Robert Scoble#PodTech

Scoble was born in New Jersey in 1965, and grew up about a kilometer from Apple Computer’s head office in Silicon Valley.{{cite web |work=Micro persuasion |url=http://steverubel.typepad.com/micropersuasion/2004/04/qa_with_robert_.html |title=Q&A with Robert Scoble on Blogging, Media and PR |date=2004-04-29 |first=Steve |last=Rubel |access-date=2006-08-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614155752/http://steverubel.typepad.com/micropersuasion/2004/04/qa_with_robert_.html |archive-date=2006-06-14 }}

In 1993, he dropped out without finishing his degree in journalism from San Jose State University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications.{{cite web|url=http://www.mainfunction.com/DotNetInAction/Technologies/display.aspx?ID=2862&TypeID=11 |title=Meet Robert Scoble! |date=2005-11-18 |publisher=Microsoft MainFunction |work=MSDN Academic Alliance Community Center |access-date=2006-08-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060329024835/https://www.mainfunction.com/DotNetInAction/Technologies/display.aspx?ID=2862&TypeID=11 |archive-date=March 29, 2006 }}{{cite web| url = http://scobleizer.com/playstation-3-mania-in-san-francisco/#comment-142422 |title = Robert Scoble still need 3 credits to graduate | first =Robert|last= Scoble|date= 2006-11-16|access-date = 2015-10-11}}{{Cite web|last1=May 23rd|last2=2017{{!}}Information|last3=Technology|last4=Scoble|first4=Robert|last5=Comments|first5=Tech Leaders{{!}}0|date=2017-05-23|title=Robert Scoble: 'The coming wave of technology will really change human life'|url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/businessreview/2017/05/23/robert-scoble-the-coming-wave-of-technology-will-really-change-human-life/|access-date=2020-07-16|website=LSE Business Review|language=en-US}}

In June 2003, Scoble accepted a position at Microsoft. The Economist described Scoble’s influence in its February 15, 2005 edition:{{cite news |url=http://www.economist.com/people/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3644293 |title= Chief humanising officer |date=2005-02-10 |newspaper=The Economist |access-date= 2006-08-26}} An article that describes Scoble’s role at Microsoft{{Cite web|date=2015-01-28|title=5 lessons Silicon Valley can learn from Robert Scoble|url=https://venturebeat.com/2015/01/28/5-things-silicon-valley-can-learn-from-robert-scoble/|access-date=2020-07-16|website=VentureBeat|language=en-US}}

{{Cquote |He has become a minor celebrity among geeks worldwide, who read his blog religiously. Impressively, he has also succeeded where small armies of more conventional public-relations types have been failing abjectly for years: he has made Microsoft, with its history of monopolistic bullying, appear marginally but noticeably less evil to the outside world, and especially to the independent software developers that are his core audience}}

On June 10, 2006, Scoble announced{{cite web | url = http://scobleizer.com/correcting-the-record-about-microsoft/ |title=Correcting the Record about Microsoft |date = 2006-06-10 |first=Robert |last=Scoble |work=The Scobleizer Weblog | access-date =2006-08-28}} Robert posting about why he left Microsoft he was leaving Microsoft to join Podtech.net as vice president of media development with a higher salary accompanied by "a quite aggressive stock option"{{cite news |url=http://www.australianit.news.com.au/story/0,24897,19443297-15306,00.html | title =Blogger Scoble Quits Microsoft|date=2006-06-12 |work=Australian IT}}{{dead link|date=January 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} offer that would have made him wealthy if his new company had succeeded.{{cite news |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5070940.stm |title = Top Microsoft Blogger to Resign |date=2006-06-12 |work=BBC News}}{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/2006/06/12/gates-microsoft-scoble-cx_po_0612autofacescan01.html |title=Ballmer's Microsoft Loses Admired Tech Evangelist |date = 2006-06-12 |first = Parmy | last =Olson |work = Forbes}} According to Alexa Internet that day had the biggest traffic to his blog and PodTech over their lifetime.{{cite web|url=http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?compare_sites=podtech.net&range=2y&size=medium&y=r&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscobleizer.wordpress.com%2F|title=Traffic report for Scobleizer blog and PodTech.net|work=Alexa|access-date=2006-09-11|archive-date=2007-10-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012190322/http://alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?compare_sites=podtech.net&range=2y&size=medium&y=r&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscobleizer.wordpress.com%2F|url-status=dead}} June 28, 2006 was his last day at Microsoft.

On December 11, 2007, while taking part in a panel discussion at the LeWeb3 Conference, he inadvertently leaked news (by loading up a post on TechCrunch) that he would be leaving PodTech on January 14, 2008, and was likely to join Fast Company. He acknowledged the news on his blog on December 12 but stated that he had not yet signed on with Fast Company. He did a video interview about his plans{{Citation | last = Crampton | first = Thomas | date = Dec 12, 2007 | url = http://www.thomascrampton.com/2007/12/12/robert-scoble-after-podtech-and-his-plans-for-fast-company/ | title = Robert Scoble after Podtech & his plans for Fast co}}. and leased studio space from Revision3.

On March 3, 2008, Scoble launched FastCompany.tv with two shows: FastCompany Live and ScobleizerTV. He characterizes the first as "a show done totally on cell phones." The second is similar to his previous show on PodTech, only with better equipment and a camera operator. The show is recorded with two cameras in 720p HD.{{Citation | date = Mar 3, 2008 | contribution-url = http://scobleizer.com/fastcompanytv-launches/ | title = Scobleizer | contribution = FastCompany.TV launches}}.

On March 14, 2009, Scoble announced via his blog and on the Gillmor Gang that he was joining Rackspace. As part of his work there, he teamed up with the company to develop Building 43, a new content and social networking website aimed to help grow new startups and promote groundbreaking technology. In 2012, Building 43 was re-branded as Small Teams, Big Impact.{{Citation | contribution-url = http://scobleizer.com/scalable-livin/ | contribution = Scalable Living: changes you can make to be more productive | title = Scobleizer | date = 2012-07-02 | access-date = 2014-05-15}}.

Scoble left Rackspace to join UploadVR in 2016 as an entrepreneur in residence.{{cite web|last1=Scoble|first1=Robert|title=Why I Joined the VR Revolution|url=https://uploadvr.com/scoble-why-vr/|website=UploadVR|date=10 March 2016 |access-date=20 October 2017}}

{{See also|Me Too movement}}

On October 20, 2017, the news outlet BuzzFeed published a story that alleges that in 2010, Scoble sexually assaulted Michelle Greer, his Rackspace coworker, and Quinn Norton, a technology journalist.{{Cite web |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/doree/woman-accuses-robert-scoble-of-sexual-harassment |title=Another Woman Has Accused Robert Scoble of Sexual Harassment |last=Shafrir |first=Doree |date=October 20, 2017 |website=BuzzFeed |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020085706/https://www.buzzfeed.com/doree/woman-accuses-robert-scoble-of-sexual-harassment |archive-date=October 20, 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=October 20, 2017 }} Scoble apologized after the BuzzFeed article was published, saying that he has been working towards making amends ever since becoming sober two years ago.{{Cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/RobertScoble/posts/10155785962004655 |title=I Apologize |last=Scoble |first=Robert |date=October 20, 2017 |website=Facebook|access-date=October 20, 2017 }} However, several women countered this claim, reporting that he made inappropriate advances during the time period he claimed to be sober.{{cite web|last1=Buhr|first1=Sarah|title=Robert Scoble has allegedly continued to sexually harass women after going sober|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/20/robert-scoble-has-allegedly-continued-to-sexually-harass-women-after-going-sober/|website=TechCrunch|date=20 October 2017 |access-date=21 October 2017}} Days later, he deleted his apology, and proclaimed his innocence in a blog post that also announced his new company, LightPitch.{{cite web|url=https://scobleizer.blog/2017/10/25/no-of-that-im-innocent-sexual-harassment-assault-accusations/|title=No, of that I'm innocent.|access-date=2017-11-03|archive-date=2019-02-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210065844/https://scobleizer.blog/2017/10/25/no-of-that-im-innocent-sexual-harassment-assault-accusations/|url-status=dead}}

One immediate reaction was by the VR/AR Association (VRARA), stating: "In light of recent news and allegations of sexual harassment by Robert Scoble, the VR/AR Association has formally removed Robert from our Board of Advisors. Our organization does not condone harassment of any kind, and feel that this is the best course of action."{{Cite web|url=http://www.thevrara.com/blog2/2017/10/20/vrar-associations-statement-regarding-robert-scoble|title=VR/AR Association's Statement Regarding Robert Scoble|last=Kolo|first=Kris|date=2017-10-20|website=The VR/AR Association|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022033411/http://www.thevrara.com/blog2/2017/10/20/vrar-associations-statement-regarding-robert-scoble|archive-date=2017-10-22|access-date=2017-10-21|url-status=bot: unknown}}

Scoble resigned from the Transformation Group, his AR consulting firm, which he co-founded in late 2016.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/10/23/16527862/robert-scoble-resigns-transformation-group-sexual-harassment|title=Robert Scoble departs his augmented reality company following sexual harassment claims|work=The Verge|access-date=2017-10-24}}

In November, 2013, Scoble was co-keynote speaker with Shel Israel at the 2013 Telstra Australian Digital Summit. Scoble and Israel talked to their book titled "Age of Context: Mobile, Sensors, Data and the Future of Privacy".{{Citation |url=http://telstra.com/summit |year=2013 |title=Australian Digital Summit |publisher=Telstra }}.

On April 1, 2008, The Register ran an April fool's spoof claiming Robert Scoble was actually an IBM bot.{{cite news |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/01/ibm_scoble_nano/ |title=IBM unveils nano-projector based VirtuaHuman with 1TB of memory |newspaper=The Register |date=April 1, 2008 }}.

On November 14, 2007, he was a contestant on a game show at NewTeeVee Live{{Citation |url=http://live.newteevee.com/gameshow |title=Web Video Celebrity Game Show |publisher=NewTeeVee Live |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071230184233/http://live.newteevee.com/gameshow/ |archive-date=2007-12-30 }}. featuring other internet celebrities such as Veronica Belmont, Casey McKinnon, Cali Lewis, Kevin Rose, Justin Kan, and others.{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/businesswire/feeds/businesswire/2007/10/31/businesswire20071031005523r1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110090421/http://www.forbes.com/businesswire/feeds/businesswire/2007/10/31/businesswire20071031005523r1.html |archive-date=2007-11-10 |title=NewTeeVee Live to Feature Online Video Leaders |access-date=2014-01-30 }}

On November 6, 2006, Scoble appeared as a panelist on a Chinese Software Professionals Association event called "The New Age of Influence: The Impact of Social Computing on Media and Marketing".{{Citation |url=http://www.cspa.com/eventdetail.php?eid=20061106 |date=November 6, 2006 |publisher=CPSA |title=The New Age of Influence: The Impact of Social Computing on Media and Marketing |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080520040749/http://www.cspa.com/eventdetail.php?eid=20061106 |archive-date=May 20, 2008 }}.

==Milliscoble==

In September 2008, Follow cost, a website that calculated how annoying it would be to follow anyone on Twitter, invented the milliscoble unit of measurement defined as: "1/1000 of the average daily Twitter status updates by Robert Scoble as of 10:09 CST September 25, 2008." At that time, Scoble was averaging 21.21 tweets per day, so a milliscoble is 0.02121 tweets per day. A person with a milliscoble rating of 1000 will be as annoying to follow as Scoble.{{cite web |url=http://followcost.com/about/milliscoble |publisher=Follow cost |title=What's a milliscoble? |date=2008-09-25 |work=About |access-date=2008-12-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207053001/http://followcost.com/about/milliscoble |archive-date=2008-12-07 }}

He is married to Maryam Ghaemmaghami Scoble. Although he considers himself an agnostic, he converted to Islam at the time of the marriage.{{cite news| last =Riley | first = Duncan|title= What the world's most famous Muslim blogger, Robert Scoble, teaches us|url= http://www.inquisitr.com/5929/what-the-worlds-most-famous-muslim-blogger-robert-scoble-teaches-us/ | access-date = 13 August 2014|work= The Inquisitr|date= 21 October 2008|quote = Scoble noted that he’s an ‘agnostic Muslim’ and by no means a faithful follower of the faith he now holds, but none the less, legally he is a Muslim.}} He has three sons, one with autism.{{Citation|title=Author|contribution=R Scoble|contribution-url=http://www.rackspace.com/blog/author/rscoble/|publisher=Rack space|access-date=2014-12-01|archive-date=2014-10-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016025604/http://www.rackspace.com/blog/author/rscoble/|url-status=dead}}.

• {{cite book | last1 = Scoble | first1 = Robert | author-link = Robert Scoble | first2 = Shel | last2 = Israel | title = Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers | date = January 2006 | publisher = Wiley | isbn = 978-0-471-74719-2 | quote = We live in a time when most people don’t trust big companies. | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/nakedconversatio00scob }}
• {{cite book|title=Age of Context: Mobile, Sensors, Data and the Future of Privacy|last1=Scoble|first1=Robert|last2=Israel|first2=Shel|date=September 2013|publisher=Creative Space|isbn=978-1492348436|author-link=Robert Scoble}}
• Scoble, Robert; Israel, Shel (November 2016). The Fourth Transformation: How Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence Change Everything. Patrick Brewster Press. {{ISBN|978-1-5398-9444-5}}.
• Cronin, Irena; Scoble, Robert (May 2020). The Infinite Retina. Packt Publishing. {{ISBN|9781838824044}}

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Robert Scoble}}

• {{Official website|https://scobleizer.com}}
• [https://www.cloudave.com/9246/does-every-company-need-a-robert-scoble-infographic-evangelism/ The Scoble Effect by Mark Fidelman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514181105/https://www.cloudave.com/9246/does-every-company-need-a-robert-scoble-infographic-evangelism/ |date=2021-05-14 }}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Scoble, Robert}}

Category:American video bloggers

Category:Microsoft employees

Category:San Jose State University alumni

Category:1965 births

Category:Living people

Category:Technology evangelists

Category:American agnostics

Category:Converts to Islam

Category:People from Piscataway, New Jersey

Category:People from Half Moon Bay, California