Larry Angell on the Think Secret/Apple Deal

Larry Angell:

Anyone who thinks Nick at Think Secret didn’t get a big, fat check from Apple is naive.

That was my first thought, too. Those of you who are convinced that Apple cruelly forced Ciarelli to shutter the site against his will should re-read the cryptic press release. Could be a forced shutdown. Could be a payoff. Totally unclear from the press release. Some sort of deal that involved a reasonably-sized payoff, however, strikes me as more consistent with the tone of the press release and the brief comments Ciarelli and his attorneys have made.

The irony, of course, is that a site whose entire claim to fame and raison d’être was the exposition of “Apple secrets” has itself agreed to a secret deal with Apple.

★ Thursday, 20 December 2007