I don’t mind hit-whoring. Hell, the blogosphere would be nowhere without it. When Brian Lam posted on Gizmodo about the upcoming iPhone, I don’t think there were a whole lot of people with half a brain who took it seriously. It was scheduled for a Monday release (Not a Tuesday!?). It was a blind item on the site. It was set for the week before Christmas, meaning no marketing hype or lead time for the holiday.

Anyone with half a brain saw something odd in the works.

When the “iPhone” was announced, we found out it was some dumb Linksys Skype phone. Whoopdeedoo. Gizmodo was so proud. They were right. They called the release of the iPhone. In essence, they had won what Leo Laporte accurately called a “bar bet.”

Surely you know what a bar bet is. You sit in a bar with a shot glass and a quarter. Looking at the quarter, you say, “I can get that quarter in there without touching it. Wanna bet?” Your dumb friend goes, “Sure.” You go, “Let’s just make sure the quarter fits in there.” Your dumb friend grabs the quarter and puts it in the glass. You stick your hands out for a fifty. You won. You got the quarter in the glass without the benefit of touching it.

In essence, Lam did the same thing. It wasn’t “the” iPhone, as the rest of the universe came to know it. It was Linksys’ iPhone.

Repercussions were swift. People started screaming bloody murder. Oh sure there were some people who believed it, and Brian Lam in his “apology” took the opportunity to take yet another shot at the “fanboys…”

I knew that no matter what I did, even if the post was 100% correct, and even had a disclaimer, I would be crucified by the fanboys unless I actually delivered an Apple iPhone. I might as well have promised the second coming. But I wasn’t going to drop a lead like this—a scoop on the false Jesus phone.

The iPhone came out when I said it would. And the big picture story I wrote on Sunday night, was legitimized on Monday morning. And, Just as I’d expected, the lashings were merciless. Funny, I always thought my path to infamy would involve motorcycles and bar scuffles.

But the best of the roastings didn’t come from Apple sites. Most of the Apple hardcore recognized the bigger picture story and ran with it. That fact that Gizmodo was having a bit of a laugh didn’t much matter.

It didn’t matter Brian.

This bit smacks of “I’m sorry you misunderstood, but that’s your own fault.” So where would people get the idea that this announcement was Apple-related?

How about Gizmodo?

Here’s a screen cap from their original post (click to embiggen)…

What are those two tags? Two Apple tags? Gee… I wonder where we got the idea that this launch news was Apple-related.

Maybe from your own site, Mr. Lam?

Maybe Brian was just having fun with people. Maybe in the end, only the diehard fanboys are the ones most upset because they so want the iPhone that they’ll be excited over everything that might be it. Who knows, maybe that’s why I’m angry about this in the long run.

One thing’s for sure, though. Even though it’s fanboys saying it loudest, Brian Lam destroyed his credibility with this little stunt and his manipulation of the people who keep him employed; gadget enthusiast readers.

Gawker would do well to reconsider the editorial staff at Gizmodo simply on judgment alone.

Maybe bring back Joel Johnson?

Technorati Tags: gizmodo, brian lam