Stephen Fry is like everyone’s favourite uncle. A national treasure ™. The uber-gadget fan. But there’s one thing he’s not: a tech prophet. As he bounded onstage yesterday at London’s Windows Phone 7 event, I couldn’t help thinking: oh not again. I know he just can’t resist the lure of the shiny new kit, it’s an understandable feeling – everyone here at Electricpig HQ has experienced it. But Stephen Fry is turning into a PR tool in every sense of the word, rolled out by firms to deploy quips and that’s just a crying shame…

You can’t dispute Stephen Fry’s credentials as a gadget fanatic. He regularly rocks multiple phones, he (along with Douglas Adams) was among the first people in Britain to buy a Mac. He has been a fanboy since before the term meant anything. His tech columns for The Guardian showed a depth of knowledge and a geeky passion that would make many a tech journalist blush. But it makes us sad to see him out there used as a stamp of approval for Windows Phone 7.

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Windows Phone 7 does look good. Our final judgements will be reserved for our forthcoming reviews (let us know what you want from the HTC HD7 review by the way). But cuddling Stephen Fry to itself and using his profile to sell its new OS is a smart PR trick from Microsoft and one that he shouldn’t fall for. It’s mortgaging his profile to a conglomerate that hasn’t earned it. Do an ad voiceover for cash, sure. But turn up for free to burble platitudes which will help sell handsets? There’s really no need.

When Stephen Fry says things like “I have felt enormous pleasure using this phone,” and “Microsoft [are] doing something they can be proud of”, he’s not making a considered review. Stood on that stage, he’s firing out the unfettered enthusiasm of a gadget fan given special treatment, VIP access to brand new tech. It’s a risk that all tech journalists face: the companies are so nice to you, so want to please you, it’s a struggle to remain objective, to see what most users will experience.

Stephen Fry should obviously be allowed to write about Apple. He’s a great writer, a man of phenomenal intellect, and that usually makes for a great read. But to put his name on a review byline as Time did with his iPad review is deceptive. Stephen Fry is great friends with Jonathan Ive, the man who designed the iPad, he is given special access to Steve Jobs at keynotes. When it comes to Apple, he cannot be a journalist, he’s an acolyte.

When a product was designed by one of your friends, when you have bought every product that Apple has ever released in the UK, you are understandably incapable of being impartial. If one of my mates created a product, would I be able to see the flaws or even ask the right questions? I can’t be sure that I would.

Stephen Fry has an opportunity to do something special. He’s a trusted voice for people who don’t trust technology. Popping up at numerous events evangelising for products (whether paid or not) undermines that. Stephen, I’m not here to hate but seeing you as unpaid pitchman for Microsoft just disappoints me. The same goes for shilling for Steve Jobs or hopping into bed with HP. We share your love of tech but don’t let the tech firms fool you: they’re tapping into your brand to buoy up their own stock. You don’t need to help them with that.

Tell us: are we wrong? Is Stephen Fry right to promote both Apple and Windows Phone 7? Or should he keep his distance from firms that want to harness his fame and play on his gadget love?

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  • themoshman

    He should probably only publicly support one company if he is employed by any of them to promote their product.

    However I love him so much that I'd like to see him promote every product in the country just so I can hear more of him.

  • James

    I agree with Mic Wright. I used to listen to Stephen as if be was impartial. Now I don't believe it/him.

    • James Holland

      His passion definitely puts a dent in his credibility. For instance, I now expect him to support pretty much anything Apple does… even when it's second rate, like the new Apple TV http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2010/10/11/apple-tv-review/

      I love his devotion to tech. He's a fantastic ambassador, but obviously a partisan one. I often wish he'd be a bit more critical and even handed. For instance, last night I was in the audience when he praised Microsoft after heaping scorn on them for so many years… saying Windows Phone 7 is a triumph.

      He's right, it's better than Microsoft has managed in the past… but he spoke as if Redmond had never created anything else of worth: Xbox, Office, Microsoft hardware – all that stuff brushed aside. I guess it rankled me a bit, even though I'm no Microsoft fanboy, their achievements deserve just as much recognition as Apple's, even if they're not as pretty.

    • bensillis

      Ditto. The man turns up to the opening of an envelope these days, and it's diluting his credibility.

  • rob

    every word of the word pr or tool?
    - in medicine pr also means by the bum – per rectal ;)

    • James Holland

      Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

  • MJ78

    I actually find this article a bit odd, considering that EP seems to be doing the exact same thing with the Nokia N8.

    The site is literally plastered with the N8, which I can only assume is why we are getting the early Q&A sessions with the handset. Unless it's all a coincidence and the wallpapered images of the N8 are because the site loves the phone that much.

    Even if Microsofts intentions in this aren't exactly noble, Mr Fry probably is. As you say, he's a massive, massive Apple fan, getting early access to the iPad and such, so if, as the quotes from him are truthful, it would make me think slightly different to reactions so far.

    He's an Apple fan, yet has used W7 and actually likes it, so rather than doing what most Apple biased people/sites would do and instantly rubbish it, just because it isn't Apple, he's got up and praised something on its merits.

    One thing I do think though, this may bring an abrupt end to his Apple access, friendly with Ive or not, Mr Jobs does not like you courting any potential opposition.

    • James Holland

      Hi MJ78,

      The Nokia N8 activity is sponsored by Vodafone. The site graphics are clearly branded with their logo, and any paid-for articles have a banner marking them out as a promotion. More importantly, we genuinely think they're useful to readers – the editorial team here worked with Vodafone on the topics and treatments, and as you can see by the author's name, they were all created by our own writers. We're extremely open and clear about what they are, who wrote them and why they exist.

      The performance of the N8 guides and live Q&As seems to suggest we're doing the right thing too – readers love them and, as I'm sure you understand, we need to keep a roof over our heads. I think it's a nice compromise, and certainly better than irrelevant (and boring) banner ads, pop-ups or lazy re-skins which don't give you any substance.

      Aside from that, all our reviews remain impartial – you'll notice the same people never write promotional material and product reviews, and even within promo material we're careful not to compare products or award scores – we take that very seriously, even though many tech sites don't make a clear distinction between what's paid for, and what's there for the love of it.

      Lastly, and personally, I think you're dead right – Apple will probably take a dim view of this. They can't control Mr Fry, but he might soon find himself on the back row of Steve Jobs' keynotes, rather than in the reserved seats up front.

  • Tony

    @MJ78

    I totally agree, although there a couple of major differences between Steven Fry and Electric Pig.

    Steven Fry clearly said that he was not getting paid for the Windows 7 appearance, where as Electric Pig are obviously getting paid for promoting the Nokia N8.

    The second major difference between the two is that Stephen Fry actually knows what he is talking about.

    • James Holland

      Hey Tony,

      As I explained above, the Nokia N8 activity is branded up with the Vodafone logo and each article is clearly marked as a promotional feature. There's not much we can do to be clearer than that!

      On your second point, if you could give me examples of where we're going wrong I'm happy to look into them. Although the rapidly expanding ranks of Electricpig readers might disagree – there's just shy of 800,000 of them now. I'd like to think they're not all wrong.

    • novak84

      @Tony ………….. i think you are being a little unfair. EP are hardly selling their souls by running some promotional articles, at the end of the day they are a business and need to make money ……… they aren't running the articles comparing against other models telling you, that “you must buy the N8″………

      Stephen Fry is a techie guru???? No chance, brainy geezer for sure but techie nerd, do me a favour!

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