Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2007/08/13/no_thumbs_whittled/
iPhone thumb trim hoax gets online media buy-in
Satirical commentary taken as fact
Posted in Networks, 13th August 2007 10:40 GMT
Claims that Thomas Martel, 28, of Bonnie Brae had his over-sized thumbs "whittled" to make using his iPhone easier have turned out to be a marvellous hoax perpetrated by the North Denver News, though one that fooled many online news sources.
Despite the story being littered with clues - references to muscle alterations in the thumb, despite there being no muscles in the tip, and the fact that such surgery would take longer than the iPhone has been around - it hasn't stopped speculation on the motives and stupidity of the fictional Mr Martel, and widespread reporting of the story.
It's true that the QWERTY keyboard is an abomination which should have gone the way of the washboard decades ago - but for the conservative nature of computer users it would have done, and to see it reproduced in miniature on a touch-screen when so many better alternatives exist, beggars belief - but as far as we are aware no human has yet modified themselves to be able to use one.
We'll let you know if we hear of such a thing, but for the moment thumbs up to the North Denver News for such a believable fantasy. We wish we'd thought of it first. ®