Why Bash Microsoft (or Edelman) and Not Nokia?
Scoble asks “why bash Microsoft and not Nokia” upon learning that Nokia is providing the N93, a higher-end multimedia phone, to bloggers (like Steve Garfield) for their review.
As I posted yesterday, I believe most of the blogosphere bashing was aimed at Edelman for poor execution of a good idea. Nokia has provided review units to bloggers before with good effect. The major difference is Nokia provides clear rules of engagement. For instance, you’ll find this disclosure in Steve’s post on the phone:
“Nokia sent me an N93 to evaluate and ended up letting me keep the phone. They also paid my expenses to go to NYC for the N95 product rollout. Nokia has not required me to write or say anything about the phone. Anything I write about it are my own thoughts.”
The one issue I have with the Nokia program is they are letting bloggers keep the phones. That’s probably not a good idea. Some timeframe for trying out the phone should be established. Having said that, I know from talking to our MSM relations professionals that it is often difficult — if not impossible — to get back review units from some MSM reporters. At some point, it’s just not worth the effort.
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