Apple shuts down Think Secret
By Ryan Block 
posted December 20th 2007 1:06AM
posted December 20th 2007 1:06AM
Remember how back in 2005 Apple sued Think Secret, one of the most infamous Apple rumor sites on the block? Apparently TS's publisher Nick Ciarelli (aka Nick DePlume) settled and even managed to keep his inside sources hidden (and the man has many), but paid the ultimate price: he's agreed to shut down the site, presumably for good -- at least in its current incarnation. We've got an email out to their crew to verify because something doesn't seem quite right here, kind of almost feels like a put-on. But who knows, maybe Apple managed to take out one of its most hated sites. Too bad that site also happens to be one of Apple fans' most beloved.[Thanks, Joe]
Update: It's real alright. Nick just wrote back: "I'll just say that I'm very satisfied with the settlement, and that I'd like to thank the Electronic Frontier Foundation and my attorney, Terry Gross of Gross & Belsky, for their support."
Sucks eggs, for sure.
It's always valuable to have another voice, regardless of your personal view. Too bad this is going away.
Think secret has been total rubbish for about three years. Why is this even being reported?
-"Damn you, Cipher!"
-"Don't hate me, Trinity . . . I'm just the messenger . . ."
Wow. He definitely got bought out. Good on him. I'd sell and shutdown too if the price was right. Congratulations, Nick!
I still think it's sad that Apple treated him this way. But in the end he's laughing last - I guess they both are, since the payment was surely just a TINY drop in the bucket for Job$ie and friend$.
I wonder if Nick's info was ever REALLY that damaging to Apple.
If I had a chance to sell out to live comfortably, you bet your ass I would.
I see no fault if that is what he did. Im sure he'll fire up some new blog regarding Apple that won't step on their toes (proven to be a difficult task).
All this attention has brought much-needed vitality to that moribund site. It has come back on peoples' radar screens, and traffic has picked up. Now maybe we'll start seeing regular updates again. Oh yeah... ;-)
Uh-oh Apple fanboys. It looks like Apple is a capitalistic enterprise that only cares about the bottom line, after all; or will one of you try to spin this into some sort of altruistic move by Apple?
Nick should just start providing information to Apple Insider (assuming his settlement allows him to).
RIP Think Secret
what's with the picture of Steve Jobs's love interest on every post?
If Apple didn't make everything little thing top secret and tell us something every once in a while (outside of a press release or convention keynote speech), we wouldn't need sites like ThinkSecret---or 9to5mac, MacRumors, AppleInsider, or even Engadget. I love Apple's products, but I hate their secrecy. The Illuminati were more open than Steve Job's inner circle.
Good night TS, now who will step up to take it's place?
I'd sell-out too...
Remember the traffic to his site doubled *after* the suit was filed.
Apple never had any real recourse against him - as a college student, he easily could have discharged via bankuptcy any civil judgement Apple obtained.
"I'm very satisfied with the settlement"
Translation:
"I now own a small island."
So uncalled for...
Weak--- Apple shuts down a site dedicated to hyping up its products.
And in the process sues a college student.
I'd hate to be in Apple's PR department right now--- how can you spin this into anything other than a disaster?
how very, very idiotic of them.