Who Won the Day?

Jason Calacanis's iPad Hoax

John Hudson 52 Views Jan 27, 2010
Usually our "Who Won the Day" pieces focus on opinionmakers who add extra insight to the salient issue of the day. But today we're highlighting Jason Calacanis, a rambunctious tech mogul who willingly deceived a good many readers with his early morning tweeting.

On the eve of Apple's unveiling of the iPad, Calacanis claimed he had the device in his hands and gave a generous appraisal of it saying it's the "best gadget ever made." He went on to enumerate the iPad's newfangled features including a solar panel, fingerprint identification and two built-in cameras (things it doesn't have). While no mainstream news outlets reported it as truth, a number of them passed on the gossip (including this one).

It's not clear whether Calacanis's stunt was a joke, or a broader message about the eagerness of tech blogs to relay half-baked information. Either way, his prank may give gadget writers pause next time they come across questionable rumors--this site included.

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