Somebody, please get Eric Schmidt an iPhone
Walt: "... Steve was flashing his iPhone around. I held it for 20 minutes."
Eric mentions he hasn't held it, and doesn't have one.
Walt: "You're a member of Apple's board!
Eric: "No...I'm still waiting for mine."
So either Eric still has his iPhone in pocket-stealth mode, or Steve's totally stiffing his bud down in Mountain View -- we're bummed either way.
P.S. -Walt asked about the Google phone, which Eric non-denial denied exists. Instead Eric just talked about phones, platforms, application layers, partnerships with KDDI, LG, Samsung, etc.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
FrankTheCrank @ May 31st 2007 4:09PM
Hey, at least this guy got somewhat dressed up.
Take that, Steve and Bill.
jim @ May 31st 2007 4:12PM
Try 480 Billion Dollars.
anish @ Jun 19th 2007 10:41AM
i think they were referring to his personnal wealth, not Googles market value :)
ITR @ May 31st 2007 4:13PM
Eric doesn't want a prototype he wants the real deal!
michael @ May 31st 2007 4:18PM
What's the point of this post? Google CEO doesn't have an iPhone? Ok. Yeah. So what?
Malagent @ Jun 2nd 2007 6:26AM
To all of you who insist on stating the post is pointless: You read the thing didn't you? So maybe that was the point?
fitinferno @ May 31st 2007 4:18PM
Grammar note: it's you're and not your in the board quote ;)
Brian Pina @ May 31st 2007 4:19PM
wow, imagine someone who doesn't give a damn about the iPhone. burn him at the steak, engadget! he must be the anti-christ. what a stupid, stupid post.
Tony @ May 31st 2007 4:23PM
Maybe he spent all his Schrute Bucks on Apple TVs and was denied more corporate freebies.
But really, is this bit of info worth the cyber-paper it was written on?
Allan @ May 31st 2007 4:26PM
You might as well change the pic so the "no iphone" caption says "tons of money" or maybe "wads of cash." I know if I had either of those, I wouldn't give a crap about the iPhone yet. I'm happy with my Ocean though, thank you.
tekdroid @ May 31st 2007 4:37PM
with that striped shirt and pants I'd be all business, too. Besides, he probably has an iSecretary (gSecretary?)
natef @ May 31st 2007 4:37PM
Not everyone thinks the iPhone is the best thing since sliced bread. I honestly do not want one. I want a Windows Mobile 6 phone. Maybe Eric Schmidt just doesn't want one.
Ryhan @ May 31st 2007 4:55PM
However, you should give credit to apple for "thinking different". Regardless of how evil itunes is, or bad the ipod, or stupid the apple tv, the iphone IS quite appealing. I have not seen/heard of a Windows Mobile phone with a simpler/easier to use GUI; tell me if you do :)
natef @ May 31st 2007 6:31PM
Ryhan, I absolutely agree. My reason for wanting a WinMo6 phone is for it's functional capabilities, not it's UI. The holy grail of phones (within reason) for me is a Windows Mobile 6 phone with multitouch and the default shell ripped out for something more innovative.
I was excited to see the iPhone when it was first announced because I knew it would push all other phone makers to do something different, and better. However, I also knew it was not the phone for me: closed platform, Cingular only, extremely expensive, and a bit too simplistic (I consider myself more of a power-user that will put up with a less than ideal UI if it means access to new capabilities. And I want to be able to install, and even write, my own applications for my phone).
stephen @ May 31st 2007 4:39PM
he's on the board of directors of Apple and CEO of one of the major partners in the iPhone launch, so yeah it is pretty surprising/funny that he isn't carrying one yet. Dammit people stop being pricks.
i bet steve won't give him one because he doesn't want schmidt to pull a gates and steal the tech for the google phone.
Fidel Villa @ May 31st 2007 4:52PM
$4.8B or 480B? Both wrong! $155B market capitalization as of today. Ditto: no iphone, so what?
craig @ May 31st 2007 5:57PM
Boasting of the GUI of a device that hasn't been sold yet? Any Windows Mobile GUI you HAVE seen is better than the iPhone one you clearly haven't. Many people feel the usability of a non-touchscreen phone is better. The best smartphone I've used to date is a WM5 smartphone without touchscreen. Unlike Apple, existing smartphone manufacturers have made and refined many generations of their products.
Funny how the claimed features of the iPhone are assumed to be great while the apparent liabilities we should give Apple the benefit of the doubt on. The iPhone has no keyboard and virtually no controls other than touchscreen. It will not be a good text device as no phone like it ever has been.
A pretty UI is not a good one when it can't do its job well.
andy @ May 31st 2007 5:03PM
why are people not interested in the iphone so interested in reading EVERY article about it and posting in it !?!?! you know you love it and are represing it lol, i bet your the sort of people who say macs are crap and skin windows like osx, get a life and read the articles that interest you.
craig @ May 31st 2007 6:05PM
Clearly the articles interest those who read them. Why do you assume they don't? Without reading about the iPhone, how can we be sure of its shortcomings? We could just stick our heads in the sand and take Jobs's word for it, but then we'd be just like the parrots who claim the iPhone is a revolutionary device. Some like to be more objective than that. I realize that's a hard concept for some to grasp. Apple is not my savior, they make stuff...some of which is desirable.
The real question is what exactly do people get out of the constant Apple, mac, and iPhone pep rallies? Of what benefit is it to anyone to constantly immerse themselves in Apple propaganda? Why are so many willing to believe the marketing speak of a company with an agenda? Why aren't you willing to look critically at an Apple product?
Shaylon Clark @ May 31st 2007 5:11PM
Is that an iPhone in your pocket or is someone just iHappy to see me?
Icheb @ May 31st 2007 5:32PM
"$4.8B or 480B? Both wrong! $155B market capitalization as of today. Ditto: no iphone, so what?"
Hey, moron, they meant ERIC SCHMIDT'S net worth. Sucks to be a smartass and lose, eh?
Josh @ Jun 4th 2007 3:28AM
Icheb:
Umm, how ironic. Unless I'm sadly missing some sarcasm, you just incorrectly called out someone for incorrectly calling out someone. Net worth of $480B, eh? So he's worth more than Google and several Bill Gates combined? Hilarious...
For the record, I don't believe the iPhone will be that great either, but I read these articles because I keep checking to see how wrong I might be.
Todd @ May 31st 2007 5:34PM
No Google Phone, huh? Then why is Google leading the way for the use of the 700MHz frequency?
http://www.wcai.com/700MHz/papers.htm
http://gigaom.com/2007/03/14/700mhz-explained/
Thou doth protest too much Mr.Schmidt
Cupajo @ May 31st 2007 5:42PM
I haerd he carries a Nokia. Prefers phones from companies with a little experience making phones, I guess.
Jon @ May 31st 2007 5:46PM
Ah, Eric Schmidt must be clever enough to not to have an Iphone. Come on people, it is just a phone.
Zappa @ May 31st 2007 5:52PM
*gasp* maybe he has one but prefers another phone, or another carrier? I for one, wouldn't switch to cingular for any phone. Also, I prefer my smart phones to have keyboards, or at least some real keys.
Ryhan @ May 31st 2007 11:18PM
Hey craig, I do have a nagging feeling that the iphone keyboard may suck, and that it could be improved by tactile controls, but remember that you will be looking at the screen the whole time. Non-tactile contols are bad usually only when you're concentrating on a seperate screen. The whole benefit of tactile controls is that you can verify quickly that you hit the key; if you're staring at the keyboard, it really dosen't matter. (Plus, look at how popular the ipod is because of its interface, which uses a "touch" interface!)However, it truly is a matter of personal choice.
Of course, no one here has ever touched the iphone, but the marketing has been exceptional (alike the ipod). Apple has proved itself great at UI's, while MS has made software and allowed many corporations to build devices to fit with it, leading to problems. Many people firmly believe that the iphone's "flexible" interface is the next big thing, and many companies have jumped on the same bandwagon. Let's just wait and see. Plus, if you hate the iphone so much, don't bother commenting on posts like this.
By the way, I do criticize apple at times, as well as MS. I try to stay as unbiased as I can, but I have to admit that the Iphone is extremely intriguing. I'm sure everyone here at least wants to hold it...
craig @ Jun 1st 2007 11:46AM
"Apple has proved itself great at UI's" while touchscreen, non-tactile keyboards are "truly a matter of personal choice"? I think you have that backward. Anyone who has used a touchscreen keyboard on a PDA/smartphone realizes that looking/not looking at the screen has nothing to do with why it sucks. Apple hasn't changed that.
Since when is the iPhone's interface "flexible"? Since when are its competition's interfaces not "flexible"? What companies have jumped in the iPhone "bandwagon"? Who said I hated the iPhone so much? Why shouldn't I comment in on posts like this? Are forums reserved for Apple lovers?
Why is it that people insist on attributing greatness to the iPhone when it doesn't even exist yet and consistently ignore its clear weaknesses? Why is it that valid criticisms are dismissed as "hating" and "closed mindedness"? Why is it the strengths of the iPhone are taken for granted while we are supposed to "wait and see" regarding its faults? Could it all be because it's coming from Apple?
The iPhone is not a new cellphone concept, it's simply a large touchscreen phone without a keyboard. It may be the best ever device of that type but it doesn't change the fact that those devices haven't done that well because they don't meet the needs of many users. Apple may do a good job minimizing the weaknesses of such a design but they haven't, so far, done a good job of playing to the devices strengths since they've ignored the obvious needs of high data rates and integrated GPS. The iPhone will be a curiousity and status symbol for the nondiscriminating until at least the second version. We don't need to "wait and see" on that. Cellphones are a mature market and there's plenty of experience to draw from.
Zappa @ May 31st 2007 5:59PM
And god can we treat the iphone as a normal device instead of a god? I know I can probably view engadget -iphone posts, but that's not what I want. I want to hear real, major news about all gadgets, iphone included. This blog is supposed to be about gadgets, not every little rumor or gossip about the iphone, sometimes other gadgets. Grow up engadget.
Bliss @ May 31st 2007 7:08PM
Man! Can any iPhone post go up on Engadget without all the Microsoft employees jumping all over it, Kool-Aid drinkers that they are?
Taylor @ May 31st 2007 8:02PM
I am an Apple user, and potential iPhone buyer, and even I think this is a stupid post.
fitinferno @ May 31st 2007 9:45PM
The point that is being made is interesting...especially seeing as Al Gore was rockin' the Apple products left and right. However, the way it's made with the implication that the iPhone will overtake all other phones immediately (ok, there's a bit of bias there, but come on, there's a hell of a lot of features it SHOULD have and it is relying on the laurels of Mac fandom a bit much) makes it a much less appetising article...
Matt Bateman @ May 31st 2007 9:10PM
If I was running the most powerful internet company in the universe, I'd probably carry around a highly reliable current-production (Blackberry or WM6-based) phone and not a pre-production prototype of a new high-fashion phone.
This post is like asking why Rick Wagoner doesn't drive around in a prototype 2010 Chevy Camaro. He probably needs something just a bit more reliable than that.
leillox88 @ May 31st 2007 10:46PM
if you dont care about the article... why you bother commenting? if dont like the iphone or the article dont say anything and just keep going.
people like you are called flammers... ¬¬
James @ Jun 1st 2007 6:42AM
To leillox88,
Why? Because if we are sick of reading these types of posts we have a right to complain. The more we complain the more likely iEngadget will stop kissing Apple's ass and include decent "reporting" rather than wasting time posting crap non-stories like this.
Moron. And learn how to spell.
o0adam0o @ May 31st 2007 11:15PM
Well whoever has an iphone is a walking adverstisement....i think the iphone is aimed at the "In" crowd...soo...
Look at this guy, hes a dork! Millions would start to ponder if they too would look like dorks with an iphone...millions of potential buyers lost....it be tragic...so no phone for him.
Justin @ Jun 1st 2007 6:59AM
Amen
Justin @ May 31st 2007 11:37PM
I cant wait until BlendTech gets a hand on the iPhone, that'll be a show ; D
Slickmachines @ Jun 1st 2007 2:12AM
Like most people, this guy probably doesn't want to have anything to do with version 1.0. Gotta work out the bugs first people, then I'll get Steve J. to give me one.
hydrogen_wv @ Jun 1st 2007 8:41AM
If you want a blog to have posts only you want to read, start your own blog. This is Engadgets property. They never claimed that they would cover one thing or another.
"Step right up and apply to blog for one of our 90 fine blogs -- or suggest a blog topic and maybe we'll start a new blog! WIN bloggers are paid to blog as little or as much as they like, are unfiltered, and can shift from blog to blog within the network. Our only requirements are that you be totally honest with your audience and passionate about the subjects you cover. Talk to our editorial team if you're interested!"
Honest and Passionate.. if he's honest about the iPhone, and passionate about the iPhone, he has done nothing wrong. Kthx.
There are a lot of articles on here I am not interested in.. you know what I do? I scroll past them and ignore them. It takes no time at all to scroll past a story, and you spend much longer than that wasting time telling everyone how it's not an engadget-worthy post.
It happens daily. It's happened for a long time now. It hasn't changed. Quit wasting your time commenting about how an article shouldn't be on engadget. No one goes to your websites and tells you what you can and can't write about.
James... if you are sick of reading this type of post, scroll past it. Seriously. You knew exactly what it was going to be about before you clicked the link. It's like banging your head into a wall repeatedly while saying "I'm sick of banging my head on the wall." THEN F(*$^#% STOP! Easy.
Steve Jobs @ Jun 1st 2007 10:03AM
WHAT!?!? NO IPHONE!?!?
I will personally make sure that once the iPhone is released my private army will kill anyone who does not have one. That's the least I can do to improve the quality of mankind.
walkerqian @ Jun 1st 2007 10:44AM
somebody(engdget),whatever he has or not,it`s none of your business
hydrogen_wv @ Jun 1st 2007 12:03PM
Ug, you just don't stop. You mention that you can't attribute greatness to a product that doesn't exist (I agree.) but then the next line you basically say that you can attribute crappiness to a product that doesn't exist. Pick a side and stick with it.
As it stands, the iPhone could be a turd or an awesome device. No one knows. Close-mindedness is not only the one's who blindly accept it, but also the people such as yourself that blindly criticize it. Until you try it yourself... or at least read honest reviews by people who have, you can not say that any aspect of it is good or bad.
Some of the people that are attributing greatness to it are basing it on features it posesses. These features are fairly simple to implement and the chances that Apple will get them right is essentially 100%. The only real criticism that people have feature-wise (Other than maybe the lack of features) is the keyboard. I could see it working. It's equally as possible that it will not work. Look at the Wii... the whole motion-sensitivity jazz has been tried in the past... And it pretty much sucked. By your logic, the Wii would suck, but apparently that is not the case, considering it is quite a success.
Criticisms are great! You can say "It may not work", "It will unlikely work", etc... Your problem is that you refuse to admit that there is a chance of it working. Your comments have been "It will suck." That's not a criticism. It's a prejudgement that makes you no better than the people that are blindly accepting it.
mike @ Jun 1st 2007 12:10PM
Since when is the iPhone's interface "flexible"?
--
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software
Taylor @ Jun 1st 2007 8:50PM
I think the reason why it's 'flexible' is because, on a typical smart-phone, the keyboard is always there, as well as 4 or so tactile buttons to select things on the screen. The iPhone, however, only brings up the QWERTY keyboard when you need it, and since it's touch screen, options don't have to be placed near the (physical) buttons
michael @ Jun 2nd 2007 11:22AM
I was just trying to make a point. I never said I didn't care about it, but this kind of stuff shouldn't even be on Engadget. If I some people don't make comments about how stupid this kind of is, then Engadget writers will keep putting trash like this on the site.
MH512 @ Jun 18th 2007 9:29AM
Anyway, it does seem that Eric Schmidt finally did get an iPhone.