“When Eric E. Schmidt, Google’s chief executive, was named to Apple Computer’s board this week, it did more than signal a potential alliance between powerful companies. It touched off a wave of speculation about the motives of the man behind the move: Apple’s co-founder, Steven P. Jobs,” John Markoff reports for The New York Times.
“‘The old social networks in Silicon Valley run very deep,’ noted AnnaLee Saxenian, a leading scholar of the industry and dean of the School of Information at the University of California, Berkeley. ‘And this reminds us that Silicon Valley has a common enemy to the north.’ She did not even need to name the enemy she had in mind: Microsoft, the leading rival to both Mr. Jobs and Mr. Schmidt through most of their careers. Now, with the Internet era remaking the competitive landscape, their prospects for outdueling Microsoft’s Windows empire may be better than ever,” Markoff reports.
“There are many possibilities for a complementary strategy between their companies. This week, for example, Google announced that it was beginning to weave together a number of services that could be a Web-based competitor to Microsoft Office. And Mr. Jobs has skillfully driven a wedge into the dominant PC computing standard established by Microsoft’s Windows software and Intel’s hardware — the so-called Wintel alliance — by recently adopting Intel’s processor for Apple’s Macintosh computers,” Markoff reports.
Markoff reports, “Mr. Schmidt’s appointment set off chatter about linking the Google search engine to iTunes, Apple’s online music service — reinforcing Apple’s pre-eminence in a category where Microsoft is seeking a grip. That would also have broader implications for the entertainment industry, an industry repeatedly put on the defensive by both Apple and Google.”
Full article here.
Related articles:
Re: Google CEO elected to Apple Computer’s Board of Directors – August 30, 2006
Dvorak: Does Apple’s board addtion of Google’s Schmidt portend Apple-Sun merger? – August 30, 2006
Apple and Google cozy up to make Microsoft jealous – August 30, 2006
Google CEO to help shape Apple’s future – August 30, 2006
Google CEO Dr. Eric Schmidt joins Apple’s Board of Directors – August 29, 2006
Pete,
When Vista is released, you know it will be compared to Leopord and Tiger (if leopord isn’t out yet). I know many many first time Mac buyers as of recent and they will not be buy Vista. Microsoft might always have the majority, but it wil be more like a 60-40 split. The only reason MS will have the most is because of the business world. That will take YEARS to lose. Homes upgrade a lot more often than businesses. You seem to imply that this is just Apple’s 15 minutes of fame. It isn’t.
MDN magic word = makes, as in Apple makes products people like, and that work.
“Please, somebody tell me what positive impact Al Gore has done for Apple? I have yet to see a photo of the guy with and Apple product in use.”
I won’t pretend to know or even suggest that having Gore in the BOD has had any positive impact for Apple, but it is well known that he’s been a Mac user for many, many years. Not defending him, as I’m no fan. Just stating the facts.
Gore’s documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth” heavily used Keynote.
Actually, ndelc you should defend Gore.
He, like me, is ALWAYS RIGHT.
Also seen in “An Inconvenient Truth”- MANY shots of Gore’s PB in use.
I ALWAYS like seeing that.
My sons and I constantly pause TiVo when we see a shot of a Mac in action.
Does anyone know if besides his ipod (seriously) is GW is a mac user?
Even though he’s an idiot? (seriously)
Anonymous,
Bertrand Serlet did let it slip during the keynote address that Spotlight will be able to search online. Maybe you are right and this is how it will be done. For those who don’t believe me, go back and watch the keynote – it is near the beginning during the Micropenis bashing.
ndlec,
Gore was a Mac user before the 2000 election. There was a picture of him in the early fall of 2000 in Newsweek working on his Powerbook.
Bush was shown working on his Dull – figures.
Example of Apple’s terrible practice of taking it’s customers for granted:
New Intel Power Mac introduced. Inside is an average (inferior) graphics card. So, they offer to drop the ‘extra cost’ of substituting a better card, which should come standard with the new machine.
Apple does these clever marketing tactics as a matter of increasing practice. It’s bad, It’s wrong and it will come back to haunt them.
All you guys who rail away at my demand for better customer treatment by Apple are the reason they will continute to take advantage of us.
Sorry, ndelc. It was “Apple all the way” who first made the Gore comment.
So, redirect my above comment to him!
Would you people forget about the
partisan political BULLSHIT!
Fuck Gore and the horse he rode in on.
Replacing talk of Dr. Schmidt with
Bush / Gore mess is an insult to
Dr. Schmidt, whether you are liberal,
conservative, or vote for the German
beer party. Get over yourselves.
Thorin is correct. (even though he admits to buying fishing tackle at 3 am)
I will never again post a political comment.
BTW, it was the Bush/KERRY mess.
(sorry, I had to get one last one in).
I’m with thorin… course… now I gotta find another handle
always right…
uh… bush/kerry didn’t end up in a 1 month stalemate and a supreme court decision. I’m pretty sure bush/gore was the more divisive of the two campaigns and the bigger mess.
so would this make you
alwayswrong?
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cubert “There was a picture of him in the early fall of 2000 in Newsweek working on his Powerbook.”
ahhhh….a setup photo op picture during an election to make gore look cool and you really believe the guy uses it. and that was 6 years ago!!!!
if al gore left the board would apple revenue decline?
T Cruise you don’t know the history of 3% market share.
Pete Peterson does.
I did see a photo of Bush using an iMac G4, the “lamp” version.
Dr. Eric Schmidt has very many mafia friends, some of whom produce p_rn, even child p_rn from captive women and children, which is how Google got sued for profiteering from deliberatly promoted child p_rnography & why they withheld the identities of child p_rn distributors from police. http://endmafia.com