Google and TweetDeck Executives Respond to Jobs' Anti-Android Comments

[DougB541]

Now THIS is the best comment in the thread:



Bingo. Coverage dictates that I can't go with anyone but Verizon (and I guess Sprint since they roam on Verizon). I wanted a decent touchscreen smartphone and could not get an iphone if I wanted to have coverage-- so I got a droid. Google saw the need and plugged it-- PLUS they spec'd it to the failed windows mobile hardware that everyone could already build.

I think thats a part of why people found interest in android.

But now i think many prefer it. It'll be interesting to see if verizon does get the iphone to see if there is a change.

Honestly, since owning my Evo, 4.0" screen is the smallest phone screen size i can picture myself going to.

 

[LagunaSol]

Why does half your post say you love Google, and the other half say you hate them?

Correct. I've always loved using Google stuff. But I've gone from enamored to suspicious to scared. I use Gmail for all my accounts. I use Google for all my searches. I use Google Maps. Google Docs. I use it all. But now I'm realizing that Google is not only becoming the next Microsoft, but can wield far more power than Microsoft ever dreamed of. To not see the danger of Google's domination of information access is alarming naive.

Tell me (and be honest) I bet if Google and Apple were still 'friends' you wouldn't have a problem with it.

Not true.

I'm not sure if you're aware but it is possible to use more than one company to fulfill your needs. You don't have to focus your entire life on what Apple provides you with.

I use Apple hardware. I use Google for search. I don't use Microsoft. I am more diversified than the Microsoft astroturfers on this forum and more diversified than the Android fans as well.

Take MobileMe - its crap and you pay for it. Then comes Gmail, Google Docs etc- they rule. To simply not use them 'because Google owns them' is unbelievably narrow minded.

MobileMe is crap and I don't pay for it.

Who said I didn't using Google stuff anyway? I do.

 

[Nicksd84]

Does anyone else just laugh when reading this? It's like watching a forum discussion printed out in the news. Ha. Honestly, who caressssssss. The different platforms offer different benefits/cons and you make your decision based on what gives you the best user experience. At least I hope most people do.

 

[samcraig]

an interesting view...

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/google/can-apples-ios-really-beat-googles-android/2554?tag=nl.e539

 

[Hastings101]

I'll give you an example. Two co-workers with Android phones were talking at their cubicles the other day about their phones. These are non-geeks btw. One was commenting on the "pretty clock app" that's always on the home screen, and wanted to know what it was so they could get it too for theirs. But the thing was, the "pretty clock app" was just the Sense UI on their HTC phone...which isn't available on the other guys Droid. They couldn't figure it out. Why couldn't he just buy it and download it since they were both Android phones, he kept asking (over and over to the point it got fricken annoying). This is one reason why fragmentation can be confusing for non-geeks like these two guys.

It's also funny that when they saw I got an iPhone 4 they just snickered and said how it wasn't "open"...though when I asked what that meant they shut up because they were just parroting what they had heard the media spouting.

They called their phone "open", that sounds pretty geeky to me... or at least wannabe geeky.

 

[sniffies]

Who the f is TweetDeck?

It's as if it were some kinda big corporation like Google. Just shut up.

So who's next to speak up? Doodle Jump? FartApps Inc.? Monkey Schmonkey & Co.?

 

[carmenodie]

The Android schmucks out there are just trolling with Google so they can sell hardware. period.
Right now there is more than enough Android powered glut on the used market. But geeks just gotta have the so-called latest and greatest Android phone. Meh!
Moto had already gimmicked up their Droid with that r2d2 concept. They are running out of ideas. Meanwhile Apple is taking it nice and slow with their one phone a year biz model. That's called self preservation.

 

[Mistrblank]

We only have 2 guys developing on Android TweetDeck so that shows how small an issue fragmentation is

And how many quality control developers do you have?

Few developers is standard. I'm not impressed with this response.

 

[samcraig]

Who the f is TweetDeck?

It's as if it were some kinda big corporation like Google. Just shut up.

So who's next to speak up? Doodle Jump? FartApps Inc.? Monkey Schmonkey & Co.?

Really? Apple singled them out. That's why they are significant here. If you want to roll your eyes at someone - roll them at Apple and tell them to shut up.

Wow.

 

[Xtremehkr]

Same could be said of OS X, but of course no one says anything about that.

OSX is head and shoulders above anything Microsoft has released, even recently.

The head software architect for MS just quit, MS is in a tailspin right now as it wastes money chasing peripherals and ignores its core business.

 

[dwd3885]

Of course there is. Tell that to someone stuck on an older version of the OS because their cell provider won't upgrade them to the current version that lets them use the new apps.

I didn't say there wasn't fragmentation. I said it wasn't an issue. Tell someone with an iPhone 3G to update to 4.0 and let me know how that works.

 

[samcraig]

I didn't say there wasn't fragmentation. I said it wasn't an issue. Tell someone with an iPhone 3G to update to 4.0 and let me know how that works.

Agree with both viewpoints but will add - who cares. To the end user whether the fragmentation is on the OS side or the Manufacturer side or whatever side - they just want a phone that works the way they want. And no platform is perfect. But having diversity within the marketplace allows most people to find something they want.

I wouldn't want an ice cream shop that only has one flavor.
I wouldn't want a restaurant that only served one dish.

On a bigger scale - I wouldn't want to live in a world where everyone was the same. Boring.

 

[paul4339]

Steve is brilliant at marketing.

Unfortunately - Steve is a PR hot mess and liability.

He needs to know and respect the difference between facts and spin when he opens up his mouth.

Seriously,

was it necessary to kick android and tweetdeck a few times? I don't understand why SJ would say that without proof that its a harder platform to develop more. Just enjoy the nice quarter and live.

I agree, no need to shoot off your mouth so much ... esp when can't back things up. He has to appear more respectful ... the PR guys are probably on 24hr standby every time SJ has a conf call. It's best to stick with the "we just make the best products" line versus kicking your competitors and making new enemies.

P.

 

[DougB541]

Who the f is TweetDeck?

It's as if it were some kinda big corporation like Google. Just shut up.

So who's next to speak up? Doodle Jump? FartApps Inc.? Monkey Schmonkey & Co.?

They can't comment on their twitter when a major CEO mis quotes them?

 

[chugg]

OSX is head and shoulders above anything Microsoft has released, even recently.

The head software architect for MS just quit, MS is in a tailspin right now as it wastes money chasing peripherals and ignores its core business.

Jesus... /facepalm

 

[DougB541]

And how many quality control developers do you have?

Few developers is standard. I'm not impressed with this response.

the point of his response is that 2 developers were able to have tweetdeck up and running from beta to full release in a short time span.


Meaning, they didn't find much difficulty doing it. They didn't say anything to try to impress you so i don't think they are that worried.

 

[hashholly]

I didn't say there wasn't fragmentation. I said it wasn't an issue. Tell someone with an iPhone 3G to update to 4.0 and let me know how that works.

ios 4.0 may or may not run great on an iPhone 3G, but at least they have the ability to update now. The problem with Android, for me at least, is your at the mercy of the carriers and manufacturers for updates, and there is no guarantee that your phone will even be updated. I give you the HTC Aria as an example, released in June, and Foryo 2.2 is out for alot of devices but there is no guarantee the Aria will ever see 2.2 and its less than 6 months old. That is a problem.

 

[DougB541]

Jesus... /facepalm

haha i had my quote all lined up and i just said...'forget it'

 

[hashholly]

I agree, no need to shoot off your mouth so much ... esp when can't back things up. He has to appear more respectful ... the PR guys are probably on 24hr standby every time SJ has a conf call. It's best to stick with the "we just make the best products" line versus kicking your competitors and making new enemies.

P.

Bad press is still press. People expected all the bad press from Antennagate to kill iPhone 4 sales, and yet they sold incredibly well.

 

[WeegieMac]

Jesus... /facepalm

He's right though, as decent as Windows 7 is, it's years too late and still isn't a patch on OS X's latest instalment.

Regarding his other points, about Microsoft's engineer's quitting, etc ... I'm not aware of that. However, under Ballmer's stewardship, Microsoft are in a bit of a free fall and are not the company they were under Gates.

And the shareholders are beginning to get restless and impatient with Ballmer, depending on who you listen to of course.

 

[Icaras]

The more times I hear Jobs open is mouth the more I think he is just like the point hair boss.

Completely clueless on how things really work.

LOL, the proceeding comments pretty much cover your post.

But I'll add to it again so hopefully it sinks in for you:

A boss that runs a company that profits 20 billion in one fiscal year isn't someone i'd really call "clueless".

 

[ChazUK]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.2; en-gb; Dell Streak Build/FRF91) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)

We only have 2 guys developing on Android TweetDeck so that shows how small an issue fragmentation is

And how many quality control developers do you have?

Few developers is standard. I'm not impressed with this response.

It's a very good twitter client. Even during the Beta it has been a well polished product across the Android devices I use it on.

 

[MacMau5]

best quote ever:
noting that they had to test their application against 100 different versions of Android on 244 different handsets.


So true, some apps works, others don't. some are available, others are not. i absolutely hated it

 

[chugg]

Google's spiel about "choice" is, as Jobs said, a smokescreen. Google doesn't care about choice. They really don't. They care that you choose an Android phone. Microsoft loves to talk about "choice" as well, when the only choice they really want you to go with is Microsoft. At least Apple is honest about their motivations. They want to build the best products so people will buy them.

Oh please. Apple wants to sell you on their latest products the same as Microsoft or Google does. You can cover it up with "we only want to provide the best experience, so we're not doing _____" all you want but in the end it's all BS marketing spin. Google isn't innocent and neither is Apple.

I'm not sure what "choice" spiel you're referring to but the fact is that they do provide more choice than Apple. Of course they're going to promote their own products, why wouldn't they? At least they continuously release their apps on practically every single phone if people CHOOSE to use them on devices other than Androids.

Google just wants you to believe they're doing you a favor. And it appears some people are buying into that propaganda. Do you really think the Google board of directors sits down and says "We really care about consumer choice here. What can we do to enhance that?" Give me a break. Yet without fail every Fandroid by default uses the word "choice" in his/her pro-Android arguments.

The brainwashing is complete.

Oh, the brainwashing is complete alright.

 

[cmaier]

AI wouldn't want an ice cream shop that only has one flavor.
I wouldn't want a restaurant that only served one dish.

Why not, if it's the flavor and dish you want and always order?