Another influential Nokia blogger quits: "Symbian-Guru is Over"

Exactly a month ago I wrote that WorldofNokia, one of the influential British Nokia fan sites had closed down, citing nothing to write about.

In that post I pointed out that the dwindling Nokia fan publications was becoming a serious, serious problem for the company.

How bad does it have to get, I asked, before nobody can be bothered to write about Nokia exclusively?

Today, Ricky Cadden, one of America’s top Nokia bloggers — if not the top Nokia blogger — quit. He’s had enough too. Ricky was right at the top of Nokia’s blogger-relations list. He was a regular at the various Nokia events and flown to — for example — Nokia World and the like by the company.

But that’s no more, now.

In a post today, Ricky announced that he’s had enough. He and his writing colleague, Rita, will no longer be updating the site.

Ricky’s post makes absolutely shocking reading.

I can’t quite believe that it’s happening. It is utterly, utterly appalling from a Nokia perspective.

How bad is your reputation when the ‘Symbian Guru’ decides he’s had enough? Bad. Very bad indeed.

This is a super, super reflection of how screwed the company’s reputation is. Quite a lot of the executives and Nokia-watchers I speak to don’t think that this kind of news is a problem. They need their heads examined.

The output from Symbian Guru has been instrumental in helping countless Nokia users across the last four years. Now that resource will remain live — Ricky isn’t switching the site off — but there will be no more assistance.

Pretty soon the only place you’ll be able to get dedicated Nokia information and perspective will be from Nokia’s own community efforts and from Rafe Blandford at All About Symbian or Micky over at NokiaUsers.

Good luck to the Symbian Gurus! Good luck Ricky and Rita.

Nokia: Chalk this one up as yet another slap in the face.

Update: It’s made TechCrunch, Engadget and Mobile Entertainment magazine.