iPod Killer

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs personally called the family of a 15-year-old New Yorker to offer his condolences after the teenager was killed last week during a fight over an iPod, according to a report published Wednesday.

The New York Times reported that Jobs and the victim's father, Errol Rose, spoke for a few minutes earlier this week after Jobs' assistant called the paper asking for Rose's telephone number.

"Some people talk to you like they're something remote. He was so familiar. After every word, he paused, as if each word he said came from his heart," Rose told the Times.

Calling him by his first name, Jobs asked how Rose was doing and conveyed his sympathies, the report said.

"He told me that he understood my pain. He told me that if there is anything -- anything -- anything he can do, to not be afraid to call him. It really lightened me a bit," Rose told the newspaper.

Christopher Rose was killed Saturday in Brooklyn after Rose and three friends were confronted by a group of teenagers who allegedly demanded that Rose give them his iPod. Rose was stabbed twice in the chest after he apparently resisted.

Apart from the iPod, the boys who attacked stole tennis shoes and a cell phone, the report said, citing police statements.

Now while I agree that this is a horrific act committed by human crap stains I still think that perhaps there's a lesson in here for parents:

When I was a kid the most expensive thing I owned was my $50 banana seat bike. Then later a $100 10-speed. My radio was an 'Emerson' and it never left my room. We couldn't borrow stuff from my folks. And we never walked around with a cell-phone or $400 iPod. (or their 1980's counterpart the 'boom box')

Why would you put your child at risk for sending him out on the streets with hundreds of dollars worth of gadgets on him? You wouldn't tie a wad of hundred dollar bills around his neck and send him out to play so why all this hardware? "Because Timmy has one," or "but mommmmm" aren't excuses for parents using a little common sense.

15 year old kids are old enough to work part time jobs and buy their own iPods.

FWIW.

BTW, Steve Jobs called the parents and offered his condolences and help if they needed anything at all. True story.

Valid point.

Here in Albany, NY a few years ago we had a kid killed in the park for his leather jacket. iPods, walkmen, cell phones, PSPs, etc are now beginning to be common place technologies.

In the 80's, kids were getting killed for their Air Jordans. In the 90's, it was Starter jackets. Now in the aughts, it's iPods. Criminals don't change, only the things they're after.