iPhones don't pick up paper clips

[mhill24]

If you are wondering how I found out this little tidbit of tech trivia read on...
I am a support analyst for a hospital and it is my job to cater to the VIP's, you know CEO, CIO, COO, and any other letters that go after a name as well as the high profile M.D.'s PHD's, surgeons and any other persons with many, many, many years of higher education... The following is an email chain from a doctor I support and it is my hopes to share a laugh with my fellow IT peeps who just can't believe some of the support questions they get. I can tell you we had a field day with this one in the cube farm.

These are the actual emails.... only altered to protect the errrr ummm... innocent. My comments are in italics.

----- Original Message -----
From: Support.Center
To: ME
Sent: Wed Jul 09 07:54:05 2008
Subject: Support Center Notification

Incident Number : 236742
Open Date: 7/9/2008 7:53:47 AM
Initial Category:
Incident Description: Dr. ______’s phone is suddenly magnetic. Is it supposed to be?


-----Original Message-----
From: ME
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 8:01 AM
To: The Doctor’s Secretary <--I obviously know her quite well
Subject: Fw: Support Center Notification

Wtf do u guys make some of this $ up to make me pull my hair out?

----- Original Message -----
From: The Doctor’s Secretary
To: Me
Sent: Wed Jul 09 08:03:12 2008
Subject: RE: Support Center Notification

Idk! I'm just relaying the message! I saw it pick up a paperclip with my own two eyes and he swears it isn't suppose to do that and he doesn't want to hold a magnet to his head.


-----Original Message-----
From: Me
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 8:06 AM
To: The Doctor’s Secretary
Subject: Re: Support Center Notification

Tell him he is going to have to do better than that to get an iPhone

We recently rolled out Blackberry's enterprise wide and the good Dr. wants an iPhone instead.


The chain stops from the secretary here and switches to the good Dr. himself.

From: Me
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 8:34 AM
To: The Doctor
Subject: new blackberry picks up paper clips to.



I tested a brand new out of the box blackberry and it picks up paperclips…. The speaker is behind the screen and a speaker is a magnet.

-----Original Message----

From: The Doctor
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 8:37 AM
To: Me
Subject: RE: new blackberry picks up paper clips to.

Is it supposed to that?

Does you do that?

________________________________

From: Me
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 8:42 AM
To: The Doctor
Subject: RE: new blackberry picks up paper clips to.

Yes… mine does it too… and I have tested three others… ____’s, a new AT&T 8820 and a new Verizon 8830… all of them pick up paper clips…



We are now engaged in a paper clip picking up battle to see who can pick up the most… I’m in the lead with 6

From: The Doctor
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 8:45 AM
To: Me
Cc: Doctor’s Friend (another Doctor)
Subject: RE: new blackberry picks up paper clips to.

Can you please check with Verizon.....since i am seriously concerned about this as a potential health risk.


From: Me
To: The Doctor
Sent: Wed Jul 09 08:55:43 2008
Subject: RE: new blackberry picks up paper clips to.

Every cell phone we can find down here picks up paper clips…. It is the speaker…

Every phone you have ever used… including the days of the rotary phone has a speaker and thus a magnet.



If you want to call Verizon their tech support number is _______


For the record I was on the phone with Verizon for a different issue and did ask them if a blackberry was supposed to pick up paper clips… I think the guy fell out of his chair (as I heard a big thud) laughing as I explained the doctor’s concerns…


-----Original Message-----

The plot thickens!!!!

From: The Doctor
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 9:20 AM
To: ME
Subject: Re: new blackberry picks up paper clips to.

iPhones don't pick up paper clips....I checked ________, M.D. <-- The M.D. bomb gets dropped…to escalate his ego even further and thus prove his superior intellect over mine

----- Original Message -----
From: Me
To: The Doctor
Sent: Wed Jul 09 10:03:22 2008
Subject: RE: new blackberry picks up paper clips to.

we'll what do you know, I tried it too and it doesn't pick up paperclips.... guess that's one more reason to switch to apple... they even have superior shielding from magnetic forces thus making a cell phone safer!

-----Original Message-----

From: The Doctor
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 10:05 AM
To: ME
Subject: Re: new blackberry picks up paper clips to.

Yes indeed!!
________, M.D.


-----Original Message-----
From: ME
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 10:34 AM
To: CIO
Subject: FW: new blackberry picks up paper clips to.

Um I thought you might want to know that Dr. _____ is leveraging for an iPhone...
Start at the bottom... this is actually kind of funny but ended with a valid point ~evil grin~ I guess....


----- Original Message -----
From: CIO
To: Me
Cc: A Director
Sent: Wed Jul 09 10:38:14 2008
Subject: RE: new blackberry picks up paper clips to.

Well I be darn... This is hilarious. It's probably worth a discussion with ______to develop a future strategy, cost estimates and "party line" for the Iphone.


So there you have it.... iPhones don't pick up paper clips!
I'm am anxiously awaiting to read the comments... Oh and for the record the good Dr. really is a good Dr. and I would consider him a friend, however that may change if he ever reads this thread...

 

[brvheart]

here we all go to test the paperclip theory!!

What a bunch of Dinks....but it is a good reason to get all Apple products


thanks for the great post and fun read!!

 

[Penguinwrangler]

Just goes to show you, you learn something new every day. And one of these days it might cause your death!

 

[xjohnx]

There's also a magnet in the Blackberry to let it know when it is holstered so that it can disable the keypad/screen.

 

[Nykwil]

but how would you pick up your paperclips now if you got an iPhone????!!!

 

[t0mat0]

I have a feeling that CIO's and CEOs are going to be falling for iPhones in the next few days. Nothing like showing people the app store, or an app etc particular to their field.

Macs you say? Aren't they incompatible?

No, you say, they do exchange, Microsoft Office....

hehe- and you have a potential Apple convert!

Edit: Great story by the way OP!

 

[crothy]

This is a pretty funny chain. It made me curious enough that I had to test out my phone. It's a motorola KRAZR or however you spell it, and it too picks up paperclips! It is the speaker that does it, at least on this phone....

 

[Kadman]

On the flip side the magnets are supposed to be "good" and there are some therapy practices surrounding the health benefits of magnets. Tell them the magnets in their current phones are part of the HMO plan. Being in the business, they should buy that theory!

 

[ViViDboarder]

I'm going to start testing this with ALL phones I see. Here goes my Fusic!! I'll only have it for a day more

EDIT: Results are in!!! Fusic pics up paperclips! I think any phone speaker will. I refuse to check the iPhone so that there will be no evidence possible to contradict your theory and better your iPhone switchover atempt

 

[bstpierre]

On the flip side the magnets are supposed to be "good" and there are some therapy practices surrounding the health benefits of magnets. Tell them the magnets in their current phones are part of the HMO plan. Being in the business, they should buy that theory!

I wonder if the concerned doctor has ever ordered an MRI (That's right: Magnetic Resonance Imaging).

 

[PhightinPhils26]

Best Post Of The Day Award!

 

[jdcrow711]

On the flip side the magnets are supposed to be "good" and there are some therapy practices surrounding the health benefits of magnets. Tell them the magnets in their current phones are part of the HMO plan. Being in the business, they should buy that theory!

my bb 8830 does NOT pick up paperclips! is it broken!?

and neither does an ipaq (no its not mine)