When I first started blogging around 25 years ago, he would have been amongst the first 10 readers. He linked to me, emailed me privately with feedback, praised posts and would call bullshit when he saw it.
He was never competitive with other blogs or bloggers and was never tied up in drama. He was very often a mediator in behind the scenes conflicts and was obsessed with truth over getting the scoop.
He loved tech and startups and most of all loved seeing other succeed and didn't have a gram of resentment within himself.
Everybody from that post-dotcom crash era of tech owes Om a large debt of gratitude. He will be missed. RIP Om.
Thanks for everything, Om. I was a fan before I worked for you, loved my time on Pier 1 in SF, and have always appreciated your steadfast love for technology.
You were one of the sharpest writers in the scene. You understood product, builders. You had empathy, and so much less ego than everyone.
I always looked up to your insights. I knew that you took the time and care to think. Thanks for sharing all that.
Sidenote: In the heydays i.e. about 15-20 years back or so Techcrunch and GigaOm were competitors. Techcrunch was founded by Michael Arrington, known for his brusque and no holds barred blogs and barbs. He would roast his competitors alive, if he could. Well, all except Om. For Om, Micheal had nothing but praise.
It was the first newsletter I actually subscribed to back in the day! Sad to hear about his passing, his appearances on podcasts introduced me to the more business side of tech where I was just a hobbyist teen at the time.
RIP
Om was off my radar for the last 10 years or so, and then I recently encountered an article he wrote (https://om.co/2023/02/05/why-modern-leica-m-is-a-great-lands...) about his adoption of Leica M cameras. He had a wonderful eye: https://www.photosbyom.com/
This has been one of my favorite ones, reminding us to simply remain human in the face of incentive systems pushing us away from that goal: https://om.co/2026/04/08/banksy-satoshi-the-unmasking-impuls...
Om was attentive to details and generous to share - when he discovered my weather app (https://x.com/om/status/1579948290745176064), he was so kind as to write a whole article about it, without me asking for it in any way: https://om.co/2022/10/11/weathergraph/
I was so proud to be able to send Om a lifetime license. I wish he had gotten several more decades of use out of it.
Thank you, Om!
Luck surface area. I really owe so much to Om. I really can't imagine where I would be without that chance.
I still remember very clearly coming across his article where he had linked to my blog. I felt on top of the world! Because why would a renowned SV journalist link to a lowly blog?
I'm quite sure that my reason to continue blogging over all these years can be attributed to that small gesture.
Just the title here has me transported to a time and place long forgotten.
Thank you, Om.
rest in peace
Many of us grew up reading GigaOM in the early 2000s when I was new in CS.
Condelence with his family
RIP
I was so anxious I couldn't sleep the night before
then in the morning when I walked up to true ventures I was such a sleep deprived mess I worried I will just waste his time
he was a bit surprised and humored, I think, we grabbed some coffee and had a great conversation
ty for your kindness
RIP Om
He had a great creative spirit between business ventures, writing and photography.. a man of many talents.
Om has been deeply impactful to my journalism career and beyond. He was way too kind and leaves a big vacuum.
Still can't believe it. 60 is too young.
I met Om finally in 2013-ish at one of his GigaOm events in the SF Bay Area. Before that, I had been a long time reader of his GigaOm blogs and other writings at Fast Company, Red Herring, Light Reading, and elsewhere, including his book Broadbandits. He was one of the few bloggers / reporters who wrote it as he saw it; his takes were often brutally honest and pointed. He called upon the excesses of various telecom execs during the dot-com and telecom bust of 2000-2001/2. His book Broadbandits is basically an invective of the go-go days of telecom companies' incestuous deals (now seen in the AI companies too).
I had a few more occasions to meet him at dinners around the Bay Area. He was always gracious, and listened intently to what people said. As a venture partner, he focused on the people (founder) and their stories much more on the businesses.
I had heard about his troubles with his heart (~age 40-ish), which made him turn his life around to focus on only a few things that brought him joy - writing, photography, travels.
He will be missed. RIP, Om.
--- (Update: the book is Broadbandits (not Telecom Bandits, as I mistakenly wrote)
He was unfailingly kind, but he did not ever compromise on doing the right thing, or calling out moral failings. It's a wonderful tribute to him to see so many people talk about how Om supported them, or opened doors for them, or lifted up their careers; I think the thing we owe him is not just to carry that work forward, but to do it with the same character, conscience and consistency of principle that he did.
He was a tremendously funny character. What's little known about him was he was a bag fiend just as much as a camera lover. A big chocolate enthusiast as well, until his heart troubles forced him to be more careful.
You will be missed.
That takes me back, he was always great on that show.
Never having lived in the valley, I've struggled to understand what it means.
Can anyone share some examples?
It's both heartwarming, and bitterly sad, to see so many other posters confirm he was one of the good ones.
In SV, in the 90s/00s, no one wanted anything in return. Everyone was there to help. We all understood that the entrepreneur’s path is a nearly impossible one, and if you have somehow followed it to success, you want to try to guide others to that successful place.
After ~20 years I’ve left SV but I retain the mentality :) AMA
I stepped away nearly a decade ago so I don’t know how true that is for the tech “scene” today, but it was really great and inspiring for a very young transplant like me.
And I appreciate the understatement in "Taking a Few Days Off", I'd put that on my headstone.
Daniel Agee from Glass posted a photo and tribute to Om about his help in the early days of getting Glass started: https://glass.photo/cm/LCGjX2IqUWtK288zq5dSt
And Christopher Michael has posted a wonderful photo of Om: https://glass.photo/cm/LCGjX2IqUWtK288zq5dSt
I long for those days.
And through the same work, he remains alive to us; we who sought his dogged, prodigious, plain speaking influence, insight, and direct access to the beating heart of the place where it was all being invented and grown and scaled and blown up and resurrected.
Om's writing brought the excitement and possibility of the world to me, circa 2004. A 25-something B-school student, in faraway Pune, India, viscerally experiencing and studying the telecom boom at home, while also looking towards The Valley to see what might come to be, next.
I read him on GigaOm, and his various other later avatars / manifestations, but he is always going to be "Om Malik on Broadband" for me. As he will be for many of my cohort.
GigaOm is dead, long live GigaOm.com.
(´˘-˘人)GigaOM was influential, the techcruch era :).
What a journey!
If I know you and can actually vouch for you, I’ll happily make any intro where I stand to gain nothing.
I somewhat frequently get a cold outreach asking me to recommend someone I’ve never met to something/someone I know and I can’t understand how that ever works.
It was 2010 and we were launching Twilio SMS. I went over to his office to pitch him the story, hoping we would cover the launch. He listened for 10 minutes while I walked through it, then said
“Yeah yeah I’ll write about it. But I want to talk about your health. Are you taking care of yourself? You could lose some weight…”
He wanted everybody to learn from his health journey. While mostly I wanted him to cover our news, and it was terribly awkward… walking home, I realized it was nice to be seen as a person not just a founder, a startup or a tech story.
My understanding is that homelessness in California is a business similar to dating apps (tinder etc).
If dating apps would actually find you a partner, they would all go out of business. So dating apps mainly keep you on the hook, fishing for subscriptions.
Are you taking better care of yourself?
If you want to share something that doesn’t fit in a comment, please drop a link to it.
My condolences to family and friends. I’ve been reading Om’s blog for years and always enjoyed his insight, and especially his interweaved creative endeavors. His photography has always been striking. He’ll be missed.
I didn’t know Om well, but I savored my encounters with him, the last of which was a year ago at WWDC. He had been doing the best writing of his life in recent months on this site, and in his absence, we will all understand the tech industry a little less well. I’m so very sorry.
The best.
We never met, never even talked really- just a couple of brief pleasantries exchanged here and there over shared interests… yet this news is like a gut punch.
Om was an insightful, steadying voice throughout my time associated with the technology industry- his experience calmed choppy waters, and was often a much needed dose of perspective in a world increasingly happy to focus on style over substance. His essays felt like a throwback in the best possible way, and his passion for elegance and craftsmanship was infectious.
I thank him for the gift of his knowledge, and his unerring passion for the interesting. I hope his legacy brings comfort to his family and loved ones.
A great man. What a terrible loss for the SF community.
OM was a pioneer. I have been deeply shaped and influenced by his writings, learnings that he shared via his blogs, newsletter, talks etc.
Very sad to hear of his passing. Shall pray for his peace.
Condolences to his family and friends.
This is terrible news … so so sad i have never met him in real life only followed through online blogs and also on his site …life is fragile, may his soul rest in peace …all we have got is today and thats reality 🙁 We will learn some amazing things he taught us via his writing and some observations… Words , emotions, interaction via comments really have meaning … Thank you Om …May you rest in peace and strength to family
Om was always thoughtful and smart, with his unique perspective on tech, pens, health, photography and so many other things. We first met when he was an Advisor to about.me, where I worked. He responded anywhere.
My condolences to his family and loved ones.
My condolences to Om’s family and friends. I have been a long-time reader of his work for so many years. Rest in peace, and let’s all take care of and appreciate each other while we can.
This is horrible news. I’m so sorry to hear. I met Om once for coffee and we emailed each other with talk of cameras and settings and all that good stuff.
He will be thought of often and missed immensely. — Matt
I met Om almost 13 years ago via Matt Mullenweg. Om was so generous with his time, advice, and great at making a founder feel like a friend. I still remember our meeting and time spent. My condolences, he will be missed and very much remembered.
I’m so sad to hear this — I never met a kinder entrepreneur.
I only met Om a handful of times, but he shared two lasting lessons with me.
The first was when he was running GigaOm and I was a cub tech reporter at the SF Chronicle. He was skeptical about hiring me, he said, because newspaper writers were generally too slow and didn’t understand web-era publishing. He was right, and it pushed me to leave newspapers as quickly as I could to prove that I could evolve.
The second was many years later, when I was having a drink with him and some other reporters. We asked him what advice he had for us, and he said: never name your blog after yourself.
I’m happy to have known him even a little, and my condolences to his friends and family.
He will be missed.
I’m so very sorry. Om was a good person, To sort carefully about everything from friends to family, I will miss him. My condolences.
Om, I’m so glad we made time to meetup at the SF Pen Ahow last fall. Pens, paper, writing, friendships. Your happy place. You were running late because you were volunteering and helping the show for a community you loved so much.
Thank you my sweet, sweet friend.
My condolences. Om’s writing was a calm space in the whirling dervish that is the internet. I’ll miss reading his missives and witnessing more of his photography.
I’m so sad. Om was a true pioneer and a role model. My greatest sympathy to his family. I’m truly shaken by this news.
Deepest condolences. This is crushing for the Malik Family, and his massive fandom.
When one read his note about taking a short break, little did we know that would be his last missive.
Au Revoir, Om. Your words will continue to inspire.
Thoughtful, Wise and Sincere. Responsive to comments. I learned so much reading and reflecting on his writing.
I too was a casual friend (more casual than I wish I had been) but I recall fondly every interaction we had over the years, when I moved to the Bay Area back in 2006, Om was one of the friendliest and also best folks to know in the tech scene here. I remember great discussions at various events over the years and as Harry notes his writing in recent months has been fantastic. May his memory be a blessing.
I will miss “On my Om” and I’m sure I won’t be alone in that. Rest in peace, Om, and condolences to family and friends.
My heartfelt condolences. We’ve exchanged thoughtful comments on this blog and connected a few times on social media, but I will truly miss his endless curiosity about the world. His passion extended beyond technology; he had a remarkable ability to capture the moments he experienced through the lens of a camera. He didn’t just transport you to those scenes; he also made you aware of why they mattered and why you should care.
There are very few newsletters I eagerly anticipate, despite subscribing to numerous ones. His was one of the four that I looked forward to with genuine enthusiasm. Om will be deeply missed by many, as his writing accomplished something few others achieve today: it inspired us to strive to be better human beings. R.I.P.
Om was one of my first bosses in journalism, and the lessons he taught me have been a part of my daily life ever since. Following him through blogs and social media in the time since, I always admired how kind and curious he always was, in addition to being one of the sharpest minds about tech out there. Shocked and saddened by the news, and deepest sympathies to his friends and family.
When I first started spending time on the web and reading a lot about tech news, GigaOm was one of the best websites I regularly visited. When I joined Twitter, Om was among the first persons I followed. When I started listening to podcasts, Om was one of the voices I liked the most (I believe he was a regular on Twit dot TV). When I finally got to work in the industry myself, I had the chance to meet him and tell him in person, in Paris, at the Le Web event, while shaking his hand, that I was a big fan. I remember this moment very clearly (it was in the media break room) as I felt so lucky to meet one of my web heroes. I was very shy, and I could have (should have) told him that he was one of my inspirations. Ever since that moment, Om kept on proving he was one of the best observers and commentators of the industry, and one of the best writers. His blog is so good. This feels so sudden, too soon. My thoughts are with his loved ones. I’m so sorry. His words, his writing, his thoughts, his impeccable taste will be missed.
Sad to hear of Om’s passing. We kept in loose touch over nearly two decades. I was fortunate to have a few meals with him and treasured our conversations and his company. Outstanding writer, kind hearted, warm spirited, and very insightful. Loved talking watches with him as well. He was always open to interesting ideas, no matter where they came from. A wonderful human, a gift to know. ❤️
I admired Om as a pioneer in tech journalism, but also as a man with a kind heart and soul. At the height of his powers, he was a giant, but a giant with a conscience. His loss leaves us all a little poorer at a time when we need a mind and a conscience like his more than ever. May his memory be a blessing.
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon (RIP).
I am in shock. I knew Om from when he was still an active journalist, before even GigaOm, and remember fondly our geeky conversations on how to free journalism from its Big Tech shackles using RSS. He was not much older than me, and I kept bumping into him at random when I still lived in San Francisco.
My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
I met Om a few times, talked on the phone with him a couple times, but I wish I’d known him better. He was a giant in our business, and even though he’s gone, his influence continues on.
I am shocked, he was a close friend, we are the same age and grew up in New Delhi, first met him in the 90’s when he interviewed me, and after that we shared our love for technology and photography… I dont even know what else to say, I wanted to show him what I was working on these days, and he had not responded was strange… he leaves a huge gap in the world, there was only one OM
When something interesting is happening, especially when it’s technology related, and especially when I’ve been stewing on it and had a hard time solidifying my own understanding, sometimes I think, “I wonder what Om’s take is.” There have only ever been a handful of voices worth turning to like that, because the kind of care Om put into his thoughts and his ability to turn his thoughts into words is rare. So sorry for this world to lose him. Condolences to his family, friends, and community.
Om, I unfortunately never met you in person but your writing always hit the spot. You’ll be missed. ♥️
My heart goes out to your family and friends.
Om’s uniquely informed perspective resulted in writing that contained equal measures of kindness and candor about two fields that often clash, news and tech. He was as warm and thoughtful in person as on the page and had given me some great career advice early on in mine. Deepest sympathies to those who knew and loved the man.
I’m heartbroken to read this! Sending my condolences to Om’s family and friends– I never got to know him in person, but always cherished our few online interactions and have long admired both his writing and photography. He’ll be long remembered and missed by so many!
I’ll remember him, not only from his writing, but also from his expression of his sensibilities through his photography. RIP
I never met Om, but greatly appreciated his profound insights on the complexities & implications of technology as well as his photographic artistry & love of fountain pens & inks. I always intended to send him a note, which I regret I never did. My condolences to his family & friends.
I was Om’s Uber driver one time and I knew who he was from following his writings in the years prior. I dropped him off in the Mission District of SF. We had a warm exchange and I recall him offering to be helpful to me at the end of the ride. This was back in ~2017. May he rest in eternal peace and may his family and loved ones be forever comforted by his many contributions.
I will miss you, Om. The world is dimmer with you gone.
Sincere condolences to family and friends. Met Om in the late 2000s when I started my company & of all of the tech writers, he was the most sincere and authentic… RIP.
I always looked up to, and admired Om. He always made me feel welcome no matter where we were. When i would come to SF to work in the True office, he was the firs to say hi and check in. He was a great person and a gentle soul. I learned a ton from him, and will always be grateful for the time we spent together. He was extremely nice and sweet to my wife and family. We love Om and wish that he rests in peace. Thank you for everything, we will always remember.
A beautifully honest and candid writer. One of the best to do it.
My sincere condolences to Om’s family and friends. I had the pleasure of meeting him in person at a GigaOm event in SF years ago, and followed him ever since.
I always loved his thoughtful demeanor and point of view on the worlds of technology and our shared passion of photography. I will miss his masterfully composed words and images and the kindness that emanated from his spirit.
Keeping this short because I know so many people are hurting now. I will keep you all in my thoughts. May his memory be a blessing.
Om was a unique treasure and left a major impact in so many places and hearts. GigaOM, True Ventures and Foursquare mayor of Sightglass Coffee were a few of his lasting endeavors. He will be missed but never forgotten. Godspeed Om.
I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve always learned so much from his posts here and on other social media. He will be missed. My condolences to his family and friends.
Condolences to Om’s family, and a shout out to my brother in technology journalism. Some of the best advice I ever got about writing came while working with Om at Gigaom: “Don’t waste the reader’s time.” Continually brilliant stuff from an inquisitive mind that never stopped asking why. RIP pal.
I’m really encapsulated a place in time in San Francisco and parties at his apartment were legendary. I learned so much reading his work and talking to him. He will be missed.
RIP
Om was one of the people who helped revive the Silicon Valley startup scene after the dot-com bust.
His blogging put the spotlight on a lot of people trying to get into tech the early days, including those of us who wrote about it.
If we had a Walk of Fame, he’d deserve a place.
I am so sorry for your loss. I’ll miss the great light Om brought into this world. What a gift he gave, that his thoughts remain available to many generations in the future who will surely need it just as we do now.
Oh no! My condolences to family and friends. Om was what I considered “one of the good guys.” From his days as a journalist and later as editor at GigaOm, he always led with heart and conviction and helped the tech industry moved in a better direction. His loss is a heavy loss not just to friends and family but also to all those who believed in technology could be a force for good for all rather than just a mere accelerator for the financial success of the few.
I’m completely shocked and saddened to hear of your passing, Om. Thanks for your constant voice over all these years.
Om was one of the best thinkers and writers in the game. I’ve always looked up to him. I always appreciated his perspective. I’ll/we’ll miss him.
A proud and enlightened follower from the early days,
Brian
My thoughts are with Om’s family and friends during this difficult time. I always admired his ability to explain complex things clearly, and even more, his courage in speaking plainly and honestly. He will be deeply missed.
This is terrible news — my thoughts go out to Om’s family. I worked at Gigaom with Om and a great team of folks in the early 2010s and it was one of the best times of my life and of my career, and a large part of that was due to my friendship with Om. He will be missed.
OMG. Om was such a pioneer and visionary in silicon valley and an everlasting icon in the tech industry. I first met him more than 20 years ago when he was writing about media and tech while I was in house at RealNetworks. I am stunned and saddened to hear this news. I can say with some confidence, however, that his legacy will be long-lasting.
I’m so sad to hear this. I always appreciated reading what Om had to say about things, and really enjoyed his photography.
Om and I were longtime friends, even if we only infrequently saw each other. He was a rare combination: a deeply ethical person, an insightful analyst, a talented writer & photographer, and a successful venture investor.
On a personal level, Om was a builder of people, things, and places. He enjoyed nothing more than sharing ideas and bringing together people he thought should know each other. “Paul, you should meet …” were usually the first four words out of his mouth any time I ran into him at an event.
Om and I had many memorable dinners together, and we had emailed a few months back about getting together again before long.
I will miss him.
I’m so sorry, I’ve enjoyed his newsletters. My condolences to the family.
I was very sad to see the note of Om’s passing in my inbox just now. My condolences to his family! I have been following his insights for years and always considered them wise and entertaining. Rest in peace!
May light perpetual shine upon him.
This is devastating news.
I met Om five years ago in Antarctica while we photographed penguins and a solar eclipse and we kept in touch ever since. He introduced me to Leica cameras and challenged how I thought about photography – encouraged me to constrain myself – be it a fixed focal length or black and white and use that constraint to be more creative. He inspired me to try new things with photography.
We had planned to go and shoot photos together, but over the past year our schedules didn’t align and I’m sad now that we won’t get that opportunity. I will however think of him when I pick up my cameras. He will be greatly missed.
A huge loss. Rest in peace.
It’s hard to put into words what Om meant to me.
He wasn’t just a friend or mentor, he was family. He would introduce me as his son, and that’s exactly how he treated me. He was the first person to truly believe in me, the first to invest in me, and one of the people most responsible for the person I’ve become.
When I met him, I was just 17 or 18 years old. He was the same age then that I am today. It’s strange to realize I’m now standing where he was when he changed the course of my life.
One of my earliest memories of him was his 40th birthday party. It was at a local bar, and since I wasn’t 21, I figured I’d have to stay outside. Instead, Om made sure I was included. That was who he was, he made everyone feel like they belonged.
When I made the decision not to finish college and instead pursue a career in tech, Om never questioned it. He believed in me completely. More than that, he sat down with my parents and helped them understand that I knew what I was doing, that I was in good hands, and that he would watch over my path. Looking back now, I realize how extraordinary that was. He wasn’t just giving me advice, he was taking responsibility for me. That’s the kind of man he was.
Over the years, he became the first person I called whenever I needed advice. No matter the situation, he always seemed to know exactly what to say. He had a rare gift of seeing 20 steps ahead while explaining things with remarkable simplicity. He gave wisdom freely, never seeking credit, only wanting to help others succeed.
He was also the officiant who married my wife and me, a moment I’ll forever treasure. He wasn’t just present for the milestones in my life; he helped make them possible.
If you knew Om, you knew his love for espressos, photowalks, beautiful pens, and, of course, technology. He was endlessly curious, always learning, always teaching, always thinking about what came next.
For nearly half my life, he has been one of my constants. My sounding board. My mentor. My father figure. My rock.
Thank you, Om, for believing in me before I believed in myself. Thank you for standing beside me when others weren’t sure. Thank you for every conversation, every lesson, every opportunity, and every moment of encouragement.
I will carry your wisdom with me for the rest of my life. I hope to honor you by being for others even a fraction of what you were for me.
I am deeply grateful that I was able to spend one last Father’s Day with you and to be there in the final moments.
I love you. I’ll miss you more than words can express.
Rest easy, Om.
Wow. Just wow. So sorry for his loss.
May you rest in peace Om. Really especial human being.
Would miss your posts, especially about photography, papers and pens. You revive my passion for geeks stuff, fountain pen, crafty paper like Paperblanks and the art of writing.
My condolences to your family, friends, et al.
We are so lucky thst a person with a mind that sharp and flexible gave us years of thought and writing. This was such a shock. I want to go back and read his work sequentially. Wishes and condolences for his family.
Very sad to hear Om is not with us. I followed him for years and he gave me much to think about as well. Om was a true original and spoke truth to power. His voice will be missed dearly. Rest in peace.
My sincere condolences!
I knew Om in the heady days of early mobile, and he was one of my favourite voices in the space: intelligent, sharp, clear-eyed, but always kind.
I met Om in 2018 when we were just starting our company; he invited me to Pier 38, and to park in the spot titled “reserved: GigaOm”. Over the years we talked about tech, cloud storage, infrastructure, backups, and more. I had the honor of speaking at his Structure event, and the pleasure of learning from many others at those events and through his writings.
Om was insightful but gentle, and had a curiosity and desire to share knowledge without ego or bravado. He was a rare a combo and will be missed.
Very sad news. I was honored to be a friend of Om’s. I recall our first meeting in a coffee shop on Market Street in SF (maybe in 2004) where we traded stories about our histories and OM told me how much he liked baseball and the Yankees. When he was last here in Seattle, he had a new Leica, as we walked through Pioneer Square, he happily took pictures of anything that intrigued him. Om was both a true gentleman and a scholar. To quote my Jewish friends, “may his memory be a blessing” to his family and his many, many friends.
Om was one of the smartest people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Over the years, I enjoyed our conversations on evolving technologies, our evolving city, and photography. His writing and insights over the past year have been exceptional, and I will miss his presence in our community. There is a gorgeous photo he took of a lifeguard hut that hangs in my home office, and I will treasure it all the more.
Huge loss. I’ve enjoyed his newsletters and content over the years, going back to the GigaOM days. My condolences to the family and friends.
I am heartbroken. There is no one like Om. Wildly smart, endlessly curious, and has a heart of gold. He took me under his wing when I was early in my tech comms career, and it was a gift I will cherish forever. Rest easy, Om. You are loved by so many.
As Om wrote in his 2011 letter about Steve Jobs: “I have watched him from afar. I have learned from his decisions. If you want to change something, you have to be patient and take the long view.”
Thank you for taking the long view Om. Sending lots of love to your family. 💛
I’m so sad to read this news. Om was always helpful to me when I was starting
@thewrap. He urged me to start doing events, even when it was so incredibly daunting. “It’s not optional,” he said. RIP to a kind human and friend to entrepreneurs.
Oh, such sad news. Om was a wonderfully insightful curator of the tech ecosystem with an ethical compass. So rare. Many great back and forth discussions and I always learned something from each one. Om – you are missed.
Ugh, I am so sorry to hear this Om was one of the “real” ones and brought a level of truth to reporting that was rare. He was part of my earliest days of Silicon Valley and I vividly remember his blog GigaOM He was a cornerstone of the early valley and I am lucky to have called him a friend early in my journey and thru the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur I hope he meets my brother wherever they are and gets a kick out of the big hug coming his way and hopefully Keith will say “this is from Karl”
Such a loss.
It’s been too long since we last had coffee together, but I remember every encounter from SF to Delhi.
Your kindness and thoughtfulness will truly be missed.
Rest in Power, Om.
Too soon. The whole TWiT family shares your loss.
Om was brilliant, deep, and talented. We will miss him so much.
A renaissance man, a brutally honest journalist, a magical writer, a cool Desi and one of the most unique human beings I had the good fortune to know – Om shanti!
Om was one of a kind. His empathy, curiosity, sense of the moment, and generosity of spirit ran deep. He had an inner light that you could just feel and that enlightened us all. Om left a profound mark on me. He invested in us day one and believed in our purpose and mission to his core. He always inspired me to stay true to it, especially in the hardest moments. I’m eternally grateful for his counsel, belief, friendship, and support over the years. I will miss him dearly.
My condolences to his family, all his friends, and the entire True team.
This is a loss. I have followed his work at least since 2008. RIP.
Om sat on the board at Academia, and was such a warm and thoughtful presence even during difficult conversations.
A small anecdote on his personality: I remember him bringing a newfangled camera to one of our board meetings, with multiple different lenses for wide shots and multiple zoom lengths. He brimmed with wonder and speculation about the device and great idea. Sure enough, a couple years later Apple started selling Pro phones with the same concept. He had a knack for seeing around the corner, didn’t he.
Just crushing news. For over 20 years now has been both a friend and a thoughtful voice of reason. It’s going to take a long time to break the habit of checking in to see what he’s thinking about anything and everything. Love to other friends and family.
I was lucky enough to work with Om as a contributor to GigaOm. He was a great reporter and writer, a wise editor and a generous spirit whose voice served as a kind of conscience for the tech world as it evolved into a more and more powerful presence in the world. He was also always right in his assessments of the industry, and we need his wry perspective more than ever now, so his passing is a double loss. But I know he will be somewhere watching what happens, with that quiet chuckle and amused glint in his eyes that was always part of him. Rest in peace, Om.
Such very sad news. From first reading his work in Business 2.0 many years ago, to his present-day musings on everything from AI to fountain pens, he always stood out with a unique perspective. He’ll be missed.
Offering my deepest condolences to OM’s family, friends and colleagues!
His brilliance came through and through as a contributor to tech innovation.
His contributions as a journalist, entrepreneurs and later as a venture investor are praiseworthy!
And he sure was also well-known among the larger Indian American community. May his great soul rest in eternal peace.
Om’s writing and blogging were one of the reasons I went into tech journalism. Right out of college, I was working at a PR agency and started reading GigaOm. It inspired me to start blogging.
Years later, he tried to recruit me. Even after I went elsewhere, he’d send me notes telling me how proud he was of my work. He’d often review my reviews, so here’s mine of him: Generous with his time. Honest with his feedback. Endlessly encouraging to those coming up behind him. Friendly and kind even under pressure.
Thank you, Om, for showing so many of us what great, independent tech journalism could be.
I have read him every day for the past few years too. Om still had those characteristics.
Please let his “family” know what we can do.
Best wishes
Keith
Been reading Om for probably 15 years. Sad to loose his voice.
Om Malik was a brilliant analyst and journalist. I was lucky to meet Om early in his career and to be close to him for many years thereafter. In every conversation, Om shared insights that enhanced my understanding of the world.
We did not speak in recent years, but Om was in my thoughts, as his blog constantly challenged me to think differently. He will remain in my thoughts.
I extend my condolences to Om’s family and close friends on the passing of a truly great human being.
What sad news. His last post, The Myth, the Mythos and the Man (before he announced he needed to take a break) was such a fresh examination of current AI concerns. Reading other comments here reveal that behind the vision and clarity of thought was an immensely warm and generous man. My condolences to his family and friends. I look forward to exploring his photography.
Good bye dear friend. I’ll miss you so much.
I’m at a loss… Om. I’m so sorry this is goodbye. You were kind enough to spill ink about me in the early times of GigaOm and always had a smile for me when we bumped into each other over the years. You were different because you were also a fellow entrepreneur and not shy to admit that it was hard work. I’ve admired your photography and I know my inbox will never be the same without your thoughtful words gracing them from your many newsletters and this blog. You will be truly missed. To your family, I’m so sorry for your loss. Om’s friendship will be truly missed.
May peace accompany you on your next journey.
The world has lost a lovely, beautiful, caring light.
Even though I haven’t seen Om in a number of years, I have such fond memories of him from the early days of blogging. Back in the early 2000s, when Om was running GigaOM and I was running Technorati, Om was fierce and truthful and funny and resourceful and always, always, kind. He was deeply insightful and knew his way around the corridors of power, but he never let that power corrupt him.
His writing was personal and carried the kind of insight that was rare. We didn’t always agree, but he was always fair, and his view and perspective were always well informed and thoughtful.
Most of all, Om was so deeply caring to those around him, and it just oozed from his pores. You could tell how much he truly loved being here and being with all the people that he chose to be around.
I will miss you, my friend.
To the Malik family, may Om’s memory always be a blessing. My deepest sympathies.
It was a pleasure to work with Om at Red Herring. He was a good man, a quick thinker, and a remarkably calm presence in an insane world. May his memory be a blessing.
We never interacted directly but I always enjoyed reading what he wrote, and there are way too few like that writing today. Well done sir, on a life of passion pursued with skill!
My early friendship with Om was rooted in constantly debating the tech issue du jour. It started on the sidelines of some tech event, and continued for many years after. He almost always had more information than the rest of us, but he rarely let that on. Instead, the intellectual sparring itself was his sport. He’d rather drag it out than finish you off. Om had a wry smile that would betray his characteristic curmudgeonly character, and he never hesitated to bust balls if he saw a window. There is no chance he would concede if I ever won the skirmish, but the reality is I’m not sure I ever did beat him, even when we argued about things that my own team was building. His voice was one of the most important of the Web 2.0 era, and one would only skip his writing at their peril. If you were lucky enough to be with him in person, you might have experienced the way he would laugh with his whole torso. So real and absolutely contagious. He was never falsely polite or obsequious. A man accountable only to his own authenticity. When I moved away from SF, I rarely saw him again. My loss. He was beloved by many, but my heart goes out to those of you who I know stayed close with him especially throughout his health travails. You were good friends to Om, and what more can we ask for at the edges of life?
Loved reading Om’s writings over the years. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends.
I’m extremely saddened to hear this news. Om was as kind as he was insightful. Offering my sincerest condolences to his friends and family — his voice will certainly be missed.
Thank you OM for your guidance on photography and taking the time to be helpful to a newbie you didn’t really know. I will really miss seeing you pop up in my inbox, as I always looked forward to reading about your adventures and the new things you were excited about. Rest well sir.
Om was a great and thoughtful person. I will miss our conversations in the park talking about technology and morality. We lost a great man. Sending your family love and support.
Om was an icon in tech journalism. I didn’t know him personally so the best compliments that I can give him is that he was always interesting and wrote with great insight, depth, humility, ethics, and empathy. His contribution to the discourse will be greatly missed.
This is very sad news. He was my mentor, first met at Sepia Mutiny and then at Business 2.0. He got me an invite to twttr — didn’t have vowels yet! — and sent me encouraging notes after he left. He was always so warm, witty, and curious. My deepest condolence to his family. May his soul have a very peaceful and upward journey. 🙏🏽🙇🏾♀️
Om was an immigrant who narrated Silicon Valley better than almost anyone born into it. He was a proof that you didn’t have to be from here to help define what “here” meant. For those of us who came to this world as outsiders, he showed us we could be part of the story — and part of telling it.
may he rest in peace
Never met the man, but reading him I thought, “This is a guy to watch for… this is a guy to read.” I am saddened to hear of his passing.
Om was such a kind man, and always fun to talk to, hang out with, debate with on Twitter. The fact that so many familiar names are here is a testament to his impact.
Sweet, beautiful, gentle soul. You will be missed.
I got to know Om Malik in the context of our team building Hulu, as Om covered the space deeply between GigaOm and NewTeeVee. Over many years, Om continually shared his insight, judgment, and smarts with all of us, for which I continue to be thankful. What was unexpected to me back then was his abundant kindness, sincerity and gratitude. He shared a story with me once about a particularly difficult moment in his health, stating his deep appreciation for Hulu and how Hulu helped him get through that stretch. I was struck by the conversation then and that conversation has continued to stay with me to this day. Om was always in my mind as we thought about the customers for which we built Hulu. I will miss Om and am so thankful for his impact on me.
Om had the most insightful mind of any human being I’ve ever met. A couple of times a year we would take photography trips, and I would always drive. On trips to Jackson or Yellowstone, it would be just the two of us for 17 hours each direction. I would wind him up with questions like “tell me about fountain pens” or “tell me about UV lithography” or “tell me about your favorite Leica sensors” or “tell me about Diwali” and he would just go. Art. Photography. Philosophy. Cameras. Computers. Pens. Watches. Writing. Travel. Time. The Universe. Relationships. Investing. For significant chunks of time in my life, I would have Om all to myself.
And I would just devour it. And savor it. And be a better person for it.
As his condition worsened over the past couple of years, I would come to SF and we would take little day trips to Point Reyes (stopping for MULTIPLE) coffees en route and on return.
Om provided for me a very unique dose of intellectual nourishment. It’s going to take me a long time – possibly the remainder of my own life – to try to understand what was so essentially “Omie” about him. It was an unpredictable brilliance that conceptually I didn’t even know could exist. And somehow, it existed in this dear friend.
How how lucky I am to have known him.
I never met him in person, but his voice online felt like a trusted friend who always helped me think more clearly about the world we were building. He made the internet feel like it mattered.
Rest easy, Om. You were one of the good ones.
Reading these comments and seeing so many names from the heyday of Web 2.0 and that special mid-2000s era of blogging is incredibly special. Leave it to Om to bring so many voices together to pay tribute.
My thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.
The only few newsletters I’d put aside time to read. Always insightful and thought provoking. An astute independent thinker rich in his craft who often brings to his readers new perspectives, that on hindsight, are proven right. You’ll be missed. RIP.
It was the mid-90s and I met Om in NYC at a SAJA event. He was one of the few people there that knew about the Internet and so we bonded. Over the years we were in each other journalistic orbit and so when I had a start-up idea he was one of the first people I sought out for advice. Over the years I pitched many of my far out and weird concepts to him, and even though he was much in demand he always made time to take a phone call or acknowledge and introduction. I’m saddened by this news. First because we lost a light in this world and secondly because we hadn’t spoken in many years; time lost never to be regained. RIP OM.
Thank you for your friendship, Omji. I will never forget your kindness and presence when I needed it the most. You will always be remembered, cherished and loved by the Gill family. You are with your friend now. Till we meet again.
Really sad to hear this news. I only met him once at the first Structure conference back in 2008. Read every one of his piece over the years. My condolences to his family and friends.
Your legend for live in forever! Thank you for inspiring me and generations of dreamers and builders! Your voice meant a lot!
Sending warm wishes and prayers to family and friend!
Om Shanti!
To the Malik family, I am so sorry for this incredibly profound loss. Om was a part of the Valley and a maverick. Om was always kind when pitched by us PR people and he was a gifted writer. The last column I read of his was not about tech, but him describing in vivid detail his beloved fountain pens and the colors. I hosted a lunch for a client with Om was back in the Aughts and he was as gracious and warm in person as he was on the phone. May he rest in eternal peace.
This news is very sad. I met Om twenty years ago and we became instant friends. He was such a smart guy and so funny and kind. I am glad I got the chance to tell him how great his photography is, a well as all praise all his other brilliant accomplishments. I’m going to miss him.
Some 20 years ago I was fortunate to get to know Om while working out of the True Ventures office at Pier 38, with GigaOm set up next door. He was so kind and giving of his time and wisdom, and over the years I’d run into him here and there, and I cherished the opportunities to chat no matter how briefly (he was a busy guy!). His enthusiasm and its balancing thoughtfulness will be sorely missed. RIP Om.
An absolute loss to everyone who knew him or followed his work. Om wasn’t just a brilliant observer of technology; his was a truly gentle soul. May he rest in peace.
Om was a true Silicon Valley original the tech world is quieter without his voice.
I first came to know Om’s work while working at MCI Telecommunications in the heart of the dot-com boom. Red Herring was required reading in our Silicon Valley offices, and Om stood out as one of the most credible and nuanced voices covering telecom and high technology. He didn’t just report the hype, he brought clarity and context when both were in short supply.
Years later, I found myself on the other side of the table. I was at Opera Software, trying to bring a scrappy Norwegian browser to market with American mobile operators in the pre-iPhone era.
We had a meeting scheduled with Om, and I’ll admit I was more than a little nervous. Here was a genuine Silicon Valley “celebrity” journalist who could help or hurt our small effort. Om greeted us warmly, listened to our demo and our grand talk of “changing the world,” offered a wry smile, and wished us luck. He didn’t run a piece in Red Herring or Business 2.0, but he did something better: he wrote a genuinely supportive post on his then-newish blog that helped give us real visibility. That post still lives at om.co, a small but meaningful kindness I’ve never forgotten.
We stayed loosely in touch over the years—Facebook birthdays, the occasional comment, the easy familiarity that social media sometimes allows. In 2008, when I was helping launch a mobile money company (this was well before Cash App or widespread cross-border fintech), I left Om a message about what we were trying to build. He called me back the very next morning —upbeat, cheerful, genuinely curious. He listened, asked great questions and then wrote a marvelous article that gave us the kind of thoughtful coverage startups dream of.
Om was the real deal. He walked his talk. He could be sharply critical when the story called for it, he never pulled punches on hype or excess, but he was also generous with his time and attention when he believed in what you were doing.
He remained authentic through every chapter of his career: journalist at Red Herring and Business 2.0, founder of GigaOM, and later venture partner at True Ventures. He understood both the romance and the reality of this industry.
I’m saddened by his passing and will miss his voice, both the public one that shaped so much of our understanding of tech and the private one that was kind enough to take a call from an old contact chasing the next idea.
Rest well, Om. Thank you for the coverage, the conversations, and the example. You made Silicon Valley a little sharper, and for those of us lucky enough to cross paths with you, a little kinder too. RIP
A beautiful writer, artist, thinker, and human being who showed us what a life well lived looks like. You will be missed.
Om was a inspiration and thought-provoking sage who offered tremendous insights that made many of us question and/or understand the present and future better. He will be missed. RIP.
I’ve only known Om through photography. He’s part of an informal group of like-minded photographers who call ourselves, “The Landscape Mafia.” Om’s minimalist approach to the craft was wonderful. Our little group is the poorer without him.
RIP, brother Om.
Rand
Rest in peace.
Longtime friend, most generous kind person in Silicon Valley. Much love to you brother. It’s that time of life.
It’s hard to put into words what Om meant to so many of us. I realized today that it had been 11 years since we last spoke or exchanged a text, but that doesn’t diminish the impact he had on my life. There was a period back in our San Francisco days when we’d meet regularly at Harrington’s, not to talk about work, but about everything outside of it – politics, Silicon Valley gossip, photography, the state of the world… absolutely nothing was off limits.
After 9/11, Om was one of the first people to check on me because he knew I’d been in New York and wasn’t sure whether I’d made it back before the attacks. I still remember the whiskey he bought me as we quietly raised a glass to the friends I’d lost.
I remember his frustration and heartbreak when Red Herring folded. I was there when he talked about launching GigaOm during one of Tom Foremski’s “Hacks and Flacks” gatherings on the rooftop of the de Young. Even then, you could tell he was already thinking several moves ahead.
One memory always makes me smile. A group of us somehow ended up at the Bubble Lounge one Friday night, Alison Overholt was about to move back to the East Coast, Rafat Ali was hanging with Om, and the conversation turned to Om finally becoming a U.S. citizen. We jokingly challenged him to get it done by a certain date. I promised him a very expensive bottle of Bollinger if he did it. He met the deadline. I paid up.
That was Om. Determined, brilliant, endlessly curious, and armed with a wit that could leave you reeling. He also had an uncanny ability to see where technology, and often the world, was headed long before the rest of us caught on.
His passing leaves a gaping hole that will be felt by so many whose paths he crossed.
RIP my friend.
Sad to hear about this. Om hired me to design GigaOm website many years ago. Actually mentioned this fact in one of his blog posts about GigaOm years later, which I was too shy to reply to. I was actually surprised he still remembered me at all. He was a kind and lovely man. Probably the best client I ever had. RIP, Om.
I’m taken back to a car ride down El Camino with Om. I can’t recall the startup I was working on or if he was still at Gigaom or already made it to True Ventures by then. We were adversaries but he wasn’t adversarial. He took a genuine interest in me and flashed that gap-toothed smile at something or other and immediately made me feel at ease.
One of the rare people who never looked through you to their goal or their destination but rather met you where you were with kindness and curiosity.
You will be missed Om. Your memory is a blessing to us all.
My condolences to his loved ones, both family and friends.
Condolences. I learned so much from reading and interacting with Om over the years, and his photography was always a source of calm and perspective.
I’ve read Om’s work for as long as I can remember. This is such a shock and feels unbearable. I’ll miss him every day.
I am sorry. He was so knowledgeable and so kind.
What terrible, devastating news. I’ll live my life regretful that I never got to meet Om in person, but I’ll always cherish our conversations. I always enjoyed his writing, and was thrilled when he messaged me out of the blue one day – he had discovered my work and commissioned me to make him a few fountain pens for his collection. He always had such effusive praise for them – that he would hold them in such high regard in his collection meant the world to me. More often than not our conversations veered into the technology and photography, as we were kindred spirits in all those subjects. I’ll miss you Om – I hope that wherever you are, you’ve got the perfect pen and lens to capture your experience.
Om’s writing always had a quiet generosity to it; making a photo or a half-formed thought feel like part of something bigger. The blogging world feels smaller without “On my Om.” Sending warmth to his family and everyone who knew him.
Om came into my life unexpectedly two winters ago, after I spent three days photographing with him in Yellowstone by invitation from the Landscape Mafia. What began as a shared appreciation for images and landscapes grew into a friendship that profoundly changed me.
He was kind, wise, thoughtful, and deeply intelligent, with a way of being lovingly blunt that always felt rooted in care. I will miss his messages asking for new photos of the Beartooth Mountains and my dogs—small threads of connection that meant a great deal.
After we met, I made him a handmade journal, something I reserve for only a few special people. While he was in the hospital, he asked for a smaller one, which I sent to him three weeks ago. He was deeply grateful.
What touched me most is that someone who had access to the finest things in life chose something simple and handmade with love from me. That choice will stay with me always.
He also converted me to using fountain pens after he gifted one to me. He warned me not to go crazy and enjoy one pen at a time. A theory he didn’t seem to follow!
I’ve only read Om’s work for the past few years, and it always feels like calm water that soothes, nurtures, and empowers you in this torrent of emerging technologies. The humanity inside Om’s work is sui generis, and I always cherish what he has brought to the community. May he rest in peace, and I’ll hold on to what I’ve learned from him and try my best to give back to society.
Om was an authentic human being.
He told you like it was.
I met him at Red Herring and remained friends ever since.
Who wouldn’t want to be Om’s friend !
Smart, honest, blunt, sincere… WONDERFUL HUMAN.
We will miss you
I only know Om through his writing over the years, but we connected over photography on Glass – his lovely black and whites were so achingly melancholy – and he immediately felt like a colleague talking through our art. What a great guy. A terrible loss for his family, but a real loss for the rest of us as well. My condolences to all who knew him.
When I was just starting my company almost 15 years ago, I got an email from Om asking for some data. I thought we had arrived cuz “THE” Om Malik had reached out.
He was always so kind, thoughtful and a true friend to entrepreneurs and new things.
Very sad to hear this about a class act. RIP Om.
Devastating news. He was in many ways the best of us and his curious, engaged, and brilliant writing always made the world feel less lonely.
Om shared a collection of his unique and wonderful photos with the Glass.photo community.
Sharing here for those who may not be familiar with his photography:
[https://glass.photo/om](https://glass.photo/om)
(I had more thoughts that I could fit in a reply, and so in a tribute to way we used to write, I published a post on a blog where I often linked to his articles:
[https://www.disruptivetelephony.com/2026/06/r-i-p-om-malik-connector-of-dots-extraordinaire.html](https://www.disruptivetelephony.com/2026/06/r-i-p-om-malik-connector-of-dots-extraordinaire.html) )
He was the nicest, coolest dude. I really enjoyed talking to him, his warmth and kindness was shining through. I remember his smile.
Rest in peace Om.
Om was beyond generous to me early on in my career — supportive of my writing, introducing me to great people, putting me on stage at his conference. He was such a sweet, humble dude. He will be greatly missed. <3
The world has lost a great one.
Thank you for helping me embrace and grow my love of tech when I was young through GigaOm and all of your shows on Revision3 and TWiT. It was truly an honor to get to know you many years later. Your kind heart will now live on through all of us who looked up to you.
Working with Om was one of the best jobs I ever had. There are already dozens of tributes about his technology insights, but I think the one memory of him that has always stuck with me is after a GOM conference, him dragging the entire staff along for dinner to his favorite Indian restaurant. A huge table, dozens of dishes ordered family style, and just enjoying everyone there, wanting to make sure everyone was taken care of. (P.S. Om, I never did get to say I told you so about Ping)
Om was a visionary with the uncanny ability to get to sift through the noise, get to the crux of things and see social shifts and problems from a million miles away.
I feel incredibly lucky to not only have gained incredible insight from his work, but also to have known him personally as a mentor and friend.
He had an outsized influence on my artistic and professional life. He gave me support and encouragement when I was struggling without a sense of direction. He trusted me with my very first freelance project before I even believed in myself, and we created a photo book from the photos he took in Ladakh. I’ll forever be grateful for his care and generosity. Reading the other notes here, I see just how many lives he touched with his big heart. Thank you for continuing to inspire me Om. I’ll miss our catch ups in Tokyo and San Francisco.
The last time I saw him in person was a few years back at dinner at an odd assortment of tech media wannabe bigwigs. He was asked about the one potential investment he regretted not making, and instead of saying some unicorn or crypto or AI startup, he told the inquisitor it was them — that their talent should have been recognized and he wished he had been the one to put them on a pedestal.
That person knows who they are. But that’s who Om was. It’s not a popularity contest or a money deal with Om. It was about bringing personality to a sometimes faceless web and doing so with a knowing smile. He’s gone too soon and there will be noone saying an ill word his way, because how could there be?
I was so sorry to hear this news. I knew through 2 communities: when I was an Apple exec and later through the world of fountain pens. May his memory be a blessing. I will say a prayer for his soul at services on Saturday.
This is such sad news. I never had the pleasure of meeting Om, but I’ve followed him online for years. His writing was always genuine and full of wisdom. My condolences to his friends and family.
I’m was an absolute giant of a man. A world-class journalist who always told the truth as he saw it (and he usually saw it right). He was always direct with me about my startup endeavors, but there was always care there. It’s a rare human who can remain committed to telling the truth without making it sting (unless he was genuinely making a point).
Rest well, Om.
This was really shocking and sad to hear. My condolences to Om’s family, loved ones, and friends. I have always enjoyed his take on technology and the many diverse interesting articles he would share via his newsletter that really expanded my world. RIP Om. The world lost an original thinker.
My condolences to Om’s family and friends. I read and enjoyed his blog back in the day. We had exchanged a few messages over the coincidence of us having had heart attacks the same year.
Om got me blogging 21 years ago. I am sad that he won’t get to see the exciting years ahead with AI, think and write about it.
One of the kindest, most sensitive hearts and minds the tech industry had. He was a gift. Sending comfort to his family and closest loved ones.
Dear Om,
I live in India and we never met. But I’ve been reading your posts, essays and articles for over a decade. Almost all of what I read were your pieces on tech and not personal essays. Even so, because of everything you wrote, it feels as though a close friend has passed away.
Your writing always felt like someone with tremendously deeper understanding of the ecosystem speaking honestly and openly to the reader. It was insightful, generous and most importantly – deeply human.
I’ll sorely miss reading your essays.
Om shanti.
I first met Om in the mid-2000s when I started in public relations. He was patient, kind – not what you’d expect from a journalist hounded by every PR agency trying to get column inches. I met him again when we were fundraising for my first startup in 2006 – he listened with intent, he provided genuine feedback, he supported us emotionally. I would see him occasionally at the odd event or two in the years that followed. He always had a smile, always gregarious, always maintained a presence without agenda – or effort, for that matter. He embodied the hidden human amid the sterility and coldness that would slowly engulf Silicon Valley in the years that followed. I’m blessed to have benefited from his kindness across the few brief interactions, and I wish his family and friends the comfort in knowing he left an outsized impact on many of us.
A gentle, kind and a generous person he was. Over the last two decades, I had an opportunity to meet with Om several times and each time he made me feel welcome and special – it always felt magical. May his soul RIP 🙏
Om was not just a friend, colleague, and confidant. Always kind, generous, and so insightful about the valley he so honestly enumerated without regard for whoever he might offend with his honest takes. A rare gentle soul whose presence made the thirty years I knew him seem too few and the hours he’s been gone seem endless.
Words just do not capture who he was, how he lived, and all of his life that he shared with us. He was ॐ Om, a word whose infinite meaning he truly lived.
I was lucky to get hired at GigaOm as my first job out of college. Om taught me so much about technology and people and how the world works, with side lessons in socks and coffee. We are all worse off without him. Sending lots of love to his family.
I met Om a few times, he was gentle…his legacy as a writer is of the highest order, for when bloggers had organic authority, Om was at the top.
Though we never met, we interacted virtually, from afar. We often disagreed, and had different POVs – but that was the point, and that’s what Om did; he pushed you to consider the alternative POV, not for the sake of it, but because it was thoughtfully grounded in a lifetime’s worth of deep thinking about hard problems.
He will be missed. My condolences to family and friends, and all who admired him.
There are a few voices in tech news that I always found insightful and would make me feel a little bit more educated having read or listened to what they had to say. Om Malik was one of these few. Rest in Power, Om.
I have been following his work for a very long time. Amazing personality, exceptional writing and has an eye for photography. RIP om.
His writings and perspectives were always distinctly Om. His photography calm and arresting. A good soul gone too soon.
Never got the chance to meet him and yet, always felt a connection through our shared love for writing, photography, and technology.
Devastated to hear about Om’s passing. We never met in person, only internet acquaintances, but you never felt that distance with Om: he always treated you like you were old friends.
He was always so supportive and encouraging: it meant the world to me whenever he took the time to comment, advise or even just signal-boost anything I was working on. He was such a kind and generous person.
I will miss him and his enthusiasm for this industry, and I am so sorry for your loss.
Many people knew him through his writing, his investing, or his voice in tech. I was fortunate to know another side of him over the last several years; a thoughtful, generous friend whose curiosity, honesty, and perspective shaped countless conversations.
I’ll miss those conversations more than I can put into words. I’ll also miss how we could share silences together, in both beautiful or boring places. My heart is with his family and everyone whose life he touched.
I started following Om’s writings as part of his blog around 2001 & grew to appreciate the striking photos he shared, his take on technology and its role in shaping the future – I’m glad that we got a chance to share this part of his life.
You will be missed deeply Om. Grateful for your impassioned and honest storytelling about our industry. GigaOm was an inspiration to this teenager at the time. It’s interesting… amongst all your analysis about telecoms, chips, phones, apps.. the piece I remember the most is where you explained the history of the stent, which gave you many more years to share with us. You were wisely reminding us that despite everything, tech can do Good. Rest in Peace, Om. South Park won’t be the same again.
Om was one of be first technology voices I paid attention to when I started my career in tech. Always remember him fondly as a thoughtful contributor to the space. He will be missed.
I met Om close to 2 decades ago when he selected my startup from directly across the world to present at the flagship GigaOm Conference.
Tech-prowess aside, he was kind, caring and always encouraging. We founders learnt so much from that experience that it shaped our lives and subsequent ventures.
Thank you for everything you did for us, we have lost a legend.
I always looked forward to his musings. They never failed to open a new angle, a new way of seeing tech and life more broadly. I’ll miss him for a long time. May he rest in peace.
I only knew Om from fantasy baseball. He beat me in the championship round last season. I enjoyed competing against him as he was a fair and caring manager. I am thinking of his family and loved ones.
I came across his WordPress blog some few years back. I went from being a browsing guy to actually lapping up his thoughts and ideas. His photography skills came as a bonus to a well nuanced writing style. Last week when he posted about taking a break, I thought of his away time to the wilderness of nature usually around this time of year. But it’s not to be so as much as his time in hospital. This was a shock and I think my planned meeting next time in the US when I visit is not going to happen ever is a big loss personally. Dear OM, keep writing interesting stories and inspire in your new place.
This is heartbreaking. My thoughts are with Om’s family and friends.
I didn’t know Om well, but he was always friendly, helpful and interested. We’ve been in touch on and off over the years, from the time when GigaOm was new (I did a few pieces here and there) and I covered it on the Blog Herald. We emailed about things at times, and he was always thoughtful and provided insight. I wish I could’ve met him.
RIP Om, and condolences to family. Om, you were always a voice I listened and paid attention to, you offered insight and clarity – the world has lost a unique perspective.
I only met Om a couple times, yet he radiated such warmth and generosity. A kind soul who held a thoughtfulness I admired. And, gosh, what a writer! He had this ability to observe across disciplines and converge it all into beautiful words. I’m reminded of how he closed an essay earlier this year (one of my all-time favorites):
> I fight everyday, to not be swayed by the machines, and let my taste over ride the blandness I see around me.
Rest well, Om. You are missed. <3
Dear OM
Our meetings were few but they were always filled with happiness.
I will always remember them fondly.
Though I am sad that you have transitioned I am happy that you will join the light.
Peace
Every interaction with @om was him being far too kind and generous to me with his time and words. When I knew no one in Silicon Valley, I remember him, more than almost anyone else, making me feel seen. Thank you Om and you will be missed.
My heart broke when I heard this news. Tony Conrad introduced me to Om in ~2007, and in the years since, we corresponded a couple of times a year and I was lucky to spend time with him on several occasions. In particular, I remember being his housemate for several days in September 2014 at Matt’s apartment in NYC. I was there to witness and cover for Grist what was then the biggest climate action in history. What struck me during that time together was the range of Om’s interests and the various communities of which he was a part. Om wasn’t focused on climate change, but he was interested in learning about the march (which involved up to 400,000 people in the city), and over the intervening years, touched on climate in some of his writing in characteristically clear ways. We had a couple of meals together on that trip and I learned a lot more about pens, up-and-coming tech companies, and shoes than I would have imagined possible. As a fellow journalist and founder of a news site, he also shared insights that I treasured and still mull over. I followed his various newsletter, blogging, interview, profile, and photo projects over the years and always learned from them. If I somehow found myself using a tech product of any sort before learning of it from Om, which he subsequently endorsed in a post or Tweet, I admit that I’d feel a certain high and give myself a pat on the back. (Of all things, Nuzzel — which helped one navigate news that mattered during the heyday of Twitter — comes to mind.) Om had a distinct voice in his writing: he’d cut to the case, but was also poetic and profound. I will miss him greatly, in person and in my inbox, and send my love to his family and close friends. May his memory be a blessing.
My sincere condoleances. to his family and friends. I have learned a lot from him. Respect
Miss you, Om.
So sad to learn about Om’s passing.
I really like what he built with GigaOM and then this blog.
Met him once in Cupertino, and he was so nice and gracious, aknowledging me and enjoying a chat even though we had never met before.
He was also a beacon of reason and ethics in the Valley, which is hard to come by today. He will be sorely missed. 🙁
I met Om a few times for coffee, and exchanged emails around our shared love for photography. I was very sad when I learned of his recent health struggles, and shocked to see he passed away. But it’s not for how long we are on this Earth, but about what we do with that time, and Om sure made good use of his. He touched many lives.
Rest in peace, Om.
Om’s journalism shaped the start of my career. Recently I came across an analysis of his when preparing for a keynote presentation, and it was delightful to once again experience his down-to-earth view towards the tech industry. Very sad news. My condolences to family and friends.
Sad to hear of Om’s passing. His insights as a global citizen went deeper than the sophisticated perspective he shared as Gigaom.
So sad to hear this, enjoyed Om’s newsletter and photos so much. Thanks Om
Om’s friendship and support meant so much during my years at GigaOm and beyond. He was a constant cheerleader for the young journalists there. I feel so lucky to have known him and send my condolences to his family and community.
Condolences to the Malik family.
I was just enjoying the blog postings for th OM blog.
Rest in peace.
I got to know Om back when he started GigaOm. I was taken by his clarity of thought and expression as a journalist. We met only a few times but I found him smart, incisive, kind, creative and warm. I remember him as a lovely man. I wish his family well.
My heartfelt condolences to Om’s family and to his many, many friends.
I had the great privilege of working closely with Om when my former company, Revision3, produced and distributed The GigaOm Show. I’m deeply thankful for the opportunity to produce so many episodes with him, interviewing some of the most interesting movers and shakers in Silicon Valley, all guided by Om’s remarkable storytelling instincts and journalistic talent.
More importantly, Om became a good friend. He always kept me on my toes, pushing me to be the best and most honest version of myself, while also making sure I was ready for his quick wit, his wonderfully sarcastic banter, and his easygoing, self-deprecating curmudgeon charm.
I will always cherish those memories, and I’m grateful for the lasting impact he had on me and on countless others.
Om has only folded his wings inward, returning to the quiet garden
from which all light is borrowed.
Those we cherish do not leave us; they become the breath between our words,
the warmth behind our remembering, the unseen hand that steadies the heart.
And what he gave the world does not fade, his words are sparks still traveling the night, his vision a river that keeps on flowing, shaping shores he may never walk again.
Legacy is love made visible in time, and his remains, quietly at work, in us.
Grieve softly, but do not close the door, for in every moment of love,
he is already here.
Rest in peace buddy!
I am in shock at how this news directly hit my heart. Om was heart, he was tech, he was fully alive and perhaps bigger than his body with the reach of his spirit. I knew him from my time tech blogging and various times of connecting to people, but this new ms shook me, I’m literally in tears. I have only once before left a message , which was when Steve Jobs died, as it’s rare someone shifts us after their death.., yet, I was so shook, it made me realize how many amazing people in SF I am missing life of by being so far away. I don’t know if my time working in Sweden gives me access to such vibrancy as people like Om because, Om was like a diamond 💎 in the dark, he shined and took up space in great ways.
My condolences to Om’s family and friends.
Even though I haven’t seen Om in about fifteen years and only barely exchanged messages in that time I find this devastating. He was funny, he wasn’t afraid to challenge, he was warm, he asked hard questions, he was grouchy but he was a mentor. One of the first people I got to know in Silicon Valley and a key guide to it for me, decades ago. My deepest sympathies to his family and rest in peace, Om, you made a mark on many of us.
The world has gotten a little darker with the passing of Om!
Though I never met Om, reading his daily email as well as his web site made me feel like he was talking to me. His insights and knowledge will be missed.
My condolences to Om’s family.
One of the meanings of Om is that it represents the vibration of creation itself. The Om I know is a living embodiment of how to celebrate creation as a festivity. Which is why Om will always be in the present, in the here and now. And thus, eternal.
OP & me have grown up together in Delhi…have seen his struggling journalist days and also his blossomed blogger, pvt equity & tech days. He was at his peak in the last few years….he had a view on a lot of issues beyond tech, esp cricket & music he followed them to the last detail. The best of OP was his humbleness, humility and his lovely frivolous humoured nature…always smiling and seldom showing anger. He might have been living in US for the past 3 decades but at heart he always remained Indian….
His laughter will surely be missed…A noble helpful soul……may hai soul find shanti
Om Shanti….
Rest in peace.
I am grateful for every word he wrote, and every photograph he shared. The care and thoughtfulness and rich crafting remain intimidatingly beautiful.
I’m sending embraces to all who knew him personally, and especially to his family.
So sorry to hear. Om was a huge part of the growing tech ecosystem in the wild, wild early days, and was always a voice of calm and reason. He will be widely missed. This hurts.
Om Shanti, Om Sir.
My condolences to Om’s family, I loved his insights on technology companies, photography and life in general. I will miss reading him. Rest in peace.
Condolences to the family. I stumbled upon his blog when I lived in California not via tech but through photography. I always appreciated his moody atmospheric shots from his adventures. As a tech worker myself I appreciated his insights and opinions on all the latest things. I will miss both of those. Except the apple stuff 😉
I will shoot a roll of film in honor of his memory this weekend.
We’ve lost a critical voice in a dialog we all need to have, and a dear man who was both wise and capable. Some of his best stuff was his most recent. RIP Om.
This is very sad news. I was a massive fan of his work for many, many years and loved reading his updates. A true generational talent. Om will be missed.
I’ve been following OM for years from the other side of the world and I’m deeply shocked by this terrible news. I will miss his thoughtful insights and wonderful B&W photos.
RIP
ugh. such a loss. Great guy
I’ve been a reader for a long time and this news hit me like a ton of bricks.
May those who love Om find comfort in the days to come.
So sorry to hear this. I will miss Om’s thoughtful, original, and beautifully written work– along with his witty asides on watches, pens, and his favorite t-shirts. A calm, friendly voice in a noisy, unpleasant world. Condolences to Om’s family.
Cranky Geeks is the reason I work in podcasting. Thank you Om.
My deepest condolences to his family and friends. Om, thank you for everything, rest in peace
shocked to receive the email this morning about Om. Over the years he made many helpful introductions and i’ve been an avid fan of his photos. loved his no nonsense camera reviews and his much loved writing style. There is only one OM and he will be missed.
May his memory be a blessing.
Saddened by the news of Om Malik’ passing, I was an avid reader of his blog for more than 2 decades.
It was in 2012 during my visit to California that I met him at a tech event & we spoke not about tech but the water crisis in California, how growing up in India we used to face water scarcity & water conservation is the need of the hour.
Om’s writings beyond tech led to great weekend explorations for me in San Francisco & California for the decade ahead.
Thank you Om.
May his soul rest in pieces 🙏
Like millions of readers he influenced, I knew him through his blog posts. I started to read his GigaOm blog way back in ~2006. I was extremely sad to see GigaOm along with other tech blogs of that era begin to fade away, I presume due to business model challenges. His writings were one of the most influential and deeply thoughtful pieces for a tech enthusiast like me.
Today I am extremely saddened to hear the news that going forward readers will no longer get to read his thoughtful takes and masterpiece writings. But I am sure he will always remain in our collective memories when we think of his era.
May God bless his soul and give peace to his family 🙏
I loved reading everything Om wrote. If his writing reflects who he was as a person, he must have been an incredible person to know. May his memory be a blessing to his family and friends.
My condolences to the family on their loss. I recently rediscovered Om’s writing after first reading his work years ago. He was a true talent, able to weave a story full of both the data and compelling prose. We will all understand the world a little less today than we did yesterday.
Condolences to Om’s family and friends.
Om Malik was one of the thinkers and writers I returned to regularly to learn and discover, and to calibrate my opinions. I’m grateful for his work and will miss it.
The one the only Om. Because of you, I experienced your humor, intelligence, gentleness and great company. Due to your passion of informing you helped a world understand technology. But most of all it’s all your fault in launching the most memorable part of my life. May the Angels learn from you.
Om was a true pioneer. His first blog changed the course of industries—journalism, tech and communications. I credit him with bringing us all into the modern age. I will miss my friend and think fondly of our work together, the wonderful joint birthday parties we threw together and his fantastic stories. This is a big loss. Condolences to the family.
I think we can all agree that Om was a great writer. I will miss his words. Been following him since 2004 in the blogosphere 🙂
There are many smart people in the world, not enough kind ones and even fewer wise ones. What made Om special was he was all of these things: smart and kind and wise. It came through his writing and in his way with people, which I was fortunate to experience at a conference a couple of years back. A hugely sad loss for all his communities. My heart goes out to all his friends and family.
A small Om Malik story: We had been emailing for a while, and finally got coffee in person in San Francisco’s South Park one warm summer day in 2024. I was in a dark place mentally and feeling intensely shaky about my career and my move to the US to work in journalism.
Even though we had never met before, I poured my heart out to Om. He listened patiently and shared lessons from his life, and his own journey from New Delhi to the US.
“For people like us, there is always a glass ceiling in American media,” he told me. But he told me to hang in there and keep going. And at the end of our conversation, he gifted me some reporters’ notebooks.
A few hours after that meeting, I got a call from Business Insider offering me the Meta Correspondent job. “I’m thrilled that you got the gig,” Om texted. “I’m going to be rooting for you.”
I haven’t looked back since. You will be missed, Om.
I worked with Om at Red Herring in New York. A true original and a class act. Glad to have crossed paths with him in this lifetime.
To put it simply, he was a true legend.
Rest in peace, Om. It has been a pleasure listening to your ideas over the years.
My condolences to family and friends.
Emanuele
Om, Thank you for all of the thoughtfulness and intention over the years in sharing both your perspectives and also your photography.
OP as he was known in school was my best mate but we lost touch after he moved to US from Delhi. I was following up on his blogs and very proud of what he achieved. He will be sorely missed by me and all his school friends. Rest in peace OP 🙏 Om Shanti
Deepest condolences. He was very nice, intelligent and would respond to my emails. Please know that he made the world better by being in it.
Thank you OM. Learnt so much following your work
So very sad to hear this. He was one of the more thoughtful tech journalists in a world of superficial writing and sensational headlines. Sincere condolences to his friends and family.
I am sorry to learn of Om’s passing. I grew up in the tech space with his writing. We have lost a pragmatic voice and a great human. My love to the family.
Oh no. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends. I found his writing to be generous, sincere and insightful.
Speechless right now
I am very saddened by the news. I loved reading Om’s blog. I hope his family and friends find the peace and time they need to heal during such a difficult time.
Devastating news. Most will remember him as a tech writer, but I knew him almost exclusively as a fellow photographer on Glass. I liked his powerful photographs very much. My heartfelt condolences.
Saddened to see this news. Om’s writing, reflecting his long experience in tech, was always informative and insightful. I enjoyed seeing his photography and reading of his deep love of fountain pens. May his family be comforted by many memories of good times.