The Unofficial Apple Weblog
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Blog network, Online media |
| Founded | September 2003 |
| Founder | Jason Calacanis, Brian Alvey |
| Fate | Acquired by AOL in October 2005; brand retired late 2010; properties integrated into AOL and later Yahoo! |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Blogs (Engadget, Autoblog, TUAW, Joystiq, Luxist, Slashfood, Cinematical, TV Squad, Download Squad, Blogging Baby, Gadling, AdJab, Blogging Stocks) |
Weblogs, Inc. was a network of blogs delivering content across technology news, gaming, automotive topics, and popular culture. At its height, the company managed as many as 90 blogs; however, the majority of audience engagement centered around a select group of flagship sites including Engadget, Autoblog, TUAW, Joystiq, Luxist, Slashfood, Cinematical, TV Squad, Download Squad, Blogging Baby, Gadling, AdJab, and Blogging Stocks.
Currently, only Engadget and Autoblog persist from the original collection and are now incorporated within Yahoo! Inc.
History
Established in September 2003 by Jason Calacanis and Brian Alvey, with financial support from investor Mark Cuban, Weblogs, Inc. was launched following Calacanis's work on the Silicon Alley Reporter magazine. By early 2004, it had joined forces with Gawker Media to define the emerging standard for blog networks. Initially, most blogs were hosted as subdomains under weblogsinc.com; the notable exception was Engadget, a dedicated technology site co-created by Peter Rojas. The network expanded to include 26 independent sites alongside over 50 subsidiary blogs. Prominent figures such as Mark Cuban also maintained personal blogs within the network.
In October 2005, AOL purchased Weblogs Inc for an estimated $25 million as part of its strategy to establish an autonomous division within Time Warner. While Weblogs Inc continued operating independently for several years after the acquisition, AOL eventually retired the brand name, focusing on the highest-performing titles and integrating them into AOL’s broader media operations including AOL News, Autos, and Tech.
After AOL separated from Time Warner in 2009, the Weblogs Inc branding remained visible alongside AOL’s until it was discontinued in late 2010 during a comprehensive site redesign that coincided with AOL’s acquisition of TechCrunch. By this time, fewer than twelve of the original blog brands were still active.
Following AOL’s $315 million purchase of The Huffington Post in February 2011, Weblogs Inc properties were consolidated under the "Huffington Post Media Group," centralizing editorial management under Huffington Post leadership. This restructuring reduced AOL’s content portfolio to approximately 20 websites; among the surviving Weblogs Inc titles were Engadget, Autoblog, Joystiq, and TUAW.
Although the Huffington Post Media Group label was not widely publicized externally, it significantly influenced editorial policies and was associated with controversies such as the exit of TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington.
In February 2015, Joystiq and TUAW were shuttered and their content merged into Engadget; similarly, AOL Autos and AOL Tech were redirected to Autoblog and Engadget respectively.
AOL itself was acquired by Verizon in 2015; in 2017 its content division merged with Yahoo! under Verizon’s digital media branch before being sold to private equity firm Apollo Global Management.
Today, Engadget and Autoblog remain as the sole active brands originating from Weblogs Inc.
Engadget
Debuting in March 2004, Engadget delivers multiple daily updates focused on gadgets and consumer electronics. It functions as a webzine while maintaining a blog-like presentation style.
Autoblog
Established in June 2004, Autoblog is an automotive news platform and car shopping resource formerly headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan. It earned a 2014 Webby Award for its original video series The List. The site provided daily news articles and videos covering all facets of the automotive sector alongside a weekly video podcast hosted by editorial staff. Additionally, Autoblog featured vehicle shopping tools and detailed research pages for both new and used cars. Its last Editor-in-Chief was Greg Migliore with Adam Morath serving as General Manager. In September 2024, personnel were released as the platform transitioned to being fully operated by AI-generated content.
Joystiq
Joystiq served as a blog dedicated to video games and gaming culture. It discontinued its operations on February 3, 2015.
Hack a Day
Established in September 2004, Hack a Day (also referred to as HackADay) is a blog centered on hacks, modifications, and projects favored by computer hobbyists. It retained its independence following Weblogs, Inc.'s acquisition by AOL and was subsequently purchased by SupplyFrame in 2013.
TV Squad
Launched on March 10, 2005, TV Squad quickly rose to become one of the Internet’s leading television blogs by 2006. Initially, any blogger within Weblogs, Inc. could contribute content about TV programs, but over time it developed into a stable team of roughly 20 regular writers, including prominent contributors such as Adam Finley, Wil Wheaton, and former Chicago Tribune critic Maureen Ryan. Despite the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, TV Squad maintained uninterrupted publication.
TV Squad operated autonomously until May 2011 when it was integrated into AOL TV, with its content redirected there. Seven months later, AOL TV was rebranded as HuffPost TV, resulting in another shift in the site’s content focus.
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
TUAW specialized in providing tips, reviews, news, and detailed analyses related to Apple Inc. products. Founded in 2004 as a flagship blog under Weblogs, Inc., it ceased operations on February 3, 2015, with its archives transferred to Engadget. In mid-2024, TUAW was revived and now features AI-generated articles—typically summaries derived from original posts that often contain incorrect author credits and AI-created images. The brand was acquired in 2024 by Hong Kong–based advertising firm Web Orange Limited, but this acquisition did not include the original content.
Download Squad
Download Squad was a well-regarded blog focusing on web-based and downloadable software for both desktop and mobile devices. It earned recognition as one of the top ten best-written blogs by Computerworld in 2008. The blog was discontinued on April 12, 2011, by AOL along with its sister site Switched.