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17 Replies Last post: Aug 31, 2006 1:08 AM by veggiedude   1 2 Previous Next
Click to view MW Forums's profile New Member
MW Forums
12,220 posts since
Aug 2, 2004
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Aug 29, 2006 7:20 PM

Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of directors

Apple CEO Steve Jobs says the CEO of Google brings a focus on innovation and extensive experience to Apple's board. more
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Click to view Jarod's profile New Member
Jarod
24 posts since
Apr 22, 2005
1. Aug 29, 2006 10:27 PM in response to: MW Forums
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of directors
Definately Definately a good thing! Bye Bye Billy Goat!
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Click to view MacTel's profile Enthusiast
MacTel
1,028 posts since
Jun 6, 2005
2. Aug 29, 2006 10:31 PM in response to: MW Forums
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of directors
Is there a MacGoogle in the future?
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Click to view Nobody's profile New Member
Nobody
58,347 posts since
Oct 18, 2007
3. Aug 29, 2006 11:33 PM in response to: MacTel
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of directors
Bill Campbell, Apple chairman, is Steve Jobs' boss. I wonder how that works within Apple with Jobs' reputation not liking to be directed by others.

MacGoogle? I say it would be more likely that Apple (with Jobs in the driver's seat) become part of Disney or Disney melds with Apple before an Apple Google joint venture. In that case - Jobs would be elevated to the position of gURU or gOD.

Google as an entity, however, does not need such an immidiate partnership as perhaps Apple or Disney does. Besides - the Google founders probably would not want to become tied down to any other company's strategy as it stands today.
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Click to view moose_n_squirrel's profile Old Hand
moose_n_squirrel
2,798 posts since
Sep 16, 2004
4. Aug 29, 2006 11:34 PM in response to: MacTel
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of directors
Man, I don't know. Being on the Apple board is almost a contrarian indicator. Having the CEO of the Gap (now J. Crew CEO) on the board didn't prevent all Gap web sites from being Safari-hostile for a while not long ago. Having the Chairman of Intuit on the board is obviously not improving the quality of Quicken and QuickBooks on the Mac. Having Al Gore on the board didn't help lift Apple up off the bottom of the Greenpeace list.

The Apple board is like a version of "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."
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Click to view Adwiz's profile Member
Adwiz
199 posts since
Aug 27, 2004
5. Aug 29, 2006 11:40 PM in response to: moose_n_squirrel
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of direct
Quote:<hr />
The Apple board is almost like a version of "keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

<hr />


Intelligent observation. Board members do have a fiduciary responsibility to help make decisions that are in the best interest of the company. When you pick someone who heads a company that could be a threat, you stave off (to some degree anyway) decisions they might make that would hurt you. In light of this reality, the Google appointment makes a great deal of sense.
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Click to view adobephile's profile Member
adobephile
510 posts since
Feb 3, 2001
6. Aug 30, 2006 2:41 AM in response to: MW Forums
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of directors
Quote:<hr />
Apple CEO Steve Jobs says the CEO of Google brings a focus on innovation and extensive experience to Apple's board. <a href="/news/2006/08/29/schmidt/index.php">more</a>


<hr />


Previous cynical comments aside, I think this is yet another strategic step in building Apple into what it should have been far earlier on. Love the new machines and iPods. Love the new OS. Love the retail stores' presence. Love the TV ads. Their own custom-built GLASS store UNDERGROUND on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan? Fuhgedaboudit! Badda bing! Now that's INNOVATION, baby!
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Click to view Nobody's profile New Member
Nobody
58,347 posts since
Oct 18, 2007
7. Aug 30, 2006 7:15 AM in response to: MW Forums
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of directors
Innovation?!?

Google is flopping around like a druken beached flounder hoping that, by chance, it stumbles into something profitable.

They've burned through most of that billions and are starting to feel the money pinch.

Innovation? Good grief.

Here's what it really is: A bunch of schmucks think Google is the second coming (just look at how the press reacted to Google releasing a bunch of second-rate web-based apps), and so Jobs put their CEO on Apple's board for his rock star status and nothing else.
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Click to view jmincey's profile Old Hand
jmincey
3,871 posts since
Aug 27, 2004
8. Aug 30, 2006 8:19 AM in response to: MW Forums
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of directors
Count me among those who do not find Google terribly prescient or innovative. I also find that Novell was grossly mismanaged by this Apple board appointee. I don't think Google has a clear vision of its future revenue streams anymore than Sun could figure out what to do with Java (which was and is a great technology but not really a revenue producer for Sun).

I don't think this is about bringing to the board one's enemies. That would be a foolish and self-defeating strategy. The board should consist of persons who bring multiple disciplines and who have Apple's best interest at heart. I'm not sure what value this current appointee brings to Apple's board.
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Click to view palane's profile Member
palane
215 posts since
Nov 18, 2004
9. Aug 30, 2006 9:19 AM in response to: Nobody
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of direct
Quote:<hr />
Innovation?!?

Google is flopping around like a druken beached flounder hoping that, by chance, it stumbles into something profitable.

They've burned through most of that billions and are starting to feel the money pinch.

<hr />


Think before you post. Google's most recent quarterly balance sheet listed assets totaling $14.4 billion, including $4 billion in cash and $5.8 billion in marketable securities. In fact, Google has so much cash on hand, it just sought permission to invest its cash hoard without being treated as a mutual fund.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06239/716354-96.stm
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Click to view hagen's profile New Member
hagen
137 posts since
Mar 15, 2005
10. Aug 30, 2006 9:22 AM in response to: MW Forums
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of directors
Not quite in the same paragrapgh: innovation and stumbled with the lack of transition from netware to the internet. Hmmm. Yes, definitely a solid record of innovation there.

he was hired by google not for his innovation but for his maturity and big business savvy. He balanced the two google founders that way. He was never hired for innovation (Time article).
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Click to view MacPCJustCreate's profile Member
MacPCJustCreate
627 posts since
Sep 1, 2004
11. Aug 30, 2006 9:23 AM in response to: moose_n_squirrel
Intuit Apple
Quote:<hr />
Having the Chairman of Intuit on the board is obviously not improving the quality of Quicken and QuickBooks on the Mac.

<hr />


I cannot speak for Quicken because I still use Quicken 2002 at home. QuickBooks has improved over the 3 versions (QuickBooks 6, QuickBooks 2005 and QuickBooks 2006) that I have upgraded at my office.

QuickBooks for the Mac still does not have feature parity with the Windows version yet. Also I wish that Intuit would make the file format between the Mac & Windows version binary compatible so that files can just be sent to PC using CPA's without having to Export and Import on the Mac side. Maybe in the 2007 version?

QuickBooks on the Mac has been very useful to my business and has saved me much time in back office activities.
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Click to view Nobody's profile New Member
Nobody
58,347 posts since
Oct 18, 2007
12. Aug 30, 2006 10:21 AM in response to: palane
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of direct
The money isn't quite as rosy as you point out (though not as bleak as I thought).

The fact remains that Google is a one-trick pony: advertising. In Q2 of 2006, they made 2.46 billion from adverstising revenues. All other sources of revenue combined were 26.9 million, or just over 1%.

In addition, their growth rate has dropped precipitously. Down from %400 in 2002 to just under 80% in 2006. Granted, 80% is still impressive, but the trend is worth noting.

They've been thrashing around for the past three years trying to find something else to make money at and have failed. In many ways they are like Microsoft. MS is struggling with no one upgrading Windows or Office software, MS' main source of revenue.

If the bottom ever drops out of web advertising (which wouldn't surprise me a bit: nobody likes ads on websites - which may explain the downward trend in Google's growth, as advertisers get disillusioned with web-based ad effectiveness), Google is history. This idea that a company that has never been able to do anything other than web-based advertising is somehow going to dethrone Microsoft and usher in the Millenium is completely irrational.

Here's what I think is happening with Google's web-based offerings: They want to mine the h*** out of your data so they can sell it to advertisers.
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Click to view 2centmac's profile New Member
2centmac
2 posts since
Aug 30, 2006
13. Aug 30, 2006 11:37 AM in response to: MW Forums
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of directors
If google wants to make money they should take out myspace.
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Click to view leroybrown's profile Member
leroybrown
322 posts since
Dec 27, 2004
14. Aug 30, 2006 12:14 PM
Re: Google's Schmidt joins Apple's board of direct
Quote:<hr />
The fact remains that Google is a one-trick pony: advertising. In Q2 of 2006, they made 2.46 billion from adverstising revenues. All other sources of revenue combined were 26.9 million, or just over 1%.

<hr />


Big deal, this is well-known.

Quote:<hr />
In addition, their growth rate has dropped precipitously. Down from %400 in 2002 to just under 80% in 2006. Granted, 80% is still impressive, but the trend is worth noting.

<hr />


Yeah - when did they introduce AdSense, and when did it really take off? I'm always amazed at its adoption rate. There are sites out there with ads that are nothing more than family photo albums... Besides, all growth rates taper off as a market becomes saturated. Big deal.

Quote:<hr />
They've been thrashing around for the past three years trying to find something else to make money at and have failed. In many ways they are like Microsoft. MS is struggling with no one upgrading Windows or Office software, MS' main source of revenue.

<hr />


MS makes money mostly off of one-time OS and software sales. They'd love a subscription model, but they don't have it. Conversely, Google has a steady influx of cash: every time you use a Google service, someone ponies up some money to Google.

Quote:<hr />
If the bottom ever drops out of web advertising (which wouldn't surprise me a bit: nobody likes ads on websites - which may explain the downward trend in Google's growth, as advertisers get disillusioned with web-based ad effectiveness), Google is history.

<hr />


Sure, if their revenue source dries up, they'll have a rough time. (This happened to Yahoo, btw, but they scraped through.) This is a lot like saying if Microsoft stops selling software, they'll go broke. Yup.

Quote:<hr />
This idea that a company that has never been able to do anything other than web-based advertising is somehow going to dethrone Microsoft and usher in the Millenium is completely irrational.

<hr />


Can you determine a company's competition soley by looking at its revenue source? I wouldn't think so. Sure, they have a lot of products/services out there that don't generate money, but you'd have to see what those products/services compete with. Microsoft would love to have a nice portal out there that was profitable...

Google does actually make money any time people use their products/services. There is advertising money coming in each time you do a search, each time you get directions on Google Maps, yadda yadda yadda.

Quote:<hr />
Here's what I think is happening with Google's web-based offerings: They want to mine the h*** out of your data so they can sell it to advertisers.

<hr />


Yeah. Again, this isn't particularly new information. It's almost like saying that Google makes all its money off of ads or something
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