Why can't big companies figure out that it's the smaller sites that get people excited about their products?

Heck, I was really close to buying a Macintosh. In fact, I have the money in my account right now. I just bought a $1500 digital camera. It'd be very interesting to have a Mac to go with my new digital camera.

Maybe I should ask my friends who work at Apple for some good rumors just to tweak the management there.

But, Apple's not alone. DPReview's Phil Askey told those of us who hang out in the Nikon forum there that Nikon has not given that site access to a production model of the 5700. Even though grey market cameras are already for sale (grey market cameras are production cameras, but are sold in non-US markets).

To be honest, there's a good reason for doing this. Here's what it is:

1) Before the release of a hot product you don't want word to get out because sales of existing products go way down. In my current position I get to see this up front and close. Even if a competitor announces a new product sales of the current one just stop. I'm serious, I can't talk about it, but I've seen this happen.

2) During release of a hot product, the product will sell itself. The Nikon 5700 is like this. Many of the forum members on DPReview report that their local stores have 10 to 20 customers waiting in line already for the first shipment. So, there's no reason to pour fuel on the fire during the release of a hot product. You'll naturally get free PR no matter what you do (even if you're an asshole company like Apple's currently being, you still are seeing stories about upcoming Apple products).

Now when will your free PR dry up? A month after the release of a hot product you have to fight for press coverage.

So, what does Apple and Nikon do? They hold back press coverage. They keep press folks out of conferences. They don't ship press review units out.

I'll bet that Phil will get a Nikon in a few weeks. It'll take him two weeks to write a good review. It'll take another two weeks after that for word to get around that Nikon has a good review.

All this works to Nikon's advantage. Nikon will have a good sales cycle and will get continued good PR for three months instead of only one.

Me? I'm thinking of starting a Nikon 5700 Weblog.

I'd say "fuck the big companies" but Nikon and Apple just love all this noise.

Maybe I shoulda bought a Canon.

By the way, Phil Askey writes the freaking best reviews of any product anywhere I've ever seen. Any journalist who wants to see how to review a product should see his stuff (his Nikon 5700 review is only about 1/2 of what he usually does on cameras).

I'm in awe.