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C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,459
It seems crazy that it would take a 14 year old in some school science fair to catch it, but I'm glad someone did. It probably only has a small chance of happening, but you would hate to see it happen even once.
What seems crazy is that this has already been documented and presented in Apple's own documents about the iPad--no one bothers to read them and then suddenly when someone finds something that was there all along it's some sort of "news" and people start thinking how "crazy" it is that no one knew about this...except that they did.
 

Nunyabinez

macrumors 68000
Apr 27, 2010
1,758
2,230
Provo, UT
ing-Magnets-How-do-they-work.jpg
 

rumplestiltskin

macrumors 6502
Apr 12, 2006
284
103
The original story is confusing. Is it the magnets in the iPad or the magnets in the iPad SmartCover? Or Both?
 

69650

Suspended
Mar 23, 2006
3,367
1,876
England
I've never liked those stupid smart covers. They flap around when you carry your iPad, they don't attach to the back when you're using the iPad and they don't provide the same protection or comfort as a proper case. They're a stupid gimmick and Apple should ditch them and create something more useful.
 

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
just joined to agree that it isn't a discovery when its well known that magnets do that and that it is written in the safety documentation or PDF that nobody reads.

It's not only well-known (well it wasn't to me, but it would be to anyone with a defibrillator), it is by design: A person with a defibrillator can turn it off by holding a magnet to the right place of their body. Fully intentional.

----------

I would b asking why did the child test this out, how did they find out? It's not really normal to turn ones implanted defibrillator off?

And does this not mean the magnets in my Nexus 7 and it's case can not also produce the exact same results?

Any magnets (if strong enough). And it's a design feature of the defibrillator: It can be turned off if necessary without putting your finger on the "off" switch which would require first to cut someone's body open, by holding magnets in the right places.
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,459
The original story is confusing. Is it the magnets in the iPad or the magnets in the iPad SmartCover? Or Both?
Doesn't seem confusing at all: "A fourteen-year-old has discovered that the tiny magnets inside the iPad can inadvertently shut off..." and "Apple builds magnets into every iPad it sells for use with..."
I've never liked those stupid smart covers. They flap around when you carry your iPad, they don't attach to the back when you're using the iPad and they don't provide the same protection or comfort as a proper case. They're a stupid gimmick and Apple should ditch them and create something more useful.
Um the iPad smart covers have a magnet in them? DUHH!!!! :p



They kinda have to considering Apple hires kids to make lame comments about their competition. :rolleyes:
Again, this is not about the Smart Covers but about the iPads.
 

BLParks12

macrumors newbie
May 9, 2013
1
0
There is a major error in this article using the terms "pacemaker" and "defibrillators" synonymously. Pacemakers are devices that help control the rhythm of the heart and defibrillators act as those electric paddles to start the heart up again if the heart stops. It sounds from the article like the magnet stops the defibrillator, NOT the pacemaker. Kind of a big mistake if you are trying to save lives.
 

samcraig

macrumors P6
Jun 22, 2009
16,779
41,982
USA
That, and it's funny how it's always Apple that winds up in the headline. Do Microsoft Surface extra-clicky keyboard cover magnets also do this, or are they using pacemaker safe magnets?

Perhaps because the experiment was done with an iPad and not with a Surface. Maybe because the 14 year old HAD an iPad and NOT a surface?

Sarcasm noted - but your question seems silly as asked
 

C DM

macrumors Sandy Bridge
Oct 17, 2011
51,392
19,459
I'm 18 and I have a pacemaker and I use the iPad all the time. I just have to make sure I don't have my iPad on my chest before I fall asleep.
Doesn't really seem it's pacemaker related as much as defibrillator related.
Oh please. Gun control is more of an issue than an iPad Smart Cover killing people. Damn Media!
Especially since this doesn't have anything to do with the Smart Cover.
 

Rocko1

macrumors 68020
Nov 3, 2011
2,070
4
In other news, sleeping with a can of gasoline on your chest with a lit cigar in your hand may lead to instantaneous combustion.
 

samcraig

macrumors P6
Jun 22, 2009
16,779
41,982
USA
In other news, sleeping with a can of gasoline on your chest with a lit cigar in your hand may lead to instantaneous combustion.

So are you suggesting that this information shouldn't be shared. Or better yet - are you insinuating that a 14 year old's science experiment is something to be mocked?
 

duervo

macrumors 68020
Feb 5, 2011
2,468
1,234
There is a major error in this article using the terms "pacemaker" and "defibrillators" synonymously. Pacemakers are devices that help control the rhythm of the heart and defibrillators act as those electric paddles to start the heart up again if the heart stops. It sounds from the article like the magnet stops the defibrillator, NOT the pacemaker. Kind of a big mistake if you are trying to save lives.

Exactly. Pacemaker is not the same thing as an implanted defibrillator.

Pacemakers are usually smaller than those implanted defibrillators, which can make a distinct difference in the probability of the SmartCover magnets affecting their operation.

I'm not surprised that the teen never won the fair. It's rather common knowledge that magnets can have an adverse affect on medical devices. It's even more apparent to those that actually have a medical device inside their chest. I am, however, surprised that her father, who is supposedly a Medical Doctor, found the "discovery" shocking to the point of presenting the "findings" to ~8000 other Doctors.
 

ChrisTX

macrumors 68030
Dec 30, 2009
2,690
54
Texas
Just because he's smarter than you doesn't mean you should start accusing people now.

Oh wait. Anything "bad" said about Apple means sneaky no good Samsung is behind it.

Bad Samsung. Bad!

It was obviously sarcasm. Apparently jokes about Samsung don't go over very well around here. :rolleyes:
 
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