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11-29-2009 100
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Posted on November 18, 2008 12:48 AM

Vibrator pulsates to students' music

As she scrolled through a list of songs, Zoe Lyristis said listening to Billy Joel just seemed wrong.

Though Lyristis (sophomore-anthropology) is not usually adverse to the piano man's music, the iPhone she was scrolling through was connected to a Naughtibod, and the song was just not right.

The Naughtibod is a vibrator that connects to MP3 players and adjusts the way it moves in accordance with the rhythm of different songs.

After finally settling on a Jay-Z song, Lyristis started to laugh.

"This is hilarious," she said as she held the whirring blue vibrator in her hand. "It's just what I thought it would be."

Lyristis explained she had seen it online and had been intrigued.

"I'm not into vibrators. I don't have one, but at the same time I'm not a person that would be like, 'Ugh, that is disgusting, I'd never do that,' " she said.

Lyristis said she thinks the product has the potential to be popular.

"There's kinky people out there. I'm sure someone will go out and buy it," she said.

The product has sold hundreds of thousand of units in more than 127 countries, said Erika Taylor, CEO of Three Girls Media & Marketing, which represents OhMiBod, the company that makes the Naughtibod. Taylor said the Naughtibod is most popular among three groups: the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, college students and married and dating couples.

"It's a great way for new couples to break the ice," Taylor said.

It puts a different spin on getting a mixtape from a guy, Lyristis said.

"Maybe one day we'll be saying, 'This song feels good,' " she said.

Sarah Olson (junior-advertising) called the product "weird."

"I don't really understand what the appeal would be," she said before looking at the vibrator.

After hooking her iPod up to it and putting on a John Legend song, Olson said it was an interesting idea.

But still she said it was not for her.

Though she was skeptical at first, after holding the Naughtibod, Amy Stockinger's eyes got huge.

"It's pretty cool actually," Stockinger (freshman-psychology) said as the vibrator shook to a Lil Wayne song.

The product was originally called the Naughtinano.

However, the name was changed because of a conflict between OhMiBod and Apple, Taylor said.

OhMiBod's founder used to work for Apple, and since she left "Apple has kept a very close eye on what she's doing," Taylor said.

"They try to be very careful when naming their products," Taylor added.

The device can be purchased down town.

The front of The Roost, 346 E. College Ave., is filled with clothes, picture frames and martini glasses.

But in the back of the store is a glass case full of dozens of different vibrators.

Roost manager Laura Pacchioni said the store does not currently carry the Naughtibod, but at a cost of $69, it's in the store's price range.

The store sells a fair amount of vibrators, though many people buy them for bachelorette parties or as gag birthday gifts, Pacchioni said.

Whether you're interested in the Naughtibod, which is available online at ohmibod.com in black, blue, pink and green, or something else, be sure about your choice before you buy it. A sign at the Roost tells customers:

"Sex toys are not returnable under any circumstances. Absolutely no exceptions!"