HouseholdHacker

HouseholdHacker
Web address householdhacker.com
Type of site
 Blog
Available in English
Launched November 5, 2007 (2007-11-05)

HouseholdHacker is a YouTube channel and website that posts videos of various "hacks", or quick solutions, to common everyday problems. As of June 2010, the channel was the third most subscribed "guru" channel on YouTube, and the 35th most subscribed overall. The group is primarily known for its 2007 hoax video which claimed one could charge an iPod battery using an onion and Gatorade. The video fooled normally reliable sources, and drew the attention of the MythBusters among others. A couple of additional hoax videos followed, but drew less attention. More recently, HouseholdHacker has aimed to publish more truthful content. It is organized as HouseHold Hacker LLC.

Background

The HouseholdHacker YouTube channel is dedicated to making "videos about everything geek".[1] The videos, which are cross-posted at householdhacker.com, are the work of two anonymous editors known as "Traveler and Frosty Brain" or Spencer and Dylan who reside in San Jose, California and Peachtree City, Georgia.[1][2] Justin Matthew and owner at iBoom Media [3] the channels business manager for over 2 years makes over 30 appearances and also negotiated deals with Revision 3 and Break Media. He played a role into developing the hit show Scientific Tuesdays.[4] From time to time Matthew would take part in these videos which led to a more growth and a new fan base. Each video features a simple hack, or "a quick and/or clever creation for a method of solving of a problem."[1]

HouseholdHacker was launched in November 2007 and quickly attracted interest, becoming YouTube's most subscribed channel for the month of December 2007.[5] By January 2009, HouseholdHacker was the 22nd most subscribed YouTube channel.[2] The channel's popularity began to wane and by July they had fallen to 27th place overall.[1] As of July 2009, HouseholdHacker is the third most subscribed "guru" channel on YouTube.[1] As of April 2016 they have over 3.75 million subscribers.[1]

iPod Onion

In November 2007, HouseholdHacker released a video entitled "How to Charge an iPod using electrolytes and an onion". The video, which claimed to demonstrate how one could recharge an iPod using little more than Gatorade and a white onion, was an overnight success. The video drew the attention of The Unofficial Apple Weblog, which reported it as fact.[6] Within its first week, the video had been viewed over 4 million times.[7]

The Household Hacker setup for charging an iPod

By the following November, the video had been viewed more than 7 million times (currently over 10 million) and attracted the attention of ABC News, who asked "Can an Onion Charge an iPod?"[8] ABC put the video to the test, but failed to obtain the promised result. Reporter Emily Friedman remarked "this appears to be an iFraud."[8]

The TV show MythBusters also put the onion video to the test in 2008. In a segment dubbed "iOnion", Grant Imahara was unable to get any charge from the onion setup found in the HouseholdHacker video.[9] He explained that the setup lacked the crucial anode and cathode that would be required to get the electrolytes found in Gatorade moving and concluded the video was a complete hoax.[9] In an interview with ABCNews, Adam Savage called the video "complete horseshit."[8]

Appeal

The iPod onion video fooled a number of normally savvy folks, or at least had them trying the technique out for themselves,[10] which has led to several theories as to why it was so appealing. Farhad Manjoo of Salon speculates that it is the style in which the video was delivered. "He's got a friendly, helpful voice, but he's not casual – he speaks in the formal, confident manner of a TV how-to guy," says Manjoo.[10] Anna Solana of La Vanguardia, on the other hand, speculated that it was the "science" itself that attracted the viewers, remarking that something so magical "freaks" people out and makes them want to believe.[7]

Follow-up videos

Following the iPod onion video, HouseholdHacker has released a number of videos that have generated some attention. A March 2008 video entitled "How to Cheat on any Test" has attracted 8 million views and the ire of some school teachers. Another video entitled "How to Create a High-Def speaker for under a buck" again drew the attention of the show MythBusters. Tory Belleci followed the instructions in the video, but when it came time to plug in the speakers nothing happened. In addition to disproving the video, he pointed out that the "under a buck" part of the claim was also false, noting that a single minijack alone typically costs about $10 retail.[11] However, it is possible to get minijack cables for under a dollar online.[12] Another one of HouseholdHacker's hoaxes was "How to make hover shoes" which attracted 15 million views. Recently the channel's largest viral video to date, "10 Awesome Vinegar Life Hacks you should know", has been viewed over 14 million times.[13]

In addition to high-profile hoaxes, the HouseholdHacker channel hosts a number of less provocative videos such as "How to Prank your Roommate on April Fools" and "How to make a secret, disguised safe."[1] More recently Scientific Tuesdays – How to Make Breakaway Glass (Sugar Glass) A combination of both. The channel has focused on more truthful content with its "Scientific Tuesdays" series, and has made fun of itself for previous hoaxes.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "HouseholdHacker". Retrieved July 14, 2009 – via YouTube.
  2. 1 2 Milian, Mark (January 11, 2009). "YouTube video creators make money, but not a fortune". Technology: The Business of our Digital Lives (Blog). LA Times. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  3. ↑ "IBoom Media". Retrieved Feb 22, 2016.
  4. ↑ Swift, Mike (September 20, 2011). "YouTube becomes entertainment destination". San Jose Mercury. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
  5. ↑ Sayer, Peter (December 26, 2007). "British monarchy makes YouTube debut". Mobilize. InfoWorld. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  6. ↑ Schramm, Mike (November 14, 2007). "Charge an iPod with an onion". TUAW. Archived from the original on January 31, 2015. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  7. 1 2 Solana, Anna (November 29, 2007). "¿Es posible cargar un iPod con una cebolla?" [Is it possible to charge an iPod with an onion?] (in Spanish). La Vanguardia. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  8. 1 2 3 Friedman, Emily (November 26, 2008). "Can an Onion Charge an iPod?". ABCNews. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  9. 1 2 iOnion. Discovery Channel videos. August 13, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  10. 1 2 Manjoo, Farhad (November 21, 2007). "How to power an iPod with an onion (not really)". Machinist (Blog). Salon. Archived from the original on October 6, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  11. ↑ "Homemade Surround Sound". Discovery Channel videos. April 29, 2009. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  12. ↑ "Cinchkabel 2x Cinch St an 3,5 mm Klinke St 0,5m". Planet4One Technology store.
  13. ↑ "10 Vinegar Life Hacks That Actually Work (Video): Huffington Post". Huffington Post videos. Oct 21, 2013. Retrieved Oct 14, 2013.

External links

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