iMeat: Heartburn for iPod Fans December 29, 2005

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If you got a Video iPod for the holidays this year, you should be thanking your lucky stars it didn’t come from the Hawaiian Keeaumoku Wal-Wart. Rachel Cambra, a mom and an employee of that Wal-Mart store, gave her son a Christmas gift which she believed to be a Video iPod she had put on layaway. But when the big moment arrived on Christmas morning and the present was ripped open, there was no iPod to be found. Just a wrapped-up piece of meat. Yes, I said meat. Not sure what kind of meat, but the fact that it was wrapped made it a little more palatable. Wal-Mart promises to replace the iPod as soon as possible and Apple doesn’t seem to have a comment. And Rachel, maybe you can make it up with a nice Christmas kebab? Just sayin’.

Update: Yes, I too find this story hard to swallow. Channel 2 News Hawaii is certainly among my most trusted sources of news. But I have yet to find anything to prove this meaty tale is spoiled. So, I’m offering a small prize to the first person who e-mails tips@gizmodo.com with evidence that this story is a fake. Be sure to write “iMeat” in the subject line.

Update #2: We have an email from someone who claims to be an insider at the Wal-mart Corp. Office in Hawaii, here is what she says:

As for your iMeat story-looks like Walmart is actually at fault. I’m an investigator for Walmart’s Corp. Office in Honolulu (we handle internal theft, shipment shortages, barcode fraud etc).

Truth is, there was 2 more units found to have
“wrapped meat” in them and actually suspect an
ex-employee of the tampering. The 2 other units were
purchased by employees as Christmas gifts too.

Ms. Cambra should be getting her replacement within
the week.