I got tased by an iPhone case

[techbeck]

 

The creators of Yellow Jacket, a unique combination of smartphone case and stun gun, think this product could be the answer to New York City's most frequent crime: iPhone theft. "Legalize our device and [it] would stop overnight," says co-founder and CEO Sean Simone.

 

The Yellow Jacket is a pretty basic rubber iPhone case that snaps on to a larger attachment; it holds a battery pack and electric prongs. The device takes about four hours to get to full charge. After that, the Yellow Jacket can be used to double the battery life of an iPhone or zap a wannabe mugger about 50 times.

 

The previous models of the Yellow Jacket sometimes left users with a dilemma: use that last bit of charge to keep the party going, or conserve it in case something bad goes down? The newest models, released today for the iPhone 5C and 5S, remove that uncertainty. "Our new Yellow Jacket always holds a bit of reserve charge so you'll be able to defend yourself," says Simone.

 

The first versions of the Yellow Jacket, built for the iPhone 4 and 4S, were $99. The new version, introduced here at CES 2014, will cost $149 but the company has added on some extra juice. The case now produces 950,000 volts and 1.3 milliamps, up from 650,000 volts and 0.8 milliamps. I sampled both versions. The first-generation Yellow Jacket felt like a bee sting, painful but not debilitating. The second generation felt far stronger and caused the muscles in my arm to spasm.

 

The Yellow Jacket doesn't have much competition from other smartphone stun guns. But a company named Spraytect makes a phone case with built-in pepper spray that retails for a much more affordable $39.95. But while the Yellow Jacket seems like a clear-cut piece of hardware, the founders would prefer you think of it more as platform. "There are a lot of different weapons you could stick on this bad boy. Instead of a Taser it could carry a flashlight or a knife," says Simone. "That's all in the works."

 

 

Video in source...

 

http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/8/5285442/stop-the-apple-picking-yellow-jacket-is-an-iphone-case-and-a-stun-gun

[Ascended-AI]

What if this gets into the hands of a grade school child? Don't get me wrong it's a great invention and it could easily stop robbery, but if put into the hands someone who goes to middle school,high school, and even elementary(considering the rising number of kids getting access to Iphones) could go very wrong. That's just my opinion of course. If this case does become legal, it should have an age limit.

[froggyliver]

Ascended-AI, on 08 Jan 2014 - 15:49, said:

What if this gets into the hands of a grade school child? Don't get me wrong it's a great invention and it could easily stop robbery, but if put into the hands someone who goes to middle school,high school, and even elementary(considering the rising number of kids getting access to Iphones) could go very wrong. That's just my opinion of course. If this case does become legal, it should have an age limit.

This is where parenting comes in and unfortunately doesn't exist for so many families. But that won't stop everyone just like a child could get hold of a knife. But yes that could be bad.

[Ambroos]

What if this gets into the hands of a grade school child? Don't get me wrong it's a great invention and it could easily stop robbery, but if put into the hands someone who goes to middle school,high school, and even elementary(considering the rising number of kids getting access to Iphones) could go very wrong. That's just my opinion of course. If this case does become legal, it should have an age limit.

 

You can pretty much say the exact same thing about knives, guns and all other weapon-like objects. If this is sold it should be sold as a taser that can charge your phone, not a case that can taser.

[techbeck]

What if this gets into the hands of a grade school child? Don't get me wrong it's a great invention and it could easily stop robbery, but if put into the hands someone who goes to middle school,high school, and even elementary(considering the rising number of kids getting access to Iphones) could go very wrong. That's just my opinion of course. If this case does become legal, it should have an age limit.

 

I am pretty sure there will be an age requirement to buy one of these.  Like current tasers. Probably the same risks as there are now.

[Louisifer]

I can imagine this going terribly wrong...

 

You're walking down the street talking on the phone and someone comes up behind you and snatches it, tasers you and walks away knowing you cant do anything... or worse loots your pockets while you're incapacitated.

[xendrome]

Just FYI this isn't a taser, it's a dry stun gun. Two totally different things. Something the media has NEVER been able to accurately report on...

[D. S. Veteran]

I can imagine this going terribly wrong...

 

You're walking down the street talking on the phone and someone comes up behind you and snatches it, tasers you and walks away knowing you cant do anything... or worse loots your pockets while you're incapacitated.

 

You're walking down the street, someone sucker punches you in the back of the head and takes your phone... and everything else it wants. No one is going to waste time tasing you if they can throw a solid punch when you're not expecting.

 

Yellow Jacket's creators claims of stopping iPhone theft are pure hyperbole. If anything, criminals would just stop taking the chance and knock you cold for your iPhone.

[perochan]

what if you accidentally tase your leg or family jewel while in your pocket? :D

like awhile back a thief accidentally butt dialed 911 while robbing a house. lol