Peter Rojas and Ryan Block introduce gdgt, gdgt weekly

If you've been wondering what former editor-in-chief (but current editor-at-large) Ryan Block has been up to since he left the site, wonder no more! He and Engadget founder Peter Rojas have just soft-launched their latest foray into the world of gadgets, fittingly (and simply) named... gdgt. Right now they're just getting off the ground, but they've got a new podcast up, and we expect some great content to follow. It should be noted that Peter and Ryan have reached out to various voices in the tech community (yours truly included, along with Gizmodo editor Brian Lam) to advise and input on the new property, which should provide for spirited mashups about all the technology you know (or don't know yet) and love. Hit the read link to check it all out!

[Rob @ Sep 4th 2008 1:04PM]

I was wondering who that Che Guevara-looking guy was.

[RyanTV @ Sep 4th 2008 1:14PM]

Viva La Revolucion!

engadget traitors unite!

[kjb434 @ Sep 4th 2008 1:39PM]

Please, keep mentions of the mass murderer of Cuba out of the comments......

[RyanTV @ Sep 4th 2008 1:57PM]

No one said anything about Castro.

[lowdef @ Sep 4th 2008 2:28PM]

you dumbass che guevara was in cuba and he was the one responsible for killing dissidents for castro...way to go.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Sep 4th 2008 5:21PM]

Peter is on the left and Ryan is on the right.

[gayboi @ Sep 4th 2008 7:55PM]

Anyone wanna guess which one of them is the top and which one's the bottom?

[Jonathan-DBOSS @ Sep 4th 2008 8:10PM]

El Che fue un argentino que ayudo a Castro en la revolucion.

So yeah, that's about it.

[Razor @ Sep 7th 2008 8:12AM]

Well obviously kjb and lowdef are the dummies. What, you expect people to know a little bit of history around here? ;-)

[Gman @ Sep 4th 2008 1:05PM]

Best of luck to both Ryan and Peter. I hope gdgt will become as successful as the other sites they have worked on.

[Ryan @ Sep 4th 2008 3:23PM]

Yes.....and best of luck continuing with Incubus.

[Kamokazi @ Sep 4th 2008 1:05PM]

Does their site have a functional comment system?

[lanejasper69 @ Sep 4th 2008 2:34PM]

GAWD I Hope not....it'll just be a new bitch session gadget blog. I hope they stick to blog only with NO comment system!!! Or at least have it moderated and kill all "argumentative and non-constructive" posts about what is better iPhone or Nokia N95 (or whatever your preference) or Mac VS PC etc. those are all personal preferences and it'd be nice to finally go to an informative site without weeding through a bunch or arguing morons.

[mrpoo @ Sep 4th 2008 3:18PM]

I hope they have a smart-filtering comment system that knocks out comments from arrogant know-it-alls whose posts drip with unintentional irony and circular logic while arguing about arguing morons.

[Reader @ Sep 4th 2008 4:05PM]

lane, it will definitely have a comment section. They're letting people sign up for usernames now, which I can only assume would be for commenting. Maybe a forum, that's be kind of cool for some stuff.

[who? @ Sep 4th 2008 1:05PM]

Did he by chance get the name from his license plate?

[jjdarling @ Sep 4th 2008 6:23PM]

No, they got it from Motorola's marketing team.

[Kamokazi @ Sep 4th 2008 1:06PM]

Does their site have a functional comment system?

[RWD @ Sep 4th 2008 1:09PM]

oh the irony

[dimsum05 @ Sep 4th 2008 1:07PM]

Finally! The successor to the Engadget podcast!

[strider_mt2k @ Sep 4th 2008 1:30PM]

Indeed.
It was usually some good listening and was missed somewhat.

[Kris @ Sep 4th 2008 1:08PM]

So he left Engadget... to create a site just like Engadget... and has reached out to Engadget and Gizmodo...

That's like someone leaving McDonalds to open a Burger King and then talking to McDonalds and Wendy's about how to make it work then McDonalds advertises Burger King's opening.

THIS MAKES SENSE IT NOT DOES

[Ryan Block @ Sep 4th 2008 1:15PM]

We already said, we're not building another gadget blog. We'll be writing about gadgets, but that's not the focus of gdgt -- which hasn't actually launched yet.

[giantenemycrab @ Sep 4th 2008 1:16PM]

I'm thinking Ryan got sick of working for AOL. I hear it can be a nightmare.

[Steve Childs @ Sep 4th 2008 1:18PM]

Sounds like a good plan really.

1. Start Site.
2. Site gets bought by AOL for $$$
3. Leave Site

Goto Step 1.

[Jon Niola @ Sep 4th 2008 1:19PM]

Sounds weird or perhaps ironic, but that is how things work. No matter what anyone says, there is no such thing as a 100% original concept. EVERYTHING is a derivative of something else.

[jakem @ Sep 4th 2008 1:37PM]

Presumably the distinction is that rather than being about gadgets in general the new site will just be about gadgets from Apple.

[Kris @ Sep 4th 2008 2:28PM]

@jakem, so it'll be exactly like Engadget?

[phanbouy @ Sep 4th 2008 2:58PM]

"we're not building another gadget blog. We'll be writing about gadgets, but that's not the focus of gdgt"

So it's a gadget blog but not a gadget blog where you write about gadgets, but it's not the focus, even though the name is "gdgt"

psilocybin is a wonderful drug.

[stunta @ Sep 4th 2008 3:11PM]

If you have been reading engadget long enough it should be obvious that gdgt (or should it be iGdgt) will be an Apple fanboy mecca. Membership requirements are below:
1. Apple logo tattooed in a public part AND a private part of your body.
2. 14 day boot camp where you pledge allegiance to Apple. Steve Jobs is your new and only deity.
3. You believe Ryan Block is always right. Even when he is wrong. If you think he is wrong you just dont get it. You are an infidel and will be banned.

[phanbouy @ Sep 4th 2008 3:14PM]

@stunta
cry me a river of bitter tears, O righteous one

[Mike C @ Sep 4th 2008 3:22PM]

No, see if you work at engadget you blog about gadgets. If you work at gdgt, you write about gadgets.

See?

wait, what?

[happy_penguin @ Sep 4th 2008 3:32PM]

That's good to hear, Ryan. I suppose we can expect something complimentary to Engadget, Gizmodo, etc. rather than competition. Blaze your own path!

[happy_penguin @ Sep 4th 2008 3:49PM]

@stunta

You may or may not have some valid points but I think you're off the mark. I am more than happy to support a dissenting opinion when I agree with it. But far too many times I have seen some uncalled for nastiness directed at these guys and I think they are quite tolerant and forgiving in most cases.

[Anon @ Sep 4th 2008 4:58PM]

@ Steve Childs

you messed up the steps. its:

1. Start Site.
2. Site gets bought by AOL for $$$
3. ??????
4. Profit!

[strider_mt2k @ Sep 4th 2008 1:09PM]

Cool!
Another tech blog!

I'm not kidding, I like 'em!

[Dude @ Sep 4th 2008 1:09PM]

What do they have against vowels?

[Galley @ Sep 4th 2008 1:44PM]

I hope the entire site has not been disemvoweled!

[ChuChu @ Sep 4th 2008 1:58PM]

They should have a great big launch party with music by MGMT and they can invite all their hpstr pals and talk gdgts.

[Atanas Boev @ Sep 4th 2008 2:12PM]

GDGT, WTF? WHT happened to RCRD LBL?

[xB Owner @ Sep 4th 2008 2:53PM]

Ryan is still jockeying for that CEO position over at Motorola.

[phanbouy @ Sep 4th 2008 3:36PM]

how can they have a Wii Fit challenge w/o vowels?

[jupiterthunder @ Sep 4th 2008 6:00PM]

Vowels are like so yesterday.

[999 @ Sep 5th 2008 7:12AM]

The techno-fetishists will be very disappointed when they realize this site is actually about a 60's sitcom starring Sally Fields.

[Jon Niola @ Sep 4th 2008 1:13PM]

Best of luck guys. It is a competitive space, but you guys should be able to hold your own.

[Zmokin @ Sep 4th 2008 1:13PM]

I don't get it - sounds just like another 'engadget' and similar site.

WTH is going to be different and why should I bother?

[Artie Lange @ Sep 4th 2008 1:14PM]

Those two have faces that were made for podcasts.

[giuliop @ Sep 4th 2008 5:16PM]

Those two have feces that were made for podcasts.

[Unknown @ Sep 4th 2008 1:14PM]

Oh Joy! Just this morning I was thinking the what the web needed was yet another gadget blog to achieve perfection. My prayers have been answered! Thank the Gods!

[Homeboy @ Sep 4th 2008 1:14PM]

I see he's paired up with Liam Gallagher.

.....wait.