While you won’t see it in any Apple store near you, a Gloucester County man’s customized iPod is gaining a ton of attention.
“I invented the strapless watch with a project called iDermal,” said David Hurban, 21, of Williamstown.
On April 19, Hurban, a body piercer at Dynasty Tattoo in Newfield, punched holes into his wrist, put four magnets inside, and then attached an iPod Nano 6.
“I put four magnets on my wrist and I put four pieces of metal on the back of the iPod and it clicks right in,” said Hurban.
To pull it off, Hurban used specialized piercings known as microdermal anchors.
“Microdermal anchors are a very common piercing in today’s society,” said Hurban. “They’re mostly done on girls, on the hips, the collar bones and the back dimples. All I did was instead of having a jewel top I used a magnetic top.”
Hurban said he was inspired to do it after viewing a picture of an iPod Nano on tumblr.
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“I saw the picture and thought it was awesome,” said Hurban. “I saw it had a clock interface and I was like wow, that’s amazing. I did it for myself. Over everything else I did it because I wanted a strapless watch.”
Hurban’s unique product has earned plenty of feedback, both positive and negative. An official video of Hurban implanting the magnets into his skin has gained over 1 million hits on youtube.
“Everyone I show in person is really about it,” said Hurban. “Obviously you could tell there are a few people who don’t like it, but whatever. A lot of youtube haters and stuff like that. But it’s all good. As far as the comments and stuff keep them coming. The funnier the better.”
Hurban says his favorite youtube comment comes from a user by the name of “raphaarc.” The comment reads “iDiot.” With 28 “likes” and counting, it’s the top comment on Hurban’s video.
“That was the best one,” laughs Hurban. “There’s nothing funnier than that. People have been trying really hard but when that first person did it, that was hilarious. But that was it, there’s just nothing funny anymore.”
Aside from his youtube “haters,” Hurban has also received criticism from the Association of Professional Piercers. According to the Daily News, the group accused Hurban of using an illegal tool in creating the strapless watch called a “dermal punch.” The group also reportedly claims that attaching a foreign object to a fresh piercing is unsanitary. Hurban told the Daily News that he didn’t do anything illegal and that any backlash he receives is nothing more than “high school,” jealousy.
With Apple’s notorious tendency to constantly debut new products, Hurban says he has no plans to attach more of the company's devices to his skin.
“They’re saying that because Apple always makes new products that I’m actually going to care about the next Apple product which I blatantly don’t,” said Hurban. “Does it look like I care? Because I don’t.”
But while Hurban no longer plans to use new Apple products, he also says his usage of microdermal implants, which he refers to as the next big thing in piercing, is only beginning.
“I’ve got a lot of cool stuff planned next,” said Hurban. “I’m not going to tell you what it is but I got a lot of cool things planned next. This could be the start of something really big and new because it’s different. In today’s world everyone’s already done everything twice. Everyone’s always looking for the next thing and this is something that no one else has done before.”
