Nokia going after Eldar from Mobile-Review over the N8

Update: This is what I get for reading something shat out of Google Translate. Eldar pinged the @IntoMobile twitter account (you better be subscribed!) to tell us that “it isnt true – they not to ask our servers yet. Just go to police with claim that we own Nokia trade secrets” further tweeting “Nokia blame us that we have they trade secrets, they used russian police for that. But at this moment no one ask to shut down our site” and then adding “It was some clarification according to info which i see on some sites. It isnt true yet, that they go for servers. Not yet.”

Eldar Murtazin, Editor in Chief of Mobile-Review, on a recent entry in his personal blog, wrote of how his vacation in Montenegro was cut short due to an urgent phone call from someone at the Russian Economic Crimes Ministry of Internal Affairs. The reason? Eldar’s impeccable ability to score prototype hardware from Nokia months before release, and then flooding the internet with photos of said hardware.

More specifically, they’re pissed about this blog post in particular. Dated April 26, 2010, it was posted only 1 day before the N8 was officially shown off. Why isn’t Nokia trying to shut down sites like Boy Genius Report, who a few years ago imfamously reviewed the Nokia E71 several months before it was announced. Hell, Apple didn’t even try to shut down Gizmodo when they posted the iPhone 4, they just wanted Jason Chen’s ass on a silver platter.

Whether or not you think this is moral … whatever. Whether or not you think Eldar is a cool guy, or an asshole, is again a question of preference. I will say this though, no one, and I mean no one, knows more about the mobile industry than this guy. I’ve spoken to analysts, engineers, marketers, strategists, executives, and without a shadow of a doubt Eldar could easily pummel their supposed grasp of one of the most interesting businesses to be in.

Ass kissing aside, this is pretty serious. I remember when I had Nokia’s legal team barking up my tree a few years ago for posting a photo of some silly little fashion phone I found on Howard Forums. That was back when the company was still inexperienced with regards to how to interact with bloggers and this new form of media. A quick phone call and all was forgiven.

Somehow I don’t think the same thing is going to happen to Eldar.

Drama Alert: Ray Haddow from Nokia left this statement in the comment section of this blog post, and also gave the same statement to SlashGear:

At Nokia we take all matters relating to the security of our products, confidential and proprietary information and intellectual property very seriously. Mr. Murtazin has been very public about his possession of unauthorized Nokia property. Several weeks back, we formally requested the return of all unauthorized Nokia property from Mr. Murtazin and he declined to respond. As a result, we have contacted the Russian authorities to assist us in the return of all unauthorized Nokia property.

To which Eldar replied via Twitter: “Hmm, Nokia do not get in touch with me and asking to return N8. I didnt receive any email, letter or call from Nokia side.” later adding “Also, i receive only 1 letter with asking to return property, and answer on it. Nokia arent come back with it.” and finally “Dont understand why Nokia talking that they informed me in some way. They said that Nokia Conversation blog topic about N8 not about me”

Sigh. The internets is full of meh.

Yet another update: Nokia wrote up an official statement on Eldar-gate and published it on Nokia Conversations. It’s basically the block quote from Ray above, puffed up a bit with some back story. This is getting … wacky.

About The Author

Stefan Constantinescu

Stefan Constantinescu (@WhatTheBit on Twitter) has loved technology since as far back as he can remember. It started with computers, but in the past few years his passion has turned to mobile devices. As a mobile phone enthusiast who lives and breathes devices that connect to the internet, he knows he is not alone with this radical fascination of all things wireless. He is strongly opinionated and enjoys a good debate so leave comments in his posts and he’ll get back to you! Stefan began blogging as a hobby in the fall of 2006 and joined IntoMobile in the summer of 2007. Later he got a job at Nokia in March 2008, but as of June 2009 he has rejoined the IntoMobile team. He is currently based out of Helsinki, Finland.

byebyeeldar

Eldar deserves this for all the anti-nokia crap he's been spouting on twitter lately.

No doubt the criminal will just return with another blog, probably funded by his pals at samsung.
Stefan Constantinescu

because everyone who doesn’t like Nokia deserves to be interrogated by the police.
@mrnitishkumar

You should put the update on top as you are misleading people by the title itself.
This is an example of good reporting
??????

in that post he doesn't mentions closing of mobile-review. he just got call from police asking for some info. thats all
RayH

At Nokia we take all matters relating to the security of our products, confidential and proprietary information and intellectual property very seriously. Mr. Murtazin has been very public about his possession of unauthorized Nokia property. Several weeks back, we formally requested the return of all unauthorized Nokia property from Mr. Murtazin and he declined to respond. As a result, we have contacted the Russian authorities to assist us in the return of all unauthorized Nokia property.
@cybette

It's one thing bashing Nokia and our products, it's another committing a crime.
http://www.slashgear.com/nokia-we-asked-nicely-fo…
Charles

Eldars credibility as an independent journalist is thoroughly shot to pieces – he'll give enthusiastic and positive reviews about the latest device from whatever manufacturer is bankrolling his site (ie. Samsung) and give vindictively negative reviews to those companies that no longer play ball with him (ie. Nokia).

He may know the industry well, but as a "journalist" (and no offence but I use that word sparingly in the context of bloggers) it became obvious he lacked any form of integrity and that his opinion is hugely compromised by the non-journalistic work he does on the side for the hardware companies.

In short, his critical and impartial opinion is worth spit.

I'm both surprised and disappointed that you appear to hold him in such high esteem, Stefan.
@outlawarth

Go Eldar! Leave the corporate ass kissing and "unbiased" reviews to others.

I'm glad you mentioned the famous E71 Boy Genius "preview", I don't remember Nokia being quite as upset, could it perhaps be that the Boy Genius' review was not quite as negative? (or negative at all).

Isn't it interesting how the mighty have fallen. First you Stefan, now symbianguru.com and Trentonn from trentsense.com and many others abandoning the sinking ship.

And while we are on the subject of taking legal action… would it be a stretch to suggest customers that have been deceived by Nokia and purchased the N97 and other 5th edition devices to sue Nokia? Nah… just kidding.
Noname

Hunt him down.
Ted

How many times Nokia needs to ask the protos back then? Isn't one time enough?
http://mobileinindia.in Atish Nischal

Just to put these number in perspective, Apple sells 8M iPhones a quarter. If Samsung really manages to sell 10M Galaxy S by the end of the year, it’ll sell around 30% as many Androids as Apple sells iPhones. Now, apple might increase the iPhone sales rate, but we need to remember that the Galaxy only came out in the second quarter.
Very impressive achievement for Samsung.
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