Apple gives free iPods to kids affected by California wildfires
By Nilay Patel 
posted December 4th 2007 6:36PM
posted December 4th 2007 6:36PM
It's a small, small consolation, but Apple has donated free iPod nanos to over 100 kids in a California school district who lost their homes in the recent wildfires. Affected high school students in Poway, California, received the devices after Steve Boyack, husband of a Poway city councilwoman, noticed that fundraising and gift drives organized by the city targeted mainly young children and older folks and decided to write Steve Jobs an email at his famously public email address. Steve didn't write back, but Michael Foulkes, Apple's senior manager for state and local government affairs, soon had the iPods on their way. Apple being Apple, it's declined to comment on the story, and Boyack says the company didn't want any publicity to begin with, saying, "It was strictly from the heart and just wanting to help." Love or hate Apple, you've got to respect them for trying to provide at least a little holiday cheer.
@crecentdavid
IDIOT! You completely missed the point of his post! Apple didn't promote themselves, they didn't promote anyone! They're not even pushing this to be a "kind gesture." It was simply a kind gesture!
read my above posts for more rant.
Apple did not ship these off immediately as a PR stunt. Someone emailed Apple, personally asking for them. Maybe you should email Apple and ask too, who knows, you might get one as well?
Apple got the email, and sent off a hundred iPod nanos, because giving away 100 iPods isn't that big of a deal to the company, they didn't have to do it, but they were nice enough and did.
Some of the posts on here disgust me. I live in Poway, and have been evacuated twice from wildfires ('03 and '07). Though my house was safe both times, I know a lot of people who lost homes. It's a hard thing to go through, and it can take awhile to get things back to normal. I know the Boyack family personally, and I can guarantee that this was no PR stunt. When a disaster like this happens, people chip in. Churches donated buckets of cleaning supplies, construction companies offered their services in clearing out debree. Even retail stores and auto dealers gave discounts to fire victims. Personally, I applaud Apple for this act. Every little bit helps, and receiving an iPod probably helps to make the kid's life more normal. All anyone wants is to just get back to their old lives.
very nice of apple!
Oh yeah...posting from my iPod touch
It's just great to know that, even though none of these people will have homes, they will have IPods.
Any other companies want to donate worthless shit?
Come unto me my little children and we shall spread the word. Apple iPod, thou art my Savior. Those little tykes had better remember and return the generosity when they grow up. They had better buy Apple products in the future. That's a good way to buy loyalty.
Microsoft and Dell didn't give those kids anything. Like they really would have been happy getting a copy of Windows Vista or some stupid Zune.
Who cares what Apple's motives are. If I got a free iPod after my house burned down I would still be thankful I got something. Better than walking around with a seashell to my ear.
excuse me for being a jerk but I live in San Diego county and it's not like Poway is the most impoverished town. In fact I wonder how many kids will complain to their mummy that Uncle Steve didn't send them iPhones.
I'm pretty sure anyone who had their house burned down could really care less whether they got an iPhone or an iPod nano for free.
And I live in Poway too.
for all you people talking about how we wouldn't have computers...
my family evacuated (our house still stands, praise the lord), and the first thing we packed were our computers. I packed my MacBook, my mom hers, and my dad his tower.
then we grabbed pictures and stuff.
plus, we kept our eyes glued to the news, and they were constantly advising to bring your computers, or external hard drives.
What about the children of soldiers fallen in combat in support of Operation Iraq Freedom? Or does that go against the leftist anti-war agenda?
Are you kidding me?
This, from a guy who claimed to be in Iraq just so he would be picked to win a Microsoft sidewinder mouse during the Engadget giveaways.
Yeah, you certainly sound like someone who is would say something like 'leftist anti-war agenda'. Anyone care to check kuade's IP & see if it is actually coming from Iraq? Bet it's not...
Maybe if you actually were in Iraq, you would see why so may RATIONAL minded people think we shouldn't be. Your president lied to the whole country to get us into this mess. Now, he is trying to do the same with Iran. You are a feeble minded sheep my friend. You should stop wasting your time here when you could be on the Rush Limbaugh blog getting your daily dose of brainwashing & IQ reduction.
This was a good move on Apple's part - much like how Verizon will drive a COW(Cell on Wheels) or COLT(Cell on Light Truck) for people to use when cell service is knocked out. I applaud Apple for making Christmas for those kids a little bit brighter.
I think everybody has predetermined what one possession they would take with them if their house was on fire. I can't be the only one who would take the laptop. I'd leave my 1st gen nano behind to burn, so this would be a very appropriate gift.
Kudos to Apple for trying to help. Obviously most (all?) of their products require a computer to use, so short of giving all the kids a free Macbook, it was a nice idea.
"over 100 kids" woohoo~
Thank you blackstar! Everyone's commenting on how the people don't have computers...they don't have homes either! At this point in their lives, they have no need for a computer. How about apple donate something useful, like, oh, MONEY. You know, something that can be used to rebuild a house or pay for medical expenses.
"The other day, apple gave our son an ipod. '2000 songs in your pocket' they said, and then we told them all our son's pants with pockets had been lost in the fire..."
has anyone seen Curb Your Enthusiasm lately?
"I'm Anonymous! I'm Anonymous!!!"
-Larry David
“Yeah, and for that matter, why donate food to a homeless shelter? I mean, you may be donating a can of corn, and those people may not even like corn. So why do it?
I sincerely can not believe the logic of some of the people here. Someday you'll suffer a tragedy, hopefully you remember your views today”
“They are actually a business and made an exception this one time as a good will gesture to local Californians, thats all.”
“I'm pretty sure anyone who had their house burned down could really care less whether they got an iPhone or an iPod nano for free”
“How about apple donate something useful, like, oh, MONEY. You know, something that can be used to rebuild a house or pay for medical expenses”
“In theory, there is no way for poor Steve to win”
It’s an empty gesture. Pure and simple. People are in need and a major corporation who makes billions annually gives them… iPods.
I’m sure the kids are enjoying their new Nano’s… here’s to hoping they aren’t listening to their Nano’s in a shelter or temporary FEMA mobile home.
You people who are christening Apple as such a giving and thoughtful company are really the ones missing the point.
And it’s not just Apple. It’s all major corporations. How much money they make off the back of Americans, and the rest of the world… and don’t ever give back?
Someone else tried to argue that Apple doesn’t even have a protocol for charity or donations… that in itself is an evil tragedy.
Then they give away a 100 Nanos (hmm… 100 x $150 = $15K… wow, how bad do you think that set Apple back?) and some of you act like Steve Jobs must be Jesus Christ or Mohammad. Oh… and who wants to bet me that Apple puts that $15K down as a charitable donation tax write off?
Yes, let’s read the article again, shall we… so Apple doesn’t usually donate, they were just responding to an email. Translation: “We usually don’t give 2 s#!ts, sometimes not even one… but had we ignored the email, that was potential bad press for us… so here’s 100 Nanos. Hey, we remember all those anti-Starbucks emails from 9-11!”
“Steve Jobs didn’t write back…” Of course not. He probably doesn’t even know he gave away 100 Nanos until he read it on engadget.com!
“@BigBirdUK, Blackstar, NBurt, nklr, RedBull Runner, and everyone else mocking the victims with fire-related music”
No, you all need to pull your thongs out you ass and not be so uptight. No one is mocking victims, they’re mocking APPLE and their insensitivity. Yes, I said insensitive… cause how do you approach a child who’s home was burnt and say, “We feel for you… here’s an iPod”. With that kind of humanitarian philosophy, they might as well have included Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House” on every Nano they gave away.
“much like how Verizon will drive a COW(Cell on Wheels) or COLT(Cell on Light Truck) for people to use when cell service is knocked out”
OMG… you’re kidding, right? Verizon provided a MUCH NEEDED SERVICE to disaster victims! Here, try evaluating these 2 statements:
- We’re sorry you’re stranded and have no home, please use our free service to contact your family or anyone that you may need to get in touch with
- We’re sorry your house is destroyed and you’re stranded… here, listen to Britney Spear’s latest album with this iPod Nano
“Whens the last time any of you gave time or money to charity you freakin losers”
Every paycheck, money is deducted from my account for United Way and a local children’s hospital. Going on 8 years now. We’re not talking about me, we’re talking about Apple and other major corporations. Don’t question others and you sure as hell better volunteer what YOU do if you’re going to criticize.
I don’t even hate Apple. I’m not even an Apple basher. But even I can see this whole things reeks of publicity.
Yes, it was nice… but it’s also superficial and forced. No one should applaud Apple… instead, we all should be thinking, “That’s it? That’s all you got?”
Now it’s at this point that I think someone needs to prove the criticizers wrong and show what and how much money Apple has given to charities in a year.
I have been labeled 'fanboy' by some here a few times. Whatever- I've been using Macs for a long time & really like them, also think that Apple is one of the coolest companies due to some of the things they have come out with & how they started. OK, call me fanboy. I am happy to be labeled that when I see what the anti-Apple fan will do for their stance. You people are questioning a charitable gesture, for the only reason that you hate Apple. Listen to yourselves! You would rather these people got NOTHING rather than an Apple product. They can sell it for much needed cash, give it away as a a Christmas present, or keep it & as a personal possession, which they are no doubt in a serious deficit of. Anything - But because it is Apple, you phuqknutz are looking a gift horse in the mouth. I dislike Microsoft for many reasons, but when they do something charitable I give them credit. I always say the I hate Bill Gates the capitalist, but I like Bill Gates the philanthropist. That side of Bill Gates didn't exist years ago. Once it came to light, I had a new respect for the man, because it says something about a person. Something that most likely won't be said about many of you anytime soon. I still don't like his products or business practice but kudos to him & Linda for all the good they have done elsewhere.
I have to say, you make me really proud of which side of the Apple fence I stand on when I see what you justify as comments.
there's no denying that apple has done a nice thing for these kids...but this situation has gimmick written all over it
It's so down from Apple to use a tragedy for marketing.
:-(
it beats getting a zune.
apple likes to brainwash them early so they grow up to be apple fanboys.. they also used to donate a ton of computers to schools for the same reason, it pays off in the end.
"I'm buying an apple when I grow up because they're such a nice company!"
Sort of like Toyota?