Good morning and time to share some great news with our community of readers: We have acquired TheAppleBlog, making it the seventh member of our growing network of blogs. The terms of the deal are not being disclosed. Josh Pigford, who started TheAppleBlog in 2004, is going to join the company and will continue to run the blog from Denver. (His post on the announcement can be read here.)
Why TheAppleBlog?
Peter Lynch, the legendary mutual fund investor, once famously advised that one should invest in things what one understands. I wonder if we could make it – what one loves, for in my case that happens to be Apple and its devices. This decision to acquire TheAppleBlog is just that — a bet on what I love.
There have been times when I have hated Apple’s policies and corporate attitudes, but I love what the Apple brand stands for –- elegance, simplicity and user experience that is unmatched. We are an all Mac shop — everyone has either a MacBook Pro or MacBook (though we have one dissident with a PC). I have an iMac at home. In other words, Steve gets a check from me every time he releases something new — and that includes the disappointing Time Capsule.
But this is not just an emotional decision: I am a big believer in Apple and its ecosystem. The company has introduced a whole slew of products — including the iPhone, iPod and Apple TV — that are spawning an economy of their own, with hundreds of add-ons (and who knows, maybe even new products) coming to market.
With that in mind, I had always wanted to start an Apple-related blog — one that was more analytical, did more in-depth reviews and at the same time focused on helping the new switchers to Mac and iPhone platforms, making suggestions on tools and applications. What we didn’t want to do was compete with the existing blogs, especially ones that do a great job of breaking and aggregating news — sites such as the AppleInsider, MacNN, TUAW, and the MacDailyNews.
Two folks who I respect a lot — John Gruber and Rui Carmo — advised me that the world doesn’t need yet another Mac blog. Good advice, for it got me to think of acquisition as an option. A blog that is closest to our way of thinking turned out to be TheAppleBlog, one that I have been reading for a while. In Josh we found someone who shares the same vision — restraint in editorial and a desire to provide utility for the readers. So here we are, making this announcement.
What happens to TheAppleBlog?
As in the case of our previous acquisition, jkOnTheRun, the plan is to have a very light touch and not muck around with the editorial of TheAppleBlog. I think with our team helping with sales and operations, Josh will be free to focus more closely on the editorial of the blog, which is going to help the site increase the number of posts as well as bring on more bloggers.
TheAppleBlog feed will be integrated into that of our network and will be syndicated along with our other blogs. We hope some of our readers become part of their community and vice versa.
As part of our focus, TheAppleBlog is going to ramp up its coverage of iPhone and related applications, devices and add-ons. Combining news analysis with consumer-focused reviews, I think we can build a great franchise.
Friends, join me in welcoming Josh to our family and wish us luck in our new endeavor.
Congratulations Om! This party of yours is getting pretty damn interesting! Looking forward to more great content!!! 🙂
Om:
I’m just RSSing on your endorsement. Keep acquiring if you think I should read it!
Aaron
congrats to everyone – soon you will need a bigger office! 🙂
Good, now get on Jobs’ ass to release a new Newton MessagePad with OS X and iPhone technology. The Macbook is too big, the iPhone is too small, but you now control the publication of a decent site that can rattle Mr. Jobs and the R&D team to bring me, at least, what I want.
Congrats, by the way.
@Zee, @aaron and @ Allen – thanks a bunch for your comments. We need to focus on quality people and i think that is the best way to go forward in today’s competitive times.
@allen, seems like that but we are almost virtual even now 🙂
Fantastic news – Congratulations Om and a big welcome to Josh.
SB
Are you watching some blog/site/comunity in spanish?
i have one…
Great news, congratulations guys.
Well done, Om. Congratulations to you, your team and to AB. Look forward to more great content from all under the new arrangement.
Shrewd move! Apple will continue to do some ground breaking announcements so having an apple blog under your umbrella is wise…
Gee, why on earth would they say that? 🙂 I kid, I kid… acquisition was probably the right move. And hey, they run WordPress, which makes me happy!
the big question – when will GigaOm or Battelle’s Federated (clearly competing now as blog networks) – get acquired by a larger network? and what will control by a larger publisher or ad network do to the nature of blog content when that happens. And it will.
Congrats to both of you guys. Seems like a nice fit. Keep up the good work Om . And dont forget we are still waiting for the GigaOm show on Rev3.
Congratulations 🙂 I really love what you’re doing with Giga Omni Media, and the high quality blogs you’re folding under it; looking forward to more great content; wishing you all the success 🙂
@ blognetworks,
I think the GigaOm business plan is to become the “larger network”, not get acquired by one. 😉
Congrats to both the TAB team and the new, larger, faster, better, improved Giga Om team! As a former writer at TAB, I think this is a great thing for everyone involved!
Congrats. It doesnt seem to come to a halt I guess. may you be able to do even more
It would have been more fun if you could tell us more about the terms and the big bucks moving around.
Ah well, two thumbs up for TAB!
I´m a big fan of the apple blog – thanks to Josh Pigford