What can one say about such a ridiculous lawsuit. The white earphones are little different than any other set of in-ear headphones, and it seems rather obvious and it is common knowledge that hearing loud audio for extended periods of time degrades hearing over the years. Where does the crime come in?

Capable adults must be responsible for themselves, and parents must be responsible for their children. There's little else to it.

This is discrimination! How dare they try to limit the access of the iPod to people with poor hearing.

I tell you, the n**** are back.

In the UK - perhaps the whole EU - government had already legislated a volume cap on audio devices. This amounts to stricter health and safety regulations. It's probably for the best, bit it's still annoying that an iPod at full volume will often struggle to be heard over the din of the subway. Of course, there's a hack to make the iPod rock like it does in the US: iPodVolumeBooster - 1.0. (Caution: if you use this software, the effects and your own stupidity may result in hearing loss.) Perhaps the complainant should consider suing the US government. They have much more money than Apple.

Nonetheless, one must wonder how a lawyer is going to try arguing a long term medical case. It's tough to prove anything. And then one must wonder if the point is really about cashing in, and not simply generating bad publicity. In the age of Enron, Sony & the RIAA, and the NeoCons, there's very little trust - hence the hundreds of conspiracy theories - and the smell of corruption permeates everything. It's probably little more than a corporate smear campaign. Move along, nothing to see.

British warships get iPod docks http://www.engadget.com/2006/02/01/british-warships-get-ipod-docks-surround-sound/

I am most concerned about our British sailors. I mean, gun ship fire and jet engines are one thing, but do we really want to submit our lads to the kinds of injuries inflicted by iPods?

I'd heard about this complaint in some other media, before the suit was brought. Let's sue every earphone maker out there. What a bunch of c***.

I wish my Pod went to 11.

Apple is sticking to the local laws, USA is 100 db and France is 80 db. He'd better sue the government that make the laws.

Can you sue someone for stupidity??? If so, this moron should be sued for 50 generations to come!! HAHAHHAHHAA

I can't believe idiots like this roams the planet.

for subjecting my own ears to my very loud stage amp when I play a gig!

I'm suing Apple because the iPod nano was so small that I was able to wedge it in my r*****.

Now, the only way I can change songs is by farting in rapid succession.

Why wasn't I told about this potential danger?

The nano was not made for the r*****. That's what the shuffle is for. Please refer back to your iPod owners manual AAC (Anal Compatibility Chart) for which to use rectally.

Funny someone mentioned the subway drowning out the iPod in the UK. Does that mean the subway system can be sued for hearing loss?

I just ate my iPod! And yes, I carefully looked at the packaging for warnings about it not being for consumption.

I don't feel so good.....

Ridiculous. Since the days of the first Walkman and its first lawsuits, people have been told, though they shouldn't have needed to be, that putting earplugs in and cranking up volume will hurt sensitive parts of ears. Duh! Someone should slap the person upside the head. People like this don't deserve iPods, much less what meagre part of a human brain they were born with!

To whom ever filed this lawsuit, I hope your balls fall off.

Warning Listening to music at high volume over extended periods of time can damage your hearing.

Seems clear to me if the user is to stupid know that any loud noise can damage your hearing and not just the iPod I guess sue the world dummy!

I'm pretty sure Apple actually had a warning when the shuffle was introduced and it was compared to a stick of gum to NOT EAT THE SHUFFLE!!!

Can someone confirm this?

found the reference to not eating your shuffle:

http://www.engadget.com/2005/01/11/the-apple-ipod-shuffle/

check out #2

Not part of a balanced diet.

Give them a Darwin award and take away their iPod.

I'm filing a class action lawsuit against ANY and ALL companies that have ever or plan to have ANY thing at all the do the internet. I have lost hundreds of hours of productivity at work, don't exercise as much, watch less TV, read less books, magazines, and newspapers. The internet and the evil companies that have embraced it have change my life!! I want compensation for all these changes!!! They should know better and make sure I don't have any free will, choice or do anything that may in any, way, shape or form cause me distress, pain, or injury. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING IN MY LIFE UNLESS I HAVE BEEN GIVEN A WARNING!

I ate the full size iPod, not the Shuffle. Does this mean I still have a case?

This is another one of many dumb lawsuits. I think my IPod isn’t loud enough. This just shows how stupid people have become. The person could have lowered the volume, but I guess that’s to easy. I love that when you get a product manual that 60% of the pages have warnings of one type or another. Apple should sue this person just for so stupid!

The iPod almost isn't loud enough for me -- I have a hearing loss that means that I have trouble hearing things others have no problem with. My hearing aid has built-in protection against ear damage -- it allows me to perceive sound as loud but will not actually output levels that would cause further damage to my hearing. And I know that there is no damage occurring because I am regularly tested by my audiologist and my audiogram has not changed in many years.

If the iPod ends up being made too quiet because of this, Apple will lose future sales from me. I also can and will apply any hacks that come out to undo Apple's sabotage (I consider it such because it's an arbitrary, stupid limit that doesn't have to be there) -- and I know it can be done and has been because I've seen hacks for the European iPod that remove the limit.

That said ... why not just put a menu item in that's enabled by default, reading something like "Hearing loss prevention" or somesuch? Leave it on for most people, but allow people like me who actually NEED to be able to crank it up to turn off the limit.

do we find these filers of the suit so we can go out and harrass them? lol.

What a bunch of greedy b*******.

...unfortunately the plaintiff is not eligible because he/she isn't dead. Still threatening the gene pool... :)

Oops...just spilled my latte on my lap while driving and talking on my cell phone. Ouch! Excuse me while I go sue Starbucks - they didn't warn me coffee would burn!

Following on what another poster said about manuals full of warnings... When I bought a new bicycle a few years ago the manual was less so and much more a book full of warnings instead. I understand the need for safety, but sometimes it seems like we've gone to an unhealthy extreme.

Avoid hearing damage Warning Permanent hearing loss may at high volume.You can adapt over sound normal but can be damaging level before that happens. If you experience or discontinue use of your iPod.