Would you sell a major organ for an Apple product?

A Chinese teenager sold a kidney to pay for an iPad 2. An extraordinary story—but is it good or bad PR for Steve Jobs and company?

I mean, I get it—sort of.

I have an iPad and, to give you an idea of its impact in my household, it’s not allowed in bed with my girlfriend and me. I use it on the train to work. I use it at work. I use it on the train home from work. And I use it when I’m relaxing after work. It’s become an extra appendage.

Would I be willing to sell half of a major organ to pay for one? I don’t know—is it the 64G version?

For Apple, this seems like a bit of a PR conundrum. On one hand, it’s awesome that people so want your product that they’re willing to undergo presumably dangerous voluntary surgery. On the other hand, people are undergoing dangerous surgery to obtain your product.

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