http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100426/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1791

Long story short: Idiot Apple employee gets drunk and accidentally leaves an iPhone G4 prototype at a bar. Another guy finds it and contacts Gizmodo. He gives the device to them in an exchange for $5000. Gizmodo reviews the device, and promptly returns it to Apple. On the one hand, Apple should be happy. This early info on the phone is sure to get people, especially Apple fanboys worked into a frenzy. On the other hand, Apple likes to be firmly in control of its media coverage and spin.

So yesterday, apparent at the behest of Apple, cops raided the home of a Gizmodo editor and took four computers and two servers. The charges are unknown at this point, but it is assumed that the charge is receiving stolen goods. Gawker, Gizmodo's parent company, has stricken back, filing unlawful seizure of property charges.

This whole situation disturbs me. I like some of their products, but Apple has always struck me as completely phony in terms of their image. For years, Apple has tried to pass themselves off as a lone voice of technological freedom, lashing out against 1984ish forces. With this move, they come off more like Big Brother. Way to be, assholes.

Well, I suppose we don't have the full details. If Gizmodo hired the guy to get the Apple employee drunk and steal his phone, then yeah, they're in the wrong. If some guy out of the blue found the phone and offered it to them, that's not their fault, and obviously they were going to go for the scoop.

Also, this doesn't accomplish anything other than bad PR. The info is already out there. It's copypasta on at least 200 sites by now.