Robert Scoble is one of those bloggers who can always be relied on to stir up debate. A self-confessed "technology geek" with an interest in journalism, he was exposed to blogging at its embryonic stage when he became director of marketing for UserLand Software, one of the first software providers to run blogs.

For several years, his Scobleizer blog has been one of the most popular technology-related blogs - even from 2003 to 2006, when he was employed by Microsoft as a technology evangelist. During that period, Scoble practically wrote the rulebook on how large corporations can use blogs to improve communications with their customers.

Scoble was happy to tackle criticism of Microsoft in the comments on his posts and wasn't afraid to hold his hand up when he felt Microsoft had got it wrong. This approach led him to co-author Naked Conversations, a book on how blogging is affecting business, with Silicon Valley technology adviser Shel Israel.

Although Scoble is a champion of podcasting, video blogging and even the new breed of microblogging tools such as Twitter, it is his regular blog posts that still generate a buzz. The latest controversy in which he has been embroiled resulted in him being temporarily banned from Facebook.

Scoble was banned for using a new tool from a contacts sharing site to suck the names, e-mail addresses and dates of birth of his 5,000-odd contacts into the rival service. Debate still rages as to whether he is a champion of the portability of personal data or an identity thief on a grand scale.

Scoble believes in being open to communication and championed the practice of publishing his e-mail address and mobile phone number on his blog.

Love him or hate him, Scoble's take on the latest gadgets, internet services and industry issues is hard to ignore.

Scobleizer. http://scobleizer.com/