Pretty painful in pink: The MP3-playing Taser

By Michael V. Copeland

LAS VEGAS — What’s the best music to accompany getting incapacitated by a Taser? Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust,” maybe, or The Doors, “The End.” That’s what is running through my mind as Tom Smith, chairman and co-founder of Taser International prepped me for a little shock treatment therapy today at the Consumer Electronics Show.

For the woman who wants to consolidate her personal protection and music collection, Scottsdale Ariz.-based Taser International (TASR) just launched the C2 encased in an MP3-playing holster. The lightweight (seven ounces) device, about the size of a small stapler, is a full-blown law enforcement-strength Taser that comes in your choice of leopard print ($379.99) or a palette of designer colors, including a brilliant pink and bright blue ($349.99). For dead-eye accuracy it sports a LED flashlight and a laser. You put the red dot where you want it to go, from as far as 15-feet away, press a button and a cartridge of compressed nitrogen shoots two #8 Eagle Claw fishhooks out speeding toward the soon-to-be-in-a-world-of-pain attacker.

And so you don’t have to clutter your bag with your protection and an iPod, Taser now offers a chic $72.99 leather holster that includes a flash-based digital music player with a 1GB capacity. “People today want one device that does it all,” Smith says as he attaches two alligator clips to my leg. “Why not have a music player?” Of course that leads to the question of what songs best suit the well-protected woman (about 60% of of Taser users are women, Smith says).

With a smile still on his face, Smith punches the button on the Taser now connected to my leg, and sends the full-jolt of two, 3-volt lithium ion batteries into my leg. He’s still smiling when a sensation of being hammered on my femur and tibia from the inside gathers momentum, and my right leg begins to buckle. All I can manage is a loud expletive, before Smith stops the torture. “I’ve got the song,” Smith says still smiling. “Can’t Touch This.”

Indeed.

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To the person that said they don’t like the idea of being incapacitated at 15 feet - They are already so many options to do that. Do you think people will really try to knock you down when they can be tracked down?

The Taser has anti-felon tags which are deployed with the cartridge, so police can locate who the Taser was registered to.

Taser - Background check, $350, anti-felon tags, etc… Way too much work for the average criminal just to see if they can incapacitate someone.

Finally, you will also be happier being knocked down by a Taser versus a knife or a gun! I know I would.

Posted By Mark, Arlington VA : March 21, 2008 1:13 pm

I don’t like the idea of the police, let alone ANYONE with $350 having the ability the incapacitate me at 15 feet. What if as a result of being incapacitated, you are struck by traffic, or fall in such a way that you are unable to breath or protect yourself? Anyone ever consider that this might be a great stocking stuffer FOR a mugger, rapist or paranoid citizen?

Posted By Ken Pletzer, Canton, MI : March 14, 2008 2:31 pm

Taser should figure out how to incorporate the taser into a cell phone then maybe there would be less perverts, attackers, and kidnappers taking kids and women.

Posted By Greenville, pa : January 17, 2008 8:19 am

Yo Bob-

The Mp3 player isn’t even part of the taser. It’s part of the holster. Keep the taser locked up like you would ANY weapon and put it in the hoster when you go out on your own with the taser / mp3 holster on your belt.

No kid’s gonna hurt anybody if they play with the mp3 enabled HOLSTER.

It’s kind of like the old saying “guns don’t kill people - bullets kill people.” The hoster by itself isn’t a weapon.

Posted By Ben Goldman, Atlanta GA USA : January 11, 2008 1:09 pm

i think this is cool beacause now women can be less afraid to go out by them selves.

Posted By joy riverview florida : January 11, 2008 12:55 pm

They should also bould in an artificial dildo at the other end.

Posted By Kriszti Hungary , Europe : January 9, 2008 5:37 am

Best. Headline. Ever.

Posted By TC, San Carlos, CA : January 8, 2008 1:34 pm

This is the dumbest idea i have seen. what if you push the wrong button, or drop it and it accidentally goes off, or your kid gets into you mp3 player. dumb

Posted By bob, omaha, NE : January 7, 2008 10:58 pm

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