Barney's Blog

Blog archive

Gizmodo Gizwrongo

You've probably heard the story about Gizmodo getting its greedy little mitts on an iPhone prototype. The phone was left in a bar by an Apple employee (not sure if he's still employed), picked up by a patron and sold to the Giz for a cool five grand. The site then posted all the details, creating a firestorm far hotter than deserved.

Apple has never liked to have its news leaked before it is good and ready and isn't afraid to threaten journalists with high-priced Apple lawyers.

In this case, it sicced the cops on the Gizmodo editor, which raided his house and confiscated his computers -- after he gave the phone back to Apple!

Apple and the cops clearly overreacted, but what Giz did was also clearly wrong. It bought a device from someone who didn't own it. This is morally, if not legally, wrong.

Over my 26 years as a computer journalist, I've revealed a lot of things Microsoft and others preferred be kept quiet. I was only threatened with a lawyer once, and it sure wasn't from Microsoft!

I've never had Apple as a beat, which probably saved me millions in legal fees.

Ironically the best coverage from one Jon Stewart.

Is Apple the cuddly company most think, or is there a more sinister side? Shoot your thoughts to [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on April 30, 2010


Featured