David Lentz

A Little Too Inside Research In Motion

Interesting insights -- I find it also worthwhile to contrast the way Apple does this sort of thing... almost an inverted approach, by fanatically trying to block leaks and (almost) never, ever generating them -- allowing the wild unsubstantiated rumors to build to a fever pitch, until the maestro of hype takes the stage and tells the story he wants to tell.

The way Apple "leaks" is by disclosing stuff to selected journalists/analysts and allowing them to "leak", accompanied by the patina of respectability. If the stories don't come out quite the way Apple desires, the author goes into the penalty box, and is excluded from future scoops, so Apple maintains a modicum of control over the way things are revealed outside of the normal wall of secrecy.

The RIM methodology for trying to spin the news and build interest is considerably more direct, but once revealed, it quickly loses that "patina of respectability" and becomes mere advertising.