A blog (a contraction of the term web log) is a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order.

That’s how Wikipedia defines a blog. Apple doesn’t have an official blog and, according to reports, even goes to great lengths to prevent some employees from blogging about Apple on their personal time.

Furthermore, while Apple employees are granted permission by Apple to create their own personal Web pages and blogs, they are not allowed to comment on anything related to Apple on such pages. Furthermore, they are prohibited from posting in any capacity on any Mac-related Websites or forums, whether they identify themselves as working for Apple or not.

I’ve criticized Apple for its lack of direct social media participation, but there are signs it’s dipping its toe into the blogosphere with its MobileMe Status page.

Let’s see:

1. “usually maintained by an individual” – check! We have a mysterious David G. providing the updates.
2. “regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events” – check! Two updates on MobileMe’s hiccups.
3. “displayed in reverse chronological order” – check! The first listed is from July 27, the one below that is from July 25.

Add to that an RSS feed and you have all the makings of an official Apple blog. The notable omission is the lack of comments–I’m assuming Apple’s not quite ready to hear from all the MobileMe users who can’t access their email.

Back in November, I warned that, as Apple starts reaching the masses, it would need to engage social media or suffer. I even stated:

If there’s not an Apple blog, forum, social network of some kind by the end of 2008, I’ll eat my iPod.

Hmm, do we call MobileMe Status a blog or more succinctly a WebPageMaintainedByOnePersonWithRegularEntriesInReverseChronologicalOr derWithRSS? It just trips off the tongue, doesn’t it?

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