Colbert's top threat of the week: killer iPhones. Solution: buy a Zune.

Of course, it all seems so obvious now! How did we not interpret El Jobso's true meaning of the iPhone kill-switch -- it actually kills you. We have noted iPhone expert Stephen Colbert to thank not just for this brilliant deduction, but also for sticking up for the lot of us and giving the iPhone 3G a cold staredown -- but not before declaring, "I knew I should have gotten a Zune! They can't kill me... or do anything else." Zing! Clip after the break (iPhone at 5:45).

[Thanks, Matt]

[gabe @ Aug 15th 2008 11:04PM]

colbert nation!

loved the skit with jeopardy (same episode)

[paul34 @ Aug 15th 2008 11:04PM]

Haha, just watched this earlier today actually at the colbert site.

Also, maybe I've finally just been totally switched over to Colbert humor, but is it just me or has the Daily Show been good, but not as great as it was even last seasons... while Colbert seems to be hitting the mark almost *every* episode now?

It used to be the other way around before that two week "break" they took. I mean, Daily Show is still good, but not as pure awesome as it was. Now it seems Colbert has taken the awesomeness mantle.

[GatgetMan @ Aug 15th 2008 11:39PM]

Colbert is the man

[Tim @ Aug 16th 2008 12:13AM]

Stewart's been just as funny, but hes been pausing after his jokes a little too long, drawing out the laughs; but that may just be against my taste. Plus, his guests seem to take the show more seriously; on the report they play along with the jokes more.

[Aristeia @ Aug 16th 2008 12:27AM]

You know, I swear Colbert's gotten funnier. His style seems to have changed slightly. It's subtle, but enough to really make me laugh my arse off everytime.

[Magnificen7 @ Aug 16th 2008 1:03AM]

I just went and saw a live taping of The Daily Show, and he was absolutely hilarious. The man is a terrific comedian, and he really knows what he's doing. Colbert looks to be more of a satirist, and he too is hilarious. I'd love to get tickets for Colbert next time I'm in NYC.

[j_g_puff @ Aug 16th 2008 6:58AM]

IMO this clip could be vastly improved by removing the audience. I've never seen a comedy programe where added laughter (either live or canned) makes it funnier. And as for current affairs satire, Brasseye and The Day Today have yet to be beaten.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Aug 16th 2008 10:18AM]

I've found Colbert to be funnier than Stewart (well, their respective shows at least) for about a year now. Though the interviews I can generally take or leave, and sometimes the "middle" content just before the interview is weaker on Colbert's show.

Frankly, Stewart got too one-sided for it to be funny anymore. Even though I usually agree with him, it made his legitimate jokes less funny when he'd keep piling on the cheap shots.

[switchbitch @ Aug 16th 2008 6:51PM]

Wow, that guy is really REALLY not funny. American humour is so one-dimensional and unsophisticated, it actually bores me completely to tears. I feel sorry for you guys that you're stuck with this crap, and think it's good.

Ugh.

[cwj @ Aug 16th 2008 9:10PM]

(RONTFLOL @ Switchbitch)

Wait...that was a joke, right?

[Dan @ Aug 17th 2008 1:45AM]

Rob Riggle has me on the floor every time with his macho humor.

"Where are my typing guns? These aren't my typing guns!"

[iPhoner @ Aug 17th 2008 10:45PM]

There is a siimple work around for disabling the Kill Switch's app blacklist cache: http://www.iphone-hacks.com/2008/08/12/iphone-2x-app-kill-switch-confirmed-by-apple-and-easy-workaround-already-published/

[Zinger314 @ Aug 15th 2008 11:05PM]

I have a 8GB iPhone and a 80GB Zune. What does that make me?

[Paulie Walnuts @ Aug 15th 2008 11:13PM]

Sounds like you both got the best phone and the best hard drive based digital media player.

[John Dough @ Aug 15th 2008 11:16PM]

An attention whore?

[who? @ Aug 15th 2008 11:19PM]

Miserable and doomed.

[GatgetMan @ Aug 15th 2008 11:29PM]

iSexual

[The Beef Machine (lala lala la) @ Aug 15th 2008 11:30PM]

simply, a tool.

[Blackstar @ Aug 15th 2008 11:36PM]

Indecisive?

[Mush @ Aug 15th 2008 11:54PM]

erm a B-iSexual

[JohnTitor @ Aug 15th 2008 11:57PM]

not first
doom ready
blending ready
and fanboy attack prepared

[Richard @ Aug 16th 2008 12:19AM]

Do you loa any music on your iPhone? I have a Zune as well, would like a touchscreen phone, but I don't want to buy any itunes music. Only thing I can think of is to put movies on it....

[ethana2 @ Aug 16th 2008 1:33AM]

A supporter of two of the most evil yet influential corporations in the IT industry.

[telepheedian @ Aug 16th 2008 9:15AM]

^ he means anybody that makes an OS worth using, aside from ubuntu.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Aug 16th 2008 10:06AM]

Er... A guy with an iphone and a zune?

[Darren @ Aug 16th 2008 11:59AM]

Someone without a serious music collection.

[Joe @ Aug 15th 2008 11:07PM]

Replace a phone with another gadget that isn't a phone...makes sense.

[DuctTape08 @ Aug 15th 2008 11:10PM]

Anybody else realize his iPhone was in airplane mode?

[paul34 @ Aug 15th 2008 11:18PM]

Haha, yes indeed I did. At first I was wondering what he did to make sure he wouldn't get calls during his segment with the iPhone.

Last episode (or maybe the one before that?) he was actually pretending to do something on the iPhone; unfortunately for him, I noticed it was upside down. Not sure if anyone else caught that. Oh well.

[who? @ Aug 16th 2008 12:14AM]

Duh! If Jobs send the kill signal, he will have an iPhone and still be alive!

[Toren @ Aug 16th 2008 2:45AM]

Noticed it right away! You beat me to it!

[Sohip @ Aug 16th 2008 8:23AM]

I think it's not a real ohone (decoy) like what they have at most cellphone stores.

[jupiterthunder @ Aug 16th 2008 2:06PM]

@Sohip

I was thinking it looked like a dummy when I was watching the TV broadcast.

[Jeff @ Aug 16th 2008 5:31PM]

Airplane mode turns off the GSM radio.

GSM signals can get picked up on microphones (and speakers, etc) from yards away... i'm thinking it was to kill any chance of his lapel mic from picking up GSM interference, as well as make sure it doesn't get a call/text/etc during filming.

[LMM @ Aug 15th 2008 11:13PM]

A very sad, lonely, confused person...

[Big Ed @ Aug 15th 2008 11:54PM]

Don't be so hard on yourself.

[Christian @ Aug 15th 2008 11:17PM]

that was great! i may start watching him now

[Josh R @ Aug 16th 2008 12:43AM]

funny, i always thought it was for playing digital media...i guess that's what i get for reading engadget

[josh @ Aug 16th 2008 2:50PM]

hello Josh R.

[Andrew Moulton @ Aug 15th 2008 11:17PM]

no, not that zing....

[Zinger314 @ Aug 15th 2008 11:22PM]

You rang?

[ethana2 @ Aug 16th 2008 1:34AM]

So it /is/ an orientation

[ericdano @ Aug 15th 2008 11:18PM]

Damn straight Cober(t). The Zune won't do anything, except keep a door open if you wedge it between the floor and the door......

[tony @ Aug 16th 2008 12:57AM]

I find that Zune's flat shape prevents it from making a good doorstop. Apple's curved products on the other hand... Macbook Air was the best doorstop I've ever used. Highly recommended.

[jesusss @ Aug 16th 2008 1:54AM]

its also good for cutting cake

[collegekid13 @ Aug 16th 2008 3:44AM]

OMG jesus on engadget.

[cwj @ Aug 16th 2008 9:11PM]

I always thought the MBA'd make a nice letter opener....

[Matt @ Aug 15th 2008 11:19PM]

Funny that I just see this now. I just finished watching the episode on Hulu.
I thought the top threat was always bears?

[paul34 @ Aug 15th 2008 11:27PM]

Apparently not as dangerous as the ultimate threat, Russian bears.

[Quikboy @ Aug 15th 2008 11:20PM]

Yes. The best alternative to the iPhone is a non-cellphone device. Amazing, right? :^)

But seriously, I love my Zune 80. I just don't get why he didn't use a current Gen 2.0 model of the Zune, than the first generation. I mean he has the latest iPhone 3G in his hands. The latest Zune is 2.0, not 1.0. Oh wait, I guess it was more for a comic effect, since the whole media is suppose to hate Zunes.