“Is this the new MacBook Pro?” – (with a link to a dodgy looking image)

This is how the ‘VIRAL PR’ Apple are so famous for always begins!

Why is Apple’s PR so good?

Firstly, they offer GREAT products!  Secondly, it REALLY helps when respected people like Cali Lewis are generating interest in a product that Apple are about to announce or launch!

Why?

Because Cali has a massive numbers of fans following her and watching her shows, all of whom are tech consumers AND early adopters - making them worth a FORTUNE to Apple!

Reporting on a rumour before an official launch is NOT news – it’s simply spreading valuable hype for the product concerned. This hype is actually what marketing people call ‘pre-launch publicity’ and it’s what big companies like Apple and Microsoft use in order to generate massive launch date sales!

Remember the queues outside the Apple stores when the iPhone was launched?

Of course, I do not know Cali Lewis (I’m sure she is lovely) and I have no idea why she invested her time in blogging about this rumour or publishing the photo etc.

It just makes me curious when such a busy person invests their valuable time (for free) into helping generate pre-launch publicity for a multi-million dollar business – with no payment of any kind.

I also now want a new MacBook Pro for some reason!

“Go away – go back to Digg!”
Robert Scoble’s message to those who are ruining blogs

So, The Scobleizer wants us to go back to the way things were in 2003; when there were only intelligent, decent people commenting in blogs and when blogs were filled with intelligent debate…

HANG ON!
I have only been writing thetechnewsblog for a few months, but I have been a blog contributor for many years and I have no recollection of the ‘perfect past’ Robert is referring to.  I have a massive amount of respect for Robert Scoble and I LOVE his work – but in my opinion, he’s wrong on that one!

For as long as there have been online forums and before that, news groups, there have been ‘comment trolls’.  The flame wars of the 1990′s in various usenet groups were HUGE – we just used to call the comment trolls ‘Flamers’.  Same people, same shit – different name.

LEAVE SCOBLE ALONE!
The fact that Robert is so successful, means people will always want to ‘have a go’ at him.  He is a big target – and one of those rare ‘tech celebrities’ – who ALWAYS always takes the time to reply to people who contact him.  Whilst some tech cebebrities (like Natali Del Conte), will do anything to avoid speaking to their listeners / readers – Scoble is totally approachable – and he draws a lot of flack as a result.

SCOBLE WAS RIGHT
Robert made some very good points in his interview.  He is right that only the most motivated people ever comment in a blog – and that these are often the people with the biggest axe to grind!  He was also right that the use of anonymous posting to blogs does give cowards a screen, behind which they can insult people / companies.

Robert also makes a good point – that topics are not covered in any depth any more.  A subject can be a MASSIVE story one day and dropped like a stone the next!  We used to chew over stuff for weeks / months a decade ago!

Finally, I am watching with interest as Robert; “removes the assholes” from his blog.  As such, you may not see me posting there any more (just kidding!)

The Scobleizer – http://scobleizer.com