Gizmodo

Gizmodo (/ɡɪzˈmoʊdoʊ/ giz-MOH-doh) is a design, technology, science and science fiction website. It was originally launched as part of the Gawker Media network run by Nick Denton, and runs on the Kinja platform. Gizmodo also includes the subsite io9, which focuses on science fiction and futurism. Since April 2019, Gizmodo is part of G/O Media, owned by private equity firm Great Hill Partners.[3]

Not to be confused with Gizmodo Media Group, of which Gizmodo is the flagship website, nor Gizmondo, a handheld game console.

Gizmodo
Type of site
Design, technology, science, science fiction, blog
Available inEnglish, French, Dutch, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese
Country of originUnited States
OwnerG/O Media
Created byPeter Rojas
EditorDavid M. Ewalt[1]
URLgizmodo.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional
LaunchedJuly 1, 2002 (2002-07-01)[2]

History

The blog, launched in 2002, was originally edited by Peter Rojas, who was later recruited by Weblogs, Inc. to launch their similar technology blog, Engadget. By mid-2004, Gizmodo and Gawker together were bringing in revenue of approximately $6,500 per month.[4]

Gizmodo then launched in other locations:

  • In 2005, VNU and Gawker Media formed an alliance to republish Gizmodo across Europe, with VNU translating the content into French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, and adding local European-interest material.[5]
  • In 2006, Gizmodo Japan was launched by Mediagene, with additional Japanese contents.

  • In 2007, Gizmodo Australia was launched in the US,[6] by Allure Media under license from Gawker Media.[7] This site incorporates additional Australian content, and is branded Gizmodo AU.[6]
  • In November 2007, the Dutch magazine license was taken over by HUB Uitgevers.
  • In September 2008, Gizmodo Brazil was launched with Portuguese content.[8]
  • In September 2011, Gizmodo UK was launched with Future, to cover British news.[9] Gizmodo UK was later shut down in September 2020,[10] with all web links redirecting to Gizmodo.com.

In February 2011, Gizmodo underwent a major redesign.[11]

In 2013, Matt Novak moved his Paleofuture blog to Gizmodo from Smithsonian.[12]

In 2015, the Gawker blog io9 was merged into Gizmodo. The staff of io9 continued with Gizmodo and continued to post articles on subjects covered by the website, including science fiction, fantasy, futurism, science, technology and astronomy.[13]

Gizmodo was one of six websites that was purchased by Univision Communications in their acquisition of Gawker Media in August 2016. Univision in turn sold Gizmodo and an array of sister websites to private equity firm Great Hill Partners in 2019.[14]

In Australia in 2018, after Nine Entertainment merged the business behind PEDESTRIAN.TV with that of Allure Media,[15] forming the larger Pedestrian Group,[16] the website and associated company changed its name to Pedestrian, and also incorporated the brands Gizmodo AU,[6] Business Insider Australia, Kotaku and POPSUGAR Australia.[17][18]

Coverage

A Gizmodo blogger captured the first photos from the floor of the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2007[19] and, according to Reuters, journalists at the (simultaneous) Macworld debated whether Gizmodo or Engadget had the better live coverage of Steve Jobs' 2007 keynote speech.[20]

Controversy

TV-B-Gone

Richard Blakeley, a videographer for Gizmodo's publisher, Gawker Media, disrupted several presentations held at CES in 2008.[21][22] Blakely secretly turned off TVs using TV-B-Gone remote controls, resulting in his being barred from CES 2008, and any future CES events.

iPhone 4 prototype

In April 2010, Gizmodo came into possession of what was later known to be a prototype of the iPhone 4 smartphone by Apple.[23] The site purchased the device for US$5,000 from Brian J. Hogan, who had found it unattended at a bar in Redwood City, California, a month earlier.[24][25] UC Berkeley student Sage Robert, an acquaintance of Hogan, allegedly helped him sell the phone after failing to track down the owner. With Apple confirming its provenance, bloggers such as John Gruber and Ken Sweet speculated that this transaction may have violated the California Penal Code.[26][27]

On April 26, after Gizmodo returned the iPhone to Apple, upon Apple's request California's Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team executed a search warrant on editor Jason Chen's home and seized computers, hard drives, servers, cameras, notes, and a file of business cards, under direction from San Mateo County’s Chief Deputy District Attorney Stephen Wagstaffe.[25][28][29] Since then, Gizmodo and the prosecution have agreed that a special master will review the contents of the items seized and determine if they contain relevant information.[30][31] Gizmodo was since barred from Apple-hosted events and product launches until August 2014, when they were invited once again to Apple's September 2014 "Wish we could say more" event.[32]

See also

References
  1. "MG/O Media Announces New Editors In Chief Of AV Club, Gizmodo, Jezebel". Cision. August 31, 2021. Archived from the original on September 14, 2021. Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  2. "Gizmodo.com WHOIS, DNS, & Domain Info – DomainTools". WHOIS. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
  3. Hayes, Dade (April 8, 2019). "Univision Finalizes Sale Of Former Gawker Portfolio And The Onion To Private Equity Firm Great Hill Partners". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  4. Greg Lindsay (June 1, 2004). "What Makes Nick Tick? The smartest publisher in the blogosphere says there's no money online. So why doesn't anyone believe him?". Business 2.0. Archived from the original on May 6, 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  5. "VNU to Publish Gawker's Gizmodo Blog in Europe". MarketingVOX. October 7, 2005. Archived from the original on March 24, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  6. "About Gizmodo Australia". Gizmodo Australia. December 14, 2021. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  7. "Gizmodo Australia". Gizmodo.com.au. August 9, 2012. Archived from the original on July 26, 2023. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  8. "Gizmodo Brazil". Gizmodo.com.br. Archived from the original on September 11, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  9. "Gizmodo to launch in the UK". Guardian.com. August 31, 2011. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  10. Tamburro, Paul (September 7, 2020). "Kotaku UK and Gizmodo UK shutting down, rights reverted back to G/O Media". GameRevolution. Evolve Media LLC. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  11. "This Is the New Gizmodo". Gizmodo. February 7, 2011. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  12. "The Paleofuture Blog Has Moved to Gizmodo". Smithsonian. May 30, 2013. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  13. Ingram, Mathew. "Gawker Media merging Gizmodo and io9 teams into a tech super-hub". GigaOM. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  14. Calderone, Michael (August 18, 2016). "Gawker.com Ending Operations Next Week". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on October 16, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  15. Samios, Zoe (December 11, 2018). "Pedestrian TV and Allure merge, with Jason Scott to depart". Mumbrella. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  16. Bennett, Lindsay (December 11, 2018). "Pedestrian TV to absorb Allure Media in post-Fairfax consolidation". AdNews. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
  17. "Nine merging digital publishers Pedestrian.TV & Allure Media". Mediaweek. December 11, 2018. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  18. "Home page". Pedestrian Group. Archived from the original on March 15, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
  19. Schofield, Jack (January 7, 2007). "Gizmodo claims first blood at CES 2007". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on January 25, 2007. Retrieved January 24, 2007.
  20. "Apple's iPhone steals spotlight from rival tech show". Reuters. January 10, 2007. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2009.
  21. Needleman, Rafe (January 10, 2008). "Bloggers behaving badly: Gizmodo messes with CES flat screens". Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved January 11, 2008.
  22. Lam, Brian (January 10, 2008). "Confessions: The Meanest Thing Gizmodo Did at CES". Archived from the original on January 10, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2008.
  23. Helft, Miguel; Bilton, Nick (April 19, 2010). "For Apple, Lost iPhone Is a Big Deal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  24. "Man who found — and sold — the missing iPhone unmasked". Today in Tech. Yahoo News. April 29, 2010. Archived from the original on May 4, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  25. Lundin, Leigh (May 2, 2010). "The Fourth Estate, The Death of Journalism". Newsworthy. Criminal Brief. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
  26. Sweet, Ken (April 19, 2010). "Gizmodo paid for iPhone 4G: so are they receivers of stolen goods?". Technology Blog. London: The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  27. "Legal, Eh?". April 20, 2010. Archived from the original on November 9, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
  28. Sutter, John (April 26, 2010). "Police seize computers from Gizmodo editor". SciTechBlog. CNN. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  29. Calderone, Michael (April 26, 2010). "Silicon Valley cops raid Gizmodo editor's home, take four computers". The Newsroom. Yahoo News. Archived from the original on May 3, 2010. Retrieved May 4, 2010.
  30. Lundin, Leigh (June 13, 2010). "Prosecutor in Search of a Crime?". Newsworthy. Criminal Brief. Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  31. Myslewski, Rik (June 4, 2010). "Search begins on seized Gizmodo journo kit". Der Ring des Gizmodophonelungen. San Francisco, California: The Register. Archived from the original on March 20, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
  32. "Apple's iPhone Event Will Be Sept 9th (And We'll Be There)". Newsworthy. Gizmodo. August 28, 2014. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
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