money bloodsucker).
                        Apple is basically using a hack saw to cut fruit. Come on Apple no matter what you do now does not make any changes to the history. You have just tinted your Apple logo.

                          • L
                          • Lucian
                          • Dyk
                          • 28 Apr 2010

                          I would understand if the police storm in because Chen was kidnapping Jobs' grandmother, but for a phone it's too ridiculous!

                            • M
                            • Micio
                            • PT5
                            • 28 Apr 2010

                            Ket, 28 Apr 2010I'm sorry, but if they have the phone back which I believe ... moreThe REACT-Police Force acted "independently" upon the DA's "order" to investigate the "alleged theft" of an iPhone Prototype that was communicated to them by an Exec of Apple who learned that the device was lost by one of its engineers, who was designated to test the unit, at a local bar.

                            The REACT-Police Force acted "independently" even when the actual device was already recovered by Apple to get sufficient evidence of the "alleged theft" when and if Apple would pursue a Civil Case against the persons involved with the "theft" of the device.

                            The DA will use the same materials recovered to pursue a Criminal Case againsts the persons involved in the "alleged theft" that was communicated to them by an Exec of Apple.

                            Apple has no "direct" involvement on the "independent" action taken by the REACT-Police Force as they busted their way in and confiscated Mr. Chen's properties that is believed to contain information about the "stolen" device.

                            ...

                            Conspiracy is an agreement between two or more parties to deprive a third party of legal rights or deceive a third party to obtain an illegal objective

                              • K
                              • Ket
                              • 3Jc
                              • 28 Apr 2010

                              I'm sorry, but if they have the phone back which I believe they do, how can the police be called in?

                                • H
                                • Hassan
                                • S6p
                                • 28 Apr 2010

                                pM, 28 Apr 2010They are exactly like the users they have... Very stupids a... moreI think they were trying to 'avenge' the 'loss' of the phone. Trying to give a message that little people will be screwed if they mess with big business. Well they did themselves a bad favour this time. They lose some customers now.

                                  • H
                                  • Hassan
                                  • S6p
                                  • 28 Apr 2010

                                  A fundamental difference between Apple and Nokia. Nokia respect human rights and their public image. The same thing that happened to Apple (losing a prototype) also happened to Nokia. Yet Nokia did not sue anyone or have armed police violate their home and confiscate their property. Here's a link:

                                  http://conversations.nokia.com/2010/04/27/one-of-our-children-is-missing/

                                  Could Apple have done the same, without so much fuss and bad PR for themselves? Sure they could. Nokia did. Now Apple has shown themselves the ignorant fools that they are. Whether or not the law is strictly on Apple's side in this case or not, Apple should have had more sense than to blow this occurrence into a scandal of world proportions. The more they act this way, the less people will be interested in buying their products. I for one won't buy another Apple product again. Nokia N8, welcome to my home!

                                    • p
                                    • pM
                                    • 3NH
                                    • 28 Apr 2010

                                    They are exactly like the users they have... Very stupids and arrogants.The onlyone guilty is that employee who lost the phone because it was irresponsable with the belongs of the company.He should be dessmised imediatly.But I don´t understand something... why they broke the house of the journalist if the phone was already returned?!?! They were looking for... WHAT!??!?

                                      • h
                                      • hP_plus
                                      • tA$
                                      • 28 Apr 2010

                                      Apple too much to doing that.. coz its unnecessary atitude.
                                      it'll broke their Image.

                                        • D
                                        • DEADWARRIOR
                                        • PIH
                                        • 28 Apr 2010

                                        Good work Apple, now i'm sure everybody is gonna "like" you after what you did. They just crossed the line.