Technology

iPad Dropped From 19 Miles Up — the ‘Edges of Space’ — And Survives!

G Form Drops iPad From 100,000 Feet in Extreme Edge Case

This isn’t the first time The Blaze has reported on the G-Form case for iPads and the tests its manufacturer puts the expensive gear through to prove its product’s function. Last year, the iPad in a G-Form case went for a 1,300-foot skydive and was tossed out of a 113 mph car — it went unscathed in both instances.

G-Form’s newest test puts these former crash-course missions to shame. Watch as it is dropped from the “edges of what we’ll call space:”

As the spokesperson in the video says, they expect the iPad to reach 100,000 feet. Earth’s atmosphere ends roughly around 100 kilometers — 62 miles. So, the iPad didn’t quite make it to space, only traveling up about 19 miles. Even still, it lands back to earth in working condition.

[H/T Gizmodo]

Comments (69)

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  • mark85
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 8:39pm

    It’s no different than dropping it from a 2 or 3 story building. Anyone ever hear of terminal velocity? Another terrific story by Beck, the snake oil salesman.
    http://www.skepticspost.com/poison-politics.html

    Report Post »  
    • Deepdiver58
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 10:09pm

      @MARK85
      I see you are still buying the oil, otherwise, why would you be here? Oh, yes… I know why you’re here: you’re just here to slam Beck. I you want fluff and crap, try the HUFFPO or Daily KOSS.
      As for the story… it is nothing more than a human interst story. You can get the same type of sensationalism from the HSN channel or watch an Infomercial. “Set it and Forget it”.

      Report Post » Deepdiver58  
    • tharpdevenport
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 10:39pm

      That’s not quite right. I couldn’t find ap recise chart, but from what I can tell based on what I did find, the temprature 19 miles up should be anywhere from 10 to -20 (probably colder during the winter time.
      I’m sure spending several minutes falling through such temperatures (once it hits terminal velocity) affects the substance the iPad is made from, making it more brittle and prone to damage not capable from a three-story building. There’s no heating — it would have to move as fast as a super sonic jet before real heating kicks in.
      Thus the chance of shattering could be real, as well as freezing the circuitry.

      And there’s some key critical thinking just plain missing from your post.
      1: Beck did not make this video. You have issues with the sitance versus a two/three story building, contact G-Form.
      2. Beck did not make the news article.
      3. Beck does not run The Blaze and does not chose the news stories, though he can tell them to put something up. Otherwise The Blaze staff chooses it.
      4. Putting aside the weather info I gave above, if both a 19 mile and two to three story building achieve the same speed, then what do you care how it’s done?

      No snake oild here, but also no intelligence on your part.

      Report Post » tharpdevenport  
    • SDM-Shepherd
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 11:22pm

      Which height would you rather be dropped from? 2 stories or 19 miles?

      Report Post » SDM-Shepherd  
    • str8blues
      Posted on January 7, 2012 at 12:10am

      You link to a blog by some anomous writer of loony opinions and extremely long articles.
      Really? You’ve got to be drunk or deranged.

      Report Post »  
    • GollygeeMrwilson
      Posted on January 8, 2012 at 2:04pm

      Whoa, someone farted in here.

      Report Post » GollygeeMrwilson  
  • THXll38
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 5:35pm

    But will it blend?

    Report Post » THXll38  
    • TXPilot
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 6:37pm

      Well, Ron Paul will be happy to know this, just in case he accidentally drops his tablet out the window of his spaceship.

      Report Post » TXPilot  
  • ressex
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 5:34pm

    What were we talking about???

    Report Post » ressex  
  • SenorStrange
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 4:54pm

    I don’t believe it until I see Mythbusters confirm it.

    Report Post »  
    • TXPilot
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 7:04pm

      @SENORSTRANGE……I’m sure the Mythbuster guys will get right on this, just as soon as they are finished testing the theory that a canon can destroy a middle-class house that is situated slightly beyond their shooting range……lol!!….those guys are great, even when they have a huge “oh cr@p” moment.

      Report Post » TXPilot  
    • TomFerrari
      Posted on January 7, 2012 at 7:37am

      I’m w/ you, TX!

      Report Post » TomFerrari  
  • WesG
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 4:36pm

    The camera is the real cool part about that test. They didn’t show if the case was damaged or not. Go to Go Pro or look it up on youtube. People are doing some badass things with these cameras and they aren’t that expensive

    Report Post »  
  • burnteye86
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 4:20pm

    Now drop Polosi

    Report Post » burnteye86  
    • meeknotweak
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 4:29pm

      Now that is funny except leave teh gforce case out of her mouth.

      Report Post » meeknotweak  
    • effenmontero
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 5:02pm

      . . oh, snap ! Now that’s funny !

      Report Post »  
    • ressex
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 6:31pm

      Just drop Pelosi AND Reed… that would be a good start…

      Report Post » ressex  
    • okdavidson
      Posted on January 7, 2012 at 3:01pm

      hahaha i was reading all the other posts and was bored with them, had a great lol moment from yours! thanks!! and i agree, shed be a great experimental drop!

      Report Post » okdavidson  
  • Wyatt's Torch
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 3:59pm

    That’s great if you have an iPad, but will it do the same for my etch-a-sketch?

    Report Post » Wyatt's Torch  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 3:57pm

    .
    They can drop an iPad from the edge of space and it still works, Well ya‘ll strap Obama to one let’s see if you can get some work out of him………………

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
    • john
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 6:43pm

      LOL. That made me laugh for a bit. I needed that – thanks.

      Report Post » john  
  • Thighmaster
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 3:43pm

    Chicken Little WAS right…

    Report Post » Thighmaster  
  • South Philly Boy
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 3:40pm

    It takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Hot dog

    Report Post » South Philly Boy  
  • Kaoscontrol
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 3:36pm

    Last time I went to space I dropped my iPad and it broke when it hit the ground. CRAP! I wish I had known about this case!!!

    Report Post » Kaoscontrol  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 3:05pm

    great now we send junk into space and Obama returns it.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • TheSitRep
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 3:03pm

    I have the Otter box “Defender case” on my Atrix Android and it rocks.
    The screen has never been touched by human hands.

    Report Post » TheSitRep  
  • wordweaver
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 2:41pm

    Very nice, but even a beginning physics student would mention that every falling object reaches a terminal velocity after a short time of falling due to air resistance. So, falling from the edge of outer space is not impressive from a distance standpoint, but maybe from the standpoint of the low temperatures it endured.

    Report Post » wordweaver  
    • MeteoricLimbo
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 3:01pm

      It was the 100,000 ft that caught my attention…cold and thin up there.

      Report Post » MeteoricLimbo  
    • NOBAMA201258
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 3:56pm

      Thank you Professor Whoopie!

      Report Post »  
    • nelbert
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 5:16pm

      Thank you. You get the A.
      While the iPad is obviously robust, air resistance would limit its terminal velocity. A rough estimate based on the iPad’s mass and cross sectional area would give a terminal velocity around 20 mph (admittedly, there are a number of variables at play, so this is a best guess scenario). Putting it another way, its final terminal velocity would likely be the same were it dropped from a 2nd story window. That’s still very impressive for a device like this, but such a height wouldn’t spawn an article about it.

      Report Post » nelbert  
  • Elena2010
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 2:40pm

    Need a bigger balloon :-) LOL

    Report Post » Elena2010  
  • Thighmaster
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 2:35pm

    These kids have it too easy, back in My day it only rained cats and dogs….

    Report Post » Thighmaster  
  • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 2:33pm

    But will it blend?

    Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • meeknotweak
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 4:35pm

      your Pseudonym cracks me up, I hope you are not labelling your nipples?
      Blend, of course ith will blend, just change the color for the terrain dummy.

      Report Post » meeknotweak  
  • Your Reality
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 2:31pm

    If the camera survived with no padding or protection… something’s up. I don’t believe it! Something had to have slowed the decent.

    Report Post » Your Reality  
    • WesG
      Posted on January 6, 2012 at 4:33pm

      The camera is a GO Pro. It is for extreme sports. I’m not sure why they edited that out. It was in the original. Really cool camera

      Report Post »  
  • randy
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 2:27pm

    Not impressed.
    Too many video cuts of the ipad before seeing it in the dirt.
    What kind of “drag” device did it have attached coming down?
    As P.T. Barnum once said “There’s a sucker born every minute”

    Seems most of vote for Obama

    Report Post » randy  
  • MeteoricLimbo
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 2:20pm

    Will it function in the vacuum of space?

    Report Post » MeteoricLimbo  
  • theamericanvision
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 1:56pm

    It’s amazing! The case even protected the camera that’s NOT in the case!

    Report Post » theamericanvision  
  • smartgirl
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 1:54pm

    EXCUSE ME!!! We’re talking about an iPad case while the military is being eviscerated? What are you people thinking? Is it the editor from HuffPo who can’t even edit? And what about Marco Rubio’s letter to Obama. I’m going to stick with the Drudge Report.

    Report Post »  
  • BetterDays
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 1:54pm

    My iPad cry’s out for one, and is in a sorry state, in fact I’m suppressed it still works after my having tossed it over my reaction to NeoCons and Progressives while reading the Blaze.

    Report Post »  
  • poverty.sucks
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 1:51pm

    Does the G-Form case protect against moisture?

    Report Post » poverty.sucks  
  • forthepeople
    Posted on January 6, 2012 at 1:49pm

    I bought one right after this test !

    Report Post » forthepeople  
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