Spartan DX: Come for the DNA Testing, Stay for the iPod Nano

John Biggs

Biggs is the East Coast Editor of TechCrunch. Biggs has written for the New York Times, InSync, USA Weekend, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Money and a number of other outlets on technology and wristwatches. He is the former editor-in-chief of Gizmodo.com and lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. You can Tweet him here and G+ him here. Email him directly at... → Learn More

Wednesday, June 13th, 2007

4.gifDNA testers have historically been clunky devices saddled with heavy instruction manuals and even heavier price tags. I had a girlfriend who used to run DNA tests things and it looked like she was making espresso with one of those eagle-topped coffee makers. So what would you say about a standalone device that looks like a VHS tape rewinder and costs $15K? If you’re a biochemist, you’d probably say “Sign me up!”

Otherwise, you’d be pretty hard pressed to find a use for this. I’m going to figure out if this could improve forensics or even genealogy, which would be a great little potential social networking meme of the future (“GenrRater.com – Find and Rate Friends With the Same Alleles!”) But the best part? The very best part? You get a free iPod Nano with each purchase. Can you say super great?

Product Page [Spartan Bio via Engadget]

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