Gizmodo gets a special master

The court orders a search of a journalist's hard drives in the case of the lost iPhone

Jason Chen with prototype. Credit: Gizmodo

Gawker Media has backed down -- to a degree -- and agreed to allow the search of computers belonging to one of its editors, Gizmodo's Jason Chen.

Gawker, which owns Gizmodo, paid $5,000 for a secret prototype iPhone lost in a bar last March by an Apple (AAPL) engineer. Initially it insisted that Chen, who had handed over the cash, broke open the device and published photographs of its components, was protected by California's press shield laws.

According to a report Thursday by CNET's Greg Sandoval and Declan McCullagh, Gawker's lawyer has agreed to let a special master -- a third party appointed by the court -- examine the computers and determine what contents, if any, are relevant to the case. The special master's findings will be sent to Chen and his lawyers so they can make any objections. The judge will ultimately decide what evidence will get sent to the district attorney.

Meanwhile, Apple CEO Steve Jobs, speaking about the case Tuesday evening at the Wall Street Journal's D8 conference, made it clear that he had no intention of backing down.

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Posted in: All Things D, Apple, Gizmodo, Lost iPhone, Special master, Steve Jobs, Stolen iPhone

• Did Apple call the cops on Gizmodo?

  Let's look at the question of who got the ball rolling in the case of the missing iPhone

  Judging from reader comments, it's clear that a lot of people following the story of the lost iPhone prototype assume that the California police task force launched their investigation -- and raided the home of Jason Chen, the Gizmodo editor who ended up with the device -- because Apple (AAPL) asked them to.

  In MORE

  Philip Elmer-DeWitt - Apr 27, 2010 6:41 AM ET
  Posted in: Apple, Gizmodo, Jason Chen, John Gruber, Lost iPhone, Stolen iPhone

• Police raid Gizmodo editor's home

  Cops break open front door and seize computers in investigation of lost iPhone prototype

  It looks like the police are taking this pretty seriously.

  Armed with a search warrant, members of California's Rapid Enforcement Allied Computer Team broke into a private home Friday night and seized computers and other electronic equipment, according to a report posted Monday on Gizmodo.

  The home belonged to Jason Chen, the Gizmodo editor who published photographs and videos MORE

  Philip Elmer-DeWitt - Apr 26, 2010 5:37 PM ET
  Posted in: Apple, Gizmodo, Jason Chen, Lost iPhone, Police, Prototype, Stolen iPhone

• Apple wants its secret iPhone back

  The end of the cloak-and-dagger tale of a lost or stolen prototype

  Now that most of the pieces are in place, the story turns out to be pretty straightforward.

  On March 18, a young Apple (AAPL) engineer had a few too many drinks at a beer garden in Redwood City, Calif., and left his cellphone behind on a bar stool. A customer picked it up, saw that it looked like an iPhone, MORE

  Philip Elmer-DeWitt - Apr 20, 2010 7:05 AM ET
  Posted in: Apple, Engadget, Gizmodo, Gray Powell, iPhone 4G, John Gruber, Lost iPhone, Nick Denton, Prototype, Stolen iPhone