I seldom quote Mr. Bourque actually, but this time I really can't help myself! :-(
http://pentaxdslrs.blogspot.com/2013/07/sometimes-it-just-feels-good-to-be.html
The following is told, quoted:
"I'm not sure of what's going on with Ricoh/Pentax. They used to loan me
the new cameras so that I could write my e-books about them. I also have
a singed NDA agreement with them but I haven't heard anything from
them when the K-50/K-500 were announced. lately, all my emails have been
ignored and I will have to purchase the cameras to write e-books."
Well, if guy like Bourque who is a loyal, die-hard and persistent Pentax promoter and merchant is being ignored like this, the Public Relation job of Pentax Ricoh* does really suck! >:-o And, after all, I guess no one will promote the brand more for them any further, at the Internet or not, except me?! ;-p Or, do Ricoh really hope particular brand fanboys who seldom buy to do the job for them for free? :-o (Frankly, those fanboys always only make things worse!)
As for the e-books from Bourque, I think they maybe good for the Pentax new-comers and beginners, but may not be so useful for those more experienced users with longer experiences, IMHO. But at the same time, it is obvious that Ricoh now targets at the entry level market more than Pentax used to be and thus beginners are yet more important than ever before! So, WTF for what Ricoh is doing?!
Last but not least, the good thing that I can still see is that Bourque does have the heart to write his books and he does love the brand as it appears, nonetheless, which I do appreciate his heart and huge effort paid! :-) Albeit he is also earning money at the same time from it and thus there might exist some conflicts for what he writes, especially when he might need to write about the bad things of the Pentax gear or even about he brand - but now it's all over, anyway!
*N.B. For what I have just checked, Pentax Ricoh companies are still named PR as on today, as the soon-to-disappear names containing the word "Pentax" are still shown at their global website page, below:
http://www.pentax.jp/english/globalsites/
Related:
Reactions of Pentaxians for the Deletion of the "Pentax" Name from Companies!
Ten Things that I Want Ricoh to Do for Pentax