Taser debuts MP3 holster

[gwebb1981]

Shock rock? Taser debuts MP3 holster
Andrew Johnson
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 7, 2008 05:36 PM
http://www.azcentral.com/business/ar...er0108-ON.html

Taser International Inc. wants customers to rock out to their favorite music while toting around the company's personal stun gun.

At the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Monday, the Scottsdale company unveiled a stun-gun holster that contains a digital music player.

The Taser MPH (Music Player Holster) contains a 1-gigabyte MP3 player that holds about 500 songs.

The MPH will cost about $80 and begins shipping in March. It is designed to hold the Taser C2, an updated version of its consumer model the company debuted at the tradeshow last year.

Taser hopes the new product appeals to a wider customer base.

"It's one more reason why you might be carrying the Taser C2 when you're out and about," said spokesman Steve Tuttle said. "It's not so much of a gimmick as it is a reason for people to continue to carry" a Taser.

Combining a music player with the holster makes it easier for customers who don't want to carry a separate device to store their music, he said.

Matthew McKay, an analyst who follows Taser for Jefferies & Co. Inc. in San Francisco, had doubts about the holster-music player combo.

"I think they have to kind of prove first of all that someone's going to want to carry a Taser on their belt," he said.

Taser's stun guns have remained controversial.

Groups like Amnesty International maintain that more testing of the device must be conducted before it can be used safely.

Other experts maintain that police officials, for example, must be better trained on how to use the stun gun.

Taser created a stir at the electronics show last year when it introduced the metallic-colored C2 model, an updated version of a stun gun it marketed to consumers years before.

Taser began shipping the C2 device, initially sold in black, silver, blue and pink, to retailers and consumers last July.

The company shipped about 7,000 of the units during the third quarter of 2007, the most recent figures available.

On Monday, Taser unveiled three new colors: Leopard Skin, Red Hot Red and Fashion Pink.

To drum up sales for the C2 device, which sells for between $300 and $380 depending on color, Taser will also begin marketing a 27-minute infomercial about the device on various TV networks this spring.

John Bunnell, who hosts the TV show World's Wildest Police Videos, hosts the infomercial, which was filmed at Taser's headquarters in the Scottsdale Airpark.

The program also features Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Ultimate Fighting Championship star Eric Swiger.

Taser's shares closed down 0.9 percent Monday at $13.11 but rose slightly in after-hours trading.
***


How about getting these into the department?


--

[Probation13-901]

Cool tase the hell of of some one and listen to your fav band.

[lewisipso]

????

[k-9max]

I have my own opinions about the Public carrying a taser,

[Ducky]

Wait, a Taser in 'Fashion Pink'? WTH??

[Bob Loblaw]

this is the stupidest shit i've ever heard of in my life

[Shoestring]

Public can not have any form of a taser in WI, we dont have to worry about people carrying except for those who have it illegally anyways

[Norm357]

I have my own opinions about the Public carrying a taser,

What about firearms?

[k-9max]

What about firearms?

What about it?
yeah i dont like that either,but they are there, and we deal with that daily.The taser is a device designed for law enforcement use, now the company knows they are making big bucks, and want to expand it into the general poplulation for consumer use as well. I dont like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IMHO it's not a good idea, you can go on and on, yeah i know there are Stun guns out there, and have been for a long time ect....

I do see that some states will not honor the taser for consumers, i hope all states join the wagon.
AGAIN THIS IS MHO.

[Norm357]

What about it?
yeah i dont like that either,but they are there, and we deal with that daily.The taser is a device designed for law enforcement use, now the company knows they are making big bucks, and want to expand it into the general poplulation for consumer use as well. I dont like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IMHO it's not a good idea, you can go on and on, yeah i know there are Stun guns out there, and have been for a long time ect....

I do see that some states will not honor the taser for consumers, i hope all states join the wagon.
AGAIN THIS IS MHO.

So you feel that only Police Officers should be able to defend themselves and their families?

[conalabu]

So you feel that only Police Officers should be able to defend themselves and their families?

That is some of the dumbest stuff you have ever posted. This has nothing to do with a citizen defending themselves or their family. This has a whole bunch to do with more tools being provided to the general public which have a bad tendency to then be provided to the criminal element. Personally, I have no problem with John Q. Citizen having a pistol. The only thing I ask is that I know that John Q. Citizen has that gun when I have to deal with him. You can get all upset abput how that is an infringment of your rights, but the reality of it is, there are a lot of guns out there, and a lot of stupid people. I dislike anything that shifts the odds, no matter how slight, away from my advantage. The civilian version of the Taser has the ability to activate for 20 seconds at a time. To me, I have better chances with a gun shot. At least I have a vest for that. And, in some cases/in some states, I will at least be informed by dispatch that the person I am dealing with has a pistol permit or a concealed carry permit. There are no, and will probably never be, any regulations or licensing for a taser.

[Shoestring]

That is some of the dumbest stuff you have ever posted. This has nothing to do with a citizen defending themselves or their family. This has a whole bunch to do with more tools being provided to the general public which have a bad tendency to then be provided to the criminal element. Personally, I have no problem with John Q. Citizen having a pistol. The only thing I ask is that I know that John Q. Citizen has that gun when I have to deal with him. You can get all upset abput how that is an infringment of your rights, but the reality of it is, there are a lot of guns out there, and a lot of stupid people. I dislike anything that shifts the odds, no matter how slight, away from my advantage. The civilian version of the Taser has the ability to activate for 20 seconds at a time. To me, I have better chances with a gun shot. At least I have a vest for that. And, in some cases/in some states, I will at least be informed by dispatch that the person I am dealing with has a pistol permit or a concealed carry permit. There are no, and will probably never be, any regulations or licensing for a taser.

+1, nicely put

[jmur5074]

So you feel that only Police Officers should be able to defend themselves and their families?

I know you didn't quote the second amendment, so don't call me on that. But I would just like to point out that no where in the HISTORY of the United States is it said that citizens have a right to have Tasers.

Norm do you realize that there are bad people in this world who have dedicated their entire lives to killing and hurting police officers?

How many times in Joe Citizen's life is he going to come in contact with a person who is hell bent on hurting him. Once? Twice maybe? And even then he may not be justified in using deadly force against that person. And I'm talking about the REAL Joe Citizen. The everyday American with a 9 to 5er. Not some dirt ball that goes bar hopping 6 out of 7 nights a week, or some guy who has a concealed carry permit, and looks for any and every opportunity to use it.

The Police deal with people who want to, and do hurt and kill them daily. I'm all for law abiding citizens who meet strict standards to possess and carry concealed firearms. But we don't need to provide the public with Tasers on top of that. That's one more weapon that can be used against the Police.

Why provide it to anyone BUT the police?

To purchase a Taser C2, which is their most recent Taser available to the public you need money, and you need to call a toll free number and provide information for a "background check".

To purchase the Taser X26C, which is modeled after the law enforcement Taser X26, you need, again...money. In addition to that you need to pass a background check that checks felony convictions, terrorist watch groups, and proof of age. Ooh...sounds stringent.

Never mind the fact that in Minnesota certain assaults on a police officer are gross misdemeanors (not felonys) in addition to 5 degree assault (causing bodily harm), domestic assault (depending on the injury inflicted), certain types of 4th degree assault (assaulting hospital staff, police officers, firefighters, DNR, etc). Depending on the injury inflicted, if you assault a police officer...you may still be eligible to recieve a Taser X26C in MN.

Let's not forget Violating a Harassment Restraining Order, or an Order for Protection. Misdemeanors in MN, depending on prior convictions for the same offense. Joe Blow who beats up his wife, and then violates the order protecting her from him....hey...give him a Taser. He passes the background check.

At least with guns people have THOROUGH background checks done, go through training, and learn state laws.

Ridiculous.

[k-9max]

So you feel that only Police Officers should be able to defend themselves and their families?

No, thats not what i said did i?

i am referring to my safety!
We worry about guns everyday while protecting YOUR family, and your familys family. We do not need another weapon out there that the public needs access to.

Like jmur has already stated, there are guns out there, and there are classes to carry concealed ect..
We worry about the thugs that carry the weapons that are not registered, and so on.

If you my friend were in my shoes, im sure you would feel the same way.
Before you start bashing a LEO, maybe you ought to sit back and think about what you are going to write before you do it, better yet, maybe you should talk to your local Police, Sheriff, State Troopers and see what they have to say about it. Im sure the feelings will be the same.

[Terminator]

Before you start bashing a LEO, maybe you ought to sit back and think about what you are going to write before you do it, better yet, maybe you should talk to your local Police, Sheriff, State Troopers and see what they have to say about it. Im sure the feelings will be the same.

His wife is an LEO. Sorry, carry on.

[k-9max]

His wife is an LEO. Sorry, carry on.

Ok, then he can ask his wife!

[Hawk1]

Check out the Taser web site, they are even making them in leopard print Me thinks thev'e gone a bit too far. www.taser.com

Still, I'd like to get my hands on those Taser rounds for the 12 ga shotty. I'm compiling a submission paper to my unit to try and purchase some. Does anyone have any intel on these?

[Coloradocop]

Not to go against the grain here, but I could really care less if citizens can carry Tasers.

I am a pro-gun cop, and I consider a Taser to be a far less effective defensive tool. Personally, I think it is a waste of money for a citizen. But, I don't see it causing much harm to us as LEO's. Sure, we wear vests for bullets... but I'd nearly bet a paycheck that my vest will also stop a Taser dart... and the effective range of a taser is a whole lot less than that of a handgun!

I remember seeing the civilian version of the M-26 Tasers in stores many years ago before I was a cop. I always laughed at the idea, thinking "who would buy this junk instead of a gun?"

Given the number of problems I've seen with some of our Tasers at my department (ex: I had one that didn't work when I tried to Taser a guy in a fight a couple of months back), and given that it is basically a one-shot deal (short of a drive stun), I'd much rather give a gang-banger a Taser than a gun. Makes winning the fight that much easier for me!

Granted, I obviously don't want to see a 'banger armed with anything, but I don't see the Taser thing as a huge threat to my security on the street. Still, I realize that Tasers don't have quite the same background checks that guns do. But, neither does pepper spray, batons, etc.

I should also mention that anyone who pulls a Taser on me is being treated as a deadly-force encounter... With a Taser they can potentially disable and disarm me. Therein lies the threat of a Taser. Still, I really think that threat is minor in comparison to the same criminal being able to fire a real gun at me from the outset of the conflict!

Anyway, it is late and I am tired... So enough of my rambling non-sensical bullshit already! I guess that I just don't entirely disagree with Norm on this one, even if he did word it in a somewhat abrassive manner .

[Norm357]

Before you start bashing a LEO, maybe you ought to sit back and think about what you are going to write before you do it, better yet, maybe you should talk to your local Police, Sheriff, State Troopers and see what they have to say about it. Im sure the feelings will be the same.

I will kiss your ass on the steps of City Hall, after giving you an hour to draw a crowd, if you can find one post where I bashed a Cop.

I understand and respect officer safety and wanting to go home at the end of your tour.

I simply took umbrage with something you said. Nothing personal.

[TXCharlie]

I have my own opinions about the Public carrying a taser,

The 2nd amendment isnt limited to guns.