back to article Worried dad invents pepper-spray iPhone case

An Arizona man concerned for the safety of his college-bound daughter has created a personal-protection device that she's sure to carry with her everywhere: an iPhone case that doubles as a pepper-spray shooter. "Most co-eds don't go anywhere without their smartphone," inventor Scott McPherson notes on the website of his …

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  1. Richard Ball

    Next

    Someone make an android phone case that incorporates an Uzi.

    Just make sure the corners are good and sharp - that way not only do you not get sued - you can jab it at the attacker when you run out of 9mm leaden goodness.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Next

      Bet she doesn't get asked on any dates. Dads a little over protective I think.

  2. NoneSuch Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Wow. This is the first Reg article in the last two weeks that didn't have a James Bond or Skyfall reference.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Facepalm

      Unfortunately the same can't be said about a commentard failing to tediously mention "rounded corners" and thinking themselves witty.

      1. solidsoup

        News next week.

        Apple applies for a patent on integrating chemical dispersal mechanism into body of the phone. Headphone jack is used for release.

      2. 404
        Facepalm

        Rounded, smounded...

        I'm more concerned about holding the damn thing properly.... MY EYES! MY EYES! lol

        ;)

    2. Robert Carnegie Silver badge

      Excuse me?

      You think this isn't a James Bond device? Not one of Q's best efforts, I admit, but an effective counter against the watch with a magnet that unzips ladies' clothes.

  3. Old Handle
    Facepalm

    "Co-eds" - Really?

    What year is it again? It seems like a strange choice of words, especially since he's trying to market to that demographic and supposedly designed this for his daughter.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    It's a conspiracy, I tell you!

    "Worried dad" my left genital - This is an Agent Of The Government, out to Oppress Us ALL! By making cell phones into a weapon, now when The JackBooted THUGS see us trying to film their TOTALITARIAN CRIMES against the 99%, The MAN can use the excuse "I thought they were pulling a pepper spray can, so I shot them - and the phone, too, because it was a weapon!"

    (how did I do? Did I capture the tinfoil-chapeau brigade correctly?)

    1. 404

      Re: It's a conspiracy, I tell you!

      David, this must have been a tongue-in-cheek joke because, since as everybody NOT in the US is fond of telling merkins, we mostly run around with our collective heads up our fat asses.

      Not an agent of the Feds, just worried about his daughter, but surely this could be used during the internal police investigation as justification.

      Sucks, but plausible.

      :|

  5. Arachnoid

    You carry a weapon and theres more chance of it being used against you rather than the attacker

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      FTFY

      "You carry a weapon *and assume merely carrying it acts as some magical force field, and are unwilling to use it when the time comes, and are unpracticed in its use*, and theres more chance of it being used against you rather than the attacker"

      1. Dana W

        Re: FTFY

        Exactly! We get these. Like people who buy a gun and think they can wave it around like the movies and the bad guy stops and walks away.

        It does not work like that, whatever you are carrying, if you are not willing to use it and know how it works. DON'T carry anything.

        If my gun has to leave its holster, I'm 100% ready to use it if I have to. I have had to draw it twice, thankfully I've never had to use it.

      2. dssf

        Re: FTFY

        What about embeded weapons? Wear a razors or spikes attached to bands under clothing, on legs, abs, and arms. They only actually work when the wearer is tackled, bear hugged, or pinned down or against a wall.

        The attacker then is subjected to Blair's 16 Million Reserve:

        http://www.chilliworld.com/SP6.asp?p_id=63

        The attacker would be hotter than hellbanero, and jumping into a swimming pool or shower might burn his or her ass up even better. Anyone running and screaming, while tearing off his or her clothing is either a criminal, or reenacting a Clint Eastwood movie perp-on-the-run scene. Or, has seerious, searious, serous and enduring psychological issues in the making. Police could then apprehend on sight or at a reporting clinic or hospital, or at a church confessional.

        1. Old Handle
          Joke

          Embeded weapons?

          Have you every heard the one about the pirate with a wooden leg, a hook hand and an eye patch?

    2. Dana W

      If you are an idiot who has no training. I love how you lot think weapons are foam rubber in the hands of honest people and become iron bars when powered by criminals.

  6. The Alpha Klutz
    Thumb Down

    not a fan of chemical weapons

    there's easier cheaper ways to hurt people

    1. The Alpha Klutz

      Re: not a fan of chemical weapons

      and in the heat of an attack, how is having your most expensive possession attached awkwardly to your weapon via cheap plastic supposed to offer any benefit at all? the savvy shopper would buy the refill cans on their own... probably direct from the supplier so no money has to go to this sociopath.

      1. Old Handle
        Flame

        Re: not a fan of chemical weapons

        I suppose it makes some sense if you're being robbed. "Okay! Okay! I'll give you my iPhone..."

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Correct me if I'm wrong but...

    With the cylinder attached to the phone it becomes quite bulky. A lot of people carry their phone in their pockets, something I don't see happening with such a cylinder attached to it. Which brings me to: if due to the cylinder the phone ends up in her purse; then what is the added value in comparison to carrying a can of pepperspray?

    Another thing which strikes me as a bit inefficient is that you have to "snap onto its back a cylindrical housing that contains a pepper-spray cartridge. Rotate the cartridge into firing position, aim your Cupertinian smartphone at the menacing miscreant, press the actuator button". With a simple spraycan you grab it from your purse, pull of the protective lid and then simply press the nozzle.

    When you're in a panic situation I don't see people easily capable of rotating something into a "firing position" before usage. What I see them capable of is pulling off a lid as quickly as they can and then pressing a nozzle as hard as they can while aiming the pepper spray at their attacker.

    When you're in a panic situation you usually don't think straight; things need to be quickly available and as easy to use as possible.

    1. Qassam ElShawarma

      Re: Correct me if I'm wrong but...

      Women have no pockets, they always use a purse; that's where they typically keep their pepper spray anyway.

  8. Jeff 36
    Pirate

    I can see someone accidentally spraying someone because they held their phone wrong.. and even worse.. they are using their phone in the car... with the windows UP!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Brings new meaning to you're holding it wrong doesn't it?

      :P

  9. Darryl
    Pirate

    "Here, look at this cute picture I took of my cat!"

    <phoosh>

    AHHHHHGGGHHHHH!

    "Oh, sorry. Forgot to tell you not to hold it that way."

  10. JaitcH
    Unhappy

    Another stupid iThingy accessory ...

    that is ideally positioned to be bought buy people who have the challenged mentality to buy anything Apple.

    Makes you wonder why Apply is so hell bent on 'thin' when people buy accessories like these.

    1. Dana W
      Trollface

      Re: Another stupid iThingy accessory ...

      Yeah the hell with Apple and their well built stuff that works! they should buy windows 8 like SMART people!

  11. Big-nosed Pengie

    Maybe he should try capsicum spray - it'd be more effective.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    She's more likely to spray herself

    Some drunken night fumbling for it in her purse.

    1. Tapeador

      Re: She's more likely to spray herself

      Absolutely correct: you're not meant to handle anything that's even TOUCHED chilli powder without washing your hands really, really well afterwards - there's basically contamination, such that if you touch your eye, or any sensitive bit, you can get burned agonisingly and actually damaged I think.

      Having a pepper spray as part of a phone case means regular casual handling and pressure on it, and that you don't have that necessary quarantining of the materials, to keep you safe from coming into contact with it.

  13. Jon Lamb
    Pint

    Your pepper spray iPhone case ...

    ... is no match for my roofie colada!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Your pepper spray iPhone case ...

      pepper spray just makes me madder

  14. Richard Cartledge

    In all of those I've seen/used, it comes out in a waterpistol jet, not a mist as in the photo.

    You need something light that you can hold in one hand and adjust aim by wrist tilting.

    The form factor of being stuck to a heavy and cumbersome smartphone which you have to hold like a smartphone would make it very hard to aim.

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    I can see into the future!!!

    Newsline--College co-ed blinded while posting water-skiing squirrel picture on Instagram.....

  16. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    this is idiotic

    and illegal in the uk. pepper spray is classed as a firearm.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: this is idiotic

      Of course.

      We wouldn't want the expendable populace to defend themselves now, would we?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: this is idiotic

      Classed as a firearm, no. No it's not. Not even in the UK.

      It is not a projected energy weapon.

      It is principally classed as a condiment.

  17. bogwart
    FAIL

    Shame nobody mention s it's illegal to import, own or use one in this country.

  18. Imsimil Berati-Lahn
    Flame

    How handy!

    Just the ticket if you're on a date and the pizza restaurant has skimped on the spicey >again<.

    Mines the 14" barbecue chicken w Dorset Naga and mushrooms.

  19. mad_dr

    Wonder if...

    ... This has a free app that uses the rear camera as an aiming screen complete with crosshair

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