Gadget geeks from all walks of life know the name Ryan Block. And if they don't know his face, they at least know his voice.
Like the rest of us, Block, the editor of AOL-owned consumer tech blog Engadget, and number 20 on the new Web Celeb 25 list, must occasionally call tech support. Once, while on the phone troubleshooting a problem with his cable provider, the support representative stopped him in mid-sentence, asking, "Hey, are you Ryan Block? I love Engadget!" Block hadn't said his name, but the rep had listened to so many Engadget podcasts that his voice was instantly familiar.
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Block became editor in chief of the hugely popular gadget blog in 2007, taking over from founder Pete Rojas, and helping the site transition from ownership by independent media company Weblogs Inc. to Time Warner's
And in the time since, Engadget has scooped up more traffic--and at least as many exclusive news stories as its main blog rival, Gizmodo, owned by Gawker Media. Thanks to tips from its millions of loyal readers seeded through the tech industry, the site has posted hundreds of juicy, top-secret product specification lists, photos and road maps, including the first photos of the then-unannounced
Block says he's gotten the most satisfaction covering the birth of the
But Block's short tenure as editor in chief has also seen controversy. In May 2007, Engadget published information received in an e-mail from an Apple employee, stating that Apple's then-forthcoming iPhone and Leopard operating system would be delayed. The e-mail, while confirmed as sent from Apple's headquarters, turned out to be a hoax. But in the short period between Engadget's publishing of the post and the realization that the rumor was fake, Apple's stock tanked. In all, Engadget's post inadvertently wiped $4 billion from Apple's market capitalization.
The episode demonstrates Engadget's tremendous clout in the consumer tech business, but also highlights the rush-to-publish, highly-competitive nature of the highest-traffic blogs. "There are things I might have done differently afterward," says Block, "But journalistically, I think I did everything I could have done at the time." Block says Engadget models its internal code of ethics after the rules of conduct adopted by news institutions such as The Wall Street Journal.
And so far, Apple hasn't punished Engadget for its costly decision. "I know [Apple chief executive] Steve Jobs reads us on a daily basis, so there's no way Apple was going to shut us out completely," says Block. Block points to the site's Microsoft Zune scoop as an example of why Jobs has to read his site.
The pressure to get exclusive information and maintain traffic means Engadget's dozens of writers and editors--all working from home offices around the world--must put in long days and nights. And the demanding schedule has created a sizable pool of Engadget alums, earning Block a reputation as a task master. "When I hire people, I tell them it's not a job--it's a lifestyle. There aren't really 'breaks.' You can't check out for days at a time," he says.
When the annual Consumer Electronics Show rolls around next month, Engadget employees can expect little sleep. Even occasional contributors to the site are expected to take a week off from work to attend the Las Vegas convention. Its Block's job to make the site's coverage of the show seem fresh to readers, rather than like a truckload of meaningless product press releases. "Consumers are jaded by the direction CES has taken," says Block. "Every year, it becomes more and more difficult to handle."
This year, Block's girlfriend, Veronica Belmont, current host of video podcast Mahalo Daily, will help Engadget with its CES coverage (Belmont's employer, Mahalo CEO Jason Calacanis, founded Weblogs Inc). Her star is rising, and before long, she could be the most well-known component of this Web Celeb power couple.
Block doesn't disagree--and despite devoted tech support reps and legions of fans, he remains humble about his own level of fame. "Engadget's a huge brand," he says. "But Ryan Block isn't."