MacBook's iSight unknowingly photographs Apple repair center

Here's one that doesn't happen very often ever. As bad as we rumor mongers pry and pry to get inside of ole Steve's brain, sneaking a peek behind closed Cupertino doors is all but impossible (even for Mr. Dell). Nevertheless, a clever Mac user got numerous undercover photographs of the inside workings at an Apple authorized repair center (Flextronics International) in Tennessee. Rather than pulling out any MacGyver-based stunts, he simply wrote a script -- dubbed Walking Study -- that instructed his MacBook to snap a photo (and upload it to his Flickr account) with the built-in iSight each time it awoke from sleep. When his dear 'Book got sent out for repair, however, the fully-functional webcam continued to perform perfectly within the secretive confines, giving everyone a glimpse of an incredibly average looking warehouse. Although the stealthy camera didn't snap any shots of (potentially) forthcoming iPhone or widescreen iPod prototypes, we've got to give credit where it's due -- Toby Mckeys got closer to the Apple's core than we've seen in quite some time.

[Via TUAW]

[Steven @ Nov 10th 2006 4:04PM]

"...dubbed Walking Study.."

Don't you mean WAKING Study?

[Korey @ Nov 10th 2006 4:10PM]

Umm this has been on TUAW for about 3 days now and all the Flickr images have been blocked. The guy who created the automator app. has it available for download.

[dpk @ Nov 10th 2006 4:26PM]

Do you have a link for that download?

[a.sintic @ Nov 10th 2006 4:20PM]

If nothing else, I salute him for ingenuity.

[O.G. @ Nov 10th 2006 4:43PM]

Apple authorized repair center? SFW.

[o rly @ Nov 10th 2006 4:41PM]

Old news, and IIRC, the same guy assumed the black person photographed "stole" his RAM. ...Most of the pictures are gone now anyway.

[John H @ Nov 10th 2006 5:05PM]

So, this Apple repair center has an unprotected wireless network?

[ithcy @ Nov 14th 2006 8:16AM]

Why would it need any wireless network? When the computer wakes, the startup script snaps a picture and saves it to the HD, and the whnever it finally does have a connection it uploads all the photos.

[Alcaron @ Nov 10th 2006 4:59PM]

OMG DON'T YOU GUYS SEE THAT!!!

Apple uses shelves!!!

[Alex Paris @ Nov 10th 2006 5:05PM]

haha cool.

[ScOObyDoo @ Nov 10th 2006 5:35PM]

Only in the world of Apple could a generic repair center turn people on.

[Ayeatea Wiener @ Nov 10th 2006 5:42PM]

Are those pic's of the new 6G video ipod?

[Matt @ Nov 10th 2006 6:07PM]

Why the hell would a repair center have some super secret iPod stuff? Anyway, I also wonder how it uploaded to his flickr account from there.

[Eddie @ Nov 10th 2006 6:16PM]

I'm also wondering how it ended up getting access to the intarwebs...

Then again, we all know that all Apple's products are made of magic...

[Korey @ Nov 10th 2006 6:21PM]

dpk its on tuaw.com. i belive you have to edit the script.

[Brian @ Nov 10th 2006 6:53PM]

Anyone seen the tape? My glasses fell apart again. Dangit!

[wvanduser @ Nov 10th 2006 7:03PM]

Good ol' TN ingenuity!!

[Chris Epler @ Nov 10th 2006 8:57PM]

Awww, my G4 Powerbook doesn't have iSight built-in... I sent mine in for repair and ended up with a minor scratch on the cover and some Vietnamese DVD in the drive... ( http://www.epler.net/ )

[ralphg @ Nov 11th 2006 12:21AM]

I had a similar thing happen. I sent in my Canon camera for repair, and when it cam back, it had photograph's of Canon's repair facility -- obviously the repairman was taking test shots, and forget to erase them from the memory card.

[general Public @ Nov 11th 2006 10:00AM]

You sent your camera in for repairs and left a memory card in? WTF?

[general pubic @ Nov 16th 2006 12:14AM]

some digital cameras have built in memory

[conor @ Jul 29th 2008 5:57PM]

including most if not every sony one.

[maxter @ Jul 29th 2008 9:23PM]

@general Public

I thought most manufacturers asked for the accessories as well when you send equipment for repair...

@general public

Actually, he said the guy forgot to erase them from the memory card.