google

android / google / iPad / tablets — 9 Comments
20
Oct 11

Zigging when Apple zags

Sometimes Google seems to do some extraordinary acrobatics just to prove it isn’t Apple.

Speaking at the All Things Digital conference in Asia yesterday, Andy Rubin made it a point out their difference in philosophy.

1. He doesn’t believe in tablet-specific apps. All apps should work on a phone and scale up.

2. He doesn’t believe the phone should be an assistant. “You shouldn’t be communicating with the phone — you should be communicating with somebody on the other side of the phone,” he said.

Statements like these diminish Google, mostly because they fly in the face of common sense. Rubin makes it sound like it’s more important to dismiss Apple’s advances than it is to move forward.

His view on tablet-specific apps appears to be a defense for the Android Marketplace having so few of them. That number has been cited as anywhere from 300 to 3,000 — whatever, it’s way less than Apple’s 140,000.

Obviously, many apps can scale perfectly well from a phone to a tablet if they’re written to do so. Just as obviously, there’s a big difference between a 4-inch screen and a 10-inch screen. Though many apps can successfully scale, common sense says that a bigger screen opens up new possibilities. Otherwise, we’d all be running phone apps on our 27-inch screens too.

To be dismissive of Siri is to appear almost Luddite-ish. Even in its beta form, Siri is shaping up to be a monster hit. Again, common sense. It’s infinitely easier to say “Set alarm for 8am” than it is to go through the normal routine. Controlling the phone’s more advanced capabilities the same way feels nothing less than miraculous. And phones are just the start.

Apple didn’t denigrate Android’s superior voice recognition capability, they pushed it to a much higher level — the ability to intelligently interpret words to initiate actions. You’re a smart guy, Andy, but to dismiss this kind of leap with comments like “you shouldn’t be communicating with the phone” is pretty embarrassing.

Common sense says one other thing, too. Not too far in the future, Android will feature a built-in intelligent assistant. It may even help you explore Android’s library of made-for-tablet apps.

 

android / google / observatory — 6 Comments
6
Sep 11

Google’s “don’t be evil” loophole

Technology companies can be so lovable when they’re young and feisty.

They can say things like Don’t be evil and be cheered on by the masses.

It’s only when they grow up to be global powerhouses that their words get turned against them. This technique must be in Chapter 1 of the official Google Critic’s Handbook, since most anti-Google articles seem to use this ploy.

Does this mean I can rise above doing the same?

Nah. I’m only human. And I couldn’t help but notice an example of Google’s confused sense of evil on their own corporate philosophy page. The sixth of their “Ten things we know to be true” is You can make money without doing evil. Elaborating on that, they say:

We believe that advertising can be effective without being flashy. We don’t accept pop–up advertising, which interferes with your ability to see the content you’ve requested.

Maybe there’s some kind of semantic difference between “accepting” pop-up ads and sticking them in our faces. Because, as I have complained before, pop-up ads on YouTube videos are as annoying as ads get. They absolutely do interfere with your ability to see the content you’ve requested. They require you to take action to make them go away, and then they require you to restart the video if you’d like to see it as it was meant to be seen — unobstructed.

As an anti-advertising advertising man, I’ve often talked about the basic respect that ads must have for the user. Anyone with a sense of advertising morals understands the importance of not annoying or badgering those with whom you are trying to start a conversation.

Obviously, Google gets this. Enough so that they wrote it into their corporate philosophy, right under the “evil” thing.

Maybe they just see YouTube as a loophole, because it’s not a Google-branded site?

No. Not possible. That would evil.

advertising / google / observatory — 15 Comments
17
Mar 11

Death to the YouTube pop-up ad!

Completely ignoring the complexities of life, I’ve managed to lump everyone I’ve ever met in marketing into two distinct groups.

1. Those who believe advertisers have a degree of social responsibility.
2. Those who believe it’s their holy duty to cram an ad into every available space on this planet.

For years, things have remained in relative balance simply by the force of nature. On occasion, ad agencies and clients would get too pushy — and negative reactions would make them take a step back.

However, there’s a disturbance in the force. These days, the rewards of being annoying can be so great, advertisers and their enablers are more willing to “tough out” the criticism just to keep the cash flowing. Maybe we don’t protest loudly enough, or we get tired of complaining. Whatever, we start to see excessive advertising as a necessary evil — even if it isn’t necessary at all.

Case in point: YouTube pop-up ads. Oh, how I loathe them.

Amazingly, they manage to offend on multiple levels.

Right at the moment you’ve chosen to be passive — watching a video — a pop-up ad forces you to take action. When it materializes, it’s like an annoying fly. You can try to ignore the distraction or you can take the time to swat the thing. Even if you swat, you’ve already lost a few seconds of pristine video. To see the whole video unblemished, you have to go back to the start.

If this technique is supposed to “personalize” my advertising experience with ads relevant to what I’m watching, it ain’t happening. In fact, Google Adsense pop-ups make little sense at all.

I watch Pink Floyd (still frame above) and I get an ad for the Ford Edge. I watch a video about sushi and get an ad for the Dell Inspiron. I watch Peter Gabriel and I’m invited to an Express Oil Change at Riley Car Care. No kidding. This is just advertising pollution, and someone should be very ashamed of themselves.

These ads operate on the same principle as junk mail. Show the message to a few million people, and a few may actually click. There is no respect for the customer here.

I once thought Google to be above such things. The creator of the world’s sparsest search page would seemingly have the good taste not to throw such garbage at their audience. Obviously there are minds within Google that value advertising revenue more than the user experience.

If you search around on the topic of YouTube pop-ups, you’ll find that they are hated by many. Sadly, the offended aren’t hating loudly enough. Rather than pulling back, Google is pushing forward, providing new self-service tools that make it easier to spread pop-ups far and wide.

I have a great love for advertising. My only problem is advertising that poisons the environment. Does Google have other choices? Of course they do. They could just as easily surround videos with ads that can be clicked or ignored without aggravating anyone. But they don’t.

Other sites (and some YouTube videos) simply show an ad before your video comes on. At least this makes some sense. Ignore the commercial and ultimately it will go away. The YouTube pop-up can’t be ignored. It’s like the Terminator. It will relentlessly pursue you until you kill it.

Google built a legend with its “don’t be evil” mantra. Maybe these days that’s too grand an ambition.

Personally, I’d settle for “don’t be annoying.”

advertising / android / app store / creative / google / observatory / tablets / technology — 7 Comments
21
Dec 10

Motorola, iPad & the theory of evolution

I love it when technology companies talk tough. Add Motorola to the list of contenders who brazenly proclaim that they can make iPad look silly.

This video is Motorola’s way to help build the excitement leading up to the grand unveiling of their mysterious tablet-to-come at CES.

Does it work? Well, as always, that depends on who you are. I’m sure there are people in the world who look at this video and think, “Wow, cool, I wonder what they have up their sleeve.” As a teaser for the event, that’s all they can ask for. So I’ll give them the honorary G.W. Bush “Mission Accomplished” medal for that.

However, as our friend W. discovered, things aren’t always what they seem. At some point, Motorola has to produce a working tablet that really does make you want to move beyond iPad — or they’re going to look laughable for making the claim.

Let’s just pause for a moment to consider the reality:

One year ago at CES, when everyone knew Apple was about to revolutionize the tablet category, companies fell over themselves trying to beat Apple to the punch. Not only did they know what Steve Jobs had up his sleeve, it was pretty obvious Apple was going to build upon the technology already established in iPhone. Steve Ballmer stood up during the keynote waving the Microsoft/HP tablet prototype, which was never heard from again.

Now, after all this time, with Apple owning the lion’s share of the tablet market and still no real competition in sight, Motorola will now “evolve” beyond iPad?

Pardon my lack of faith, but it’s a bit far-fetched.

The technique used in the video is to establish a sense of humor by first bashing “tablets” that have been around for eons (Egyptian Hieroglyphic Tablet, 10 Commandments Tablet, Rosetta Stone, Mayan Engraved Tablet), and then apply the same humor to iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab before leaving us with a tease about Motorola’s higher evolution.

Dismissing iPhone, the title says “It’s like a giant iPhone, but … it’s like a giant iPhone.” Others have made this argument, and honestly it’s one of the most brain-dead arguments there is. iPad really is a giant iPhone (minus the phone), and that’s exactly what it needs to be. Apple already had the magic combination with iOS, multi-touch and the App Store. A faster processor and bigger screen were the only missing ingredients.

The video dismisses the Galaxy Tab by saying, “Android OS, but Android OS … for a phone.” Never mind that Motorola’s tablet will run on a tablet-optimized Android OS, just as iPad runs on an iPad-optimized version of iOS. By their own logic, Motorola’s “evolved” tablet will be nothing more than a giant Android phone.

The spot ends with the Motorola logo, at which time a bee enters the picture. It’s jarring enough that a number of YouTube commenters thought the bee-buzz sounded like a certain human emission. In theory, we’ll soon find out what the bee is doing there in the first place.

Then again, maybe that bee was never intended to be there at all, like the fly that got into Seth Brundle’s teleportation machine. Be afraid. Be very afraid…

android / google / observatory — 17 Comments
29
Nov 10

Android fragmentation strikes home

I’ve been shopping for an Android phone.

There, I’ve said it. I feel better now.

However, I do have to plead extenuating circumstances. It’s for my son. He’s 13. He’s ready to replace his crappy “feature phone” with a smartphone, and, rebel that he is, he’s eager to blaze his own trail.

I’m game. Experiencing joy and pain is part of growing up, and I figure Android will give him ample supply of both. However, thanks to Android fragmentation, the pain is showing up early.

We went to the AT&T Wireless store. They had two phones of interest to us, both of which were running Android 2.1. Knowing this wasn’t the current OS, I asked our sales rep a simple question:

Will these phones be upgradable to Android 2.2?

I purposefully didn’t ask when. I just wanted to make sure these models were at least capable of running 2.2.

The rep was honest with us — he didn’t know. But, model names in hand, I figured I could do my own Googling at home.

Wrong. I found nothing on the phone makers’ sites. I found nothing on AT&T’s site. I found no independent articles addressing the upgradability of the models we were considering.

So, a week later, I returned to my AT&T Wireless store. This time I planned to get pushier about it. Hey, they should be able to answer a question about the phone they’re selling, right?

This time, a very sweet woman helped us. She understood my concern, but she hadn’t a clue what the answer was. “Let me find out for you,” she said.

We waited for a long time. Long enough for my son to go through a complete relationship cycle with the Windows Phone 7 models — from flirtation to breakup.

Finally our lady returned with bad news. Unable to ascertain the facts, she couldn’t guarantee that these phones would ever get Android 2.2. She wished me luck searching for answers, and half-jokingly invited me to tell her if I ever found out.

I honestly find this whole thing shocking.

Granted, most people simply want a phone that works and probably have no expectation that it should get better over time. But the more technologically aware — not an insignificant number — genuinely do care. For us, there is only frustration.

Even if you’re an Android fan, it’s enough to make you appreciate Apple’s world a little more. Though at some point older iPhones lack the hardware to take advantage of new iOS features, there’s never a question about upgrading your software. You just click the Update button in iTunes. The idea that a customer should have to wonder if a brand-new phone will ever run the latest OS is absurd.

Rule #1 in customer satisfaction: treat your customers as you’d like to be treated. We can safely assume that no Google or AT&T employee would want to be treated like this. So why does it happen?

apple / google / observatory — 8 Comments
6
Oct 10

Simplicity 101

It’s Google TV vs. Apple TV. Let’s just say there’s a bit of a difference in philosophy.

advertising / creative / google / observatory — 5 Comments
29
Sep 10

Google’s endurance test

Creative guys used to kill themselves trying to distill a client’s message into a 30-second TV commercial.

Then the Internet set them free. Suddenly they could make their stories as long as necessary.

In fact, some started making their stories longer than necessary. Painfully longer. Only through public humiliation did they learn that restraint is one of the most powerful creative tools.

And now comes Google — apparently unable to resist the siren’s lure.

Over ten of the longest minutes of my life, they stretch a very thin joke to celebrate their new location-aware mobile search. I defy you to make it through the whole thing.

Honestly, I do get the message. There are even a few mildly amusing moments in here. But for the most part, it’s like watching an endless loop of paint drying on grass growing.

Probably not the best way to excite the people you’re trying to reach.

It’s a shame, because Google has actually shown great creative talent with its campaign for Google Search. Now we’re left to figure out which is the aberration: the good Google or the bad Google.

android / app store / google / observatory — 2 Comments
21
Sep 10

Google’s wayward son

No parent likes to see their perfect kid fall in with the wrong crowd. But hey, stuff happens.

So I wonder how many people at Google are getting that pit in their stomach as they watch young Android dye its hair and pierce various body parts.

In this case, the “wrong crowd” is the only crowd available. The carriers are the culprits, and they’re in it for themselves — not for Google. They’re the ones encouraging Android to show some independence and escape mom and dad’s evil clutches.

Google no doubt envisioned an ideal world where users would fall in love with the look, feel and power of Android, and Google would profit nicely via search and the Android Marketplace. But, thanks to Android’s much-hyped openness, the phone companies have their own utopian vision — and the power to squeeze profit out of every nook and cranny.

For example, Verizon and T-Mobile already cram junkware into their Android phones — things that are often difficult or impossible to remove. Why not? As the PC makers discovered, it’s an easy way to pick up a few extra bucks when margins are small. And the user experience isn’t exactly at the top of the carriers’ priority list.

Another disturbing development for Google is Verizon’s plan to launch its own V Cast app market. According to TechCrunch, Verizon’s world of apps will “likely be more prominently displayed than the Android Market.” Thanks to the freedom of Android, Verizon has the freedom to bite directly into a major Google revenue stream. V Cast is that most evil kind of app market too — a “curated” store requiring apps to go through an approval process, just like iPhone’s App Store.

Then there’s the search function, which is Google’s bread and butter. Will young Android lose its moral compass and experiment with different partners? Last week, a false rumor spread that Verizon was making Bing the default search mode for its Android phones. The reason this rumor could spread so quickly was that it was believable. After all, if carriers can configure Android phones as they wish, or create an app store to compete with Google’s, an alternate default search doesn’t seem very far-fetched.

The exact terms of Google’s agreement with the carriers are not known. But obviously if search went to Bing, Google’s biggest reason to have bought and nurtured Android would be out the window. So for Google’s sake, let’s hope Android isn’t quite as open as it claims to be.

advertising / creative / google / iPhone / microsoft / observatory / strategy / technology — 16 Comments
9
Sep 10

Alert! The smartphone revolution is coming!

This just in: Microsoft is preparing a revolution in smartphones. It’s almost ready. Really.

I can only imagine the looks on their faces when they climb out of their news-proof bunker and discover that the revolution’s been going on for three years.

Does Microsoft honestly believe they can introduce Windows Phone 7 as a revolution? According to this video, yes — although (as reported by Kara Swisher at All Things Digital) it is unclear if this is their real marketing direction, or a one-time shot during a London event.

Let’s give Microsoft kudos for exuding confidence. Then let’s remind them that we’ve seen the Windows Phone 7 preview, and it isn’t exactly a revolution. It’s more like running after the train that left the station yesterday.

If they believe using the word revolution will somehow create Apple-like buzz, they’d better think twice. Everyone knows you have to use the word magic too.

If it weren’t for the laughable conclusion, I’d actually be crowing about the imagery and music in this spot. It has an elegant kind of power.

Senior citizens will recognize the desert image, soundtrack and typography from 1962′s Lawrence of Arabia. But most will probably just wonder Microsoft has been drinking — and what the heck that Arabian stuff is all about.

I’m anxious to see what happens when Windows Phone 7 actually does join the revolution-in-progress. Given the masses already in love with iPhone and Android, the market for a Windows phone may look eerily like that desert.

google / observatory / strategy / technology — 4 Comments
26
Aug 10

Battle of the philosophies

Any right-thinking person has to believe that competition is good. As Apple and Google go about thrashing one another, we all reap the benefits. And right up front, I do have to admit (gasp) that I’ve now tried a few Android phones, and in my superficial test drive they felt pretty good.

However, the philosophies behind the platforms remain night and day. To some, this means nothing — legitimately, they may only care about the phone in their hand. To others, it means a lot — because it affects the way they the platform is managed and perceived around the world.

Apple, as many point out, is into the control thing. This is exactly why so many people love their iPhones. Apple guarantees the experience by crafting both the OS and the hardware, and polices the App Store to at least attempt some quality control. The dark side of Apple’s approach is the perception that they are stifling freedom. (225,000 apps be damned.)

The world of Android is very different. Google supplies the OS while a legion of manufacturers compete with one another to make the hardware. This guarantees choice. But the dark side is the potential for fragmentation, where certain phones run certain versions of Android, some are missing features, upgrades can be delayed or unavailable, etc.

In fact, it’s hard to classify this as “potential” anymore. In the short time Android phones have been among us, fragmentation is already rearing its ugly head. PC Magazine just observed that the rollout of Android 2.2 was a mess. To paraphrase:

• The first Android 2.2 (Froyo) upgrades to Droid failed to deliver Flash. An upgrade to the upgrade will shortly fix that.
• The overseas Droid (called Milestone) gets Froyo in late Q4, but only in Europe and Korea. Froyo is “under evaluation” for Canada, Latin America and Mexico.
• Motorola phones with pre-2.1 versions of Android won’t get Froyo anytime soon.
• The Motorola Cliq, Cliq XT and Backflip are waiting for Android 2.1, but the Devour won’t get it.
• Owners of the Droid Incredible are still waiting for their upgrade.
• The brand-spanking-new Dell Streak was delivered with Android 1.6 and won’t get an upgrade till the end of the year.
• Samsung Galaxy phones are expected to get Froyo, but no one knows when.
• The only company to “ace” the Froyo launch was … Google. Nexus One users got their upgrades back at the end of June.

Like I said, none of this matters if you love the phone in your hand and could care less about the guy sitting next to you. But if you’re a fan of simplicity — or even democracy — it’s hard not to be turned off by the fragmentation of Android.