Motorola's cellphone business needs a new leader: okay, I'm in.

From the (tiny) desk of the editor:

Yesterday Motorola CEO Greg Brown told board members and shareholders that, among a lot of other bad news, the company is no closer to finding someone to lead the company's rotting cellphone business (which Moto is in the middle of spinning off as its "Mobile Devices" unit). One shareholder remarked, "You're not doing your job that you're paid for. Either put up or get out." That investor, like the rest of us, has witnessed the slow-mo train wreck that's been that handset business in the days since the RAZR peaked; the things brought to light in the insider letter I published on Engadget just reinforces the fact that it's time for a change at the top. Some even suggested that I take over Motorola's handset business. I thought it over -- okay, I'll bite if Greg does.

The problem with so many American technology companies today -- especially in the mobile space -- is that while they have no dearth of business acumen at the top of the pyramid, they're typically dry on vision and foresight. They spend brief periods of time innovating, and then milk a technology, brand, patent, or some combination therein for as long as they can get away with it (or in Moto's case, way longer). They play it safe and go for the easy money. Motorola's handset business has come to define this in the gadget world.

I'll be honest, I'm in no way a professional businessman. I wouldn't know how to interpret a multi-billion dollar OIBDA sheet, and as the crew at the Engadget network of sites might tell you, I'm probably a better editor than manager. I'm woefully ill-equipped to run a business end-to-end of the scale of Motorola's handset division. Thankfully there are plenty of suits there to blather on about SarbOx and earnings and compliance, because while I won't be the person to bring it, what's clear is that Motorola needs someone at the top who knows what makes a good phone good, and a garbage phone garbage. Somebody that isn't afraid to say no, and who isn't interested in flogging a slow-dying brand to pad an earnings report. The company needs someone that's not entrenched, an outsider with little interest in pandering to internal big company politics and the post-Zander status quo. Maybe someone that's not afraid to leak some upcoming handsets to Engadget.

Am I serious? Would I really leave my position as editor of Engadget to try my hand at plugging the holes in Moto's sinking ship? Sure -- not that it matters, because let's be honest, there isn't a chance in hell that's going to be happening any time soon. But the right technologist -- I didn't say exec, I said technologist -- sure as hell needs to step up, because if Brown plans on installing another out of touch, overpaid, clueless executive in the revolving door, they might as well sell the company off now while they can still fetch a reasonable price. And hey, if that's the case then maybe I'll lobby our Time Warner overlords to pick it up and let me try my hand. I doubt I could be much worse than the last guy.

-Ryan

[Dolemite @ May 6th 2008 4:22PM]

Sigh. That was not a reply to Andrew, but now I might as well.

Andrew, see your comment is exactly the reason why people should stay in school. One of the thing one gets from a good education is critical reading skills.

I am assuming you are British?

[Rudiger @ May 6th 2008 3:46PM]

Good luck, Ryan. I know you can do it!

Your #1 Fan,
Rudiger

[CowofLife @ May 6th 2008 5:21PM]

Dear Ryan,

"Out of touch" should be hyphenated. Also, many of your sentences are run-ons, and your comma usage is frequently incorrect. Your choice of words is anything but elegant. The epithet "woefully ill-equipped" is not graceful; you seem to not understand the meaning of the word. Perhaps you are not as proficient an editor as you believe. I might suggest myself to replace you. I'll bite if you don't.

-Tommy

[thethirdmoose @ May 6th 2008 5:45PM]

Cow,
What are you talking about? I have never seen "Out of touch" hyphenated; "woefully ill-equipped" is graceful enough; and I failed to see a single run-on sentence in the piece. Perhaps you need to leave 5th grade English class and do some real writing.

[apeguero @ May 6th 2008 9:22PM]

@CowofLife:

Good points you bring up. Now, I'd bet you an "out of touch, overpaid, clueless executive in the revolving door" would never make the mistakes you point out to Ryan. That same clueless executive, that could do a bang up job at typing up a good letter would have no clue about what tech wave we're on and what direction to head the unit in.

Go on Ryan. Keep up your courageous and honest to goodness letters. I'm sure the powers that be at Moto won't be running the grammar checker on your letter or having their Administrative Assistants check the letter out. If they do this first without understanding the points you are trying to make then they really are in deep shit.

[Mills @ May 6th 2008 3:46PM]

Ryan, you amaze me. Ive been an active Engadgeteer for 3 years. Home page on every PC and Mac I touch. I love watching what you have done for this blog. You have made this blog the defacto standard for tech blogs. I dont even give Giz the light of day.

Take Motorola out! If you work half the magic at moto that you worked this site, that company would be on top. Great opinionated write up!

[CUBSWILLWIN @ May 6th 2008 4:04PM]

very odd. Everything you said is the same as me

[Justin @ May 6th 2008 4:41PM]

"We have to lose this notion that in order for Engadget to win, Gizmodo has to lose." (Apologies, Jobso) Blogwars are so 2005...

Nice piece, Ryan. This is the kind of writing that changes things. You've already got the voice, they're listing (Hi Palm!). Keep at it.

[Mills @ May 6th 2008 5:34PM]

Now dont get me wrong, Im not saying Giz is the enemy, Im simply saying that Engadget is my lifeblood. Its my coffee in the morning. And anything I could need I get from Engadget.

More power to Giz for being able to come up like they have as well, I just think that Ryan is a great leader and has a great vision for his projects and his life. I would literally do anything to work for Engadget up to and including packing all my stuff and moving to NYC.

Hey, traveling around the world, enjoying the latest and greatest gadgets isnt all that easy ya know :)

[Juice @ May 7th 2008 12:00AM]

Get over yourself Block. I love how everyone whos dabbled in a bunch of phones thinks they have all the answers. Just send them some ideas if ur so concerned. Worry about keeping this site from turning into engadget.apple.com

[Dave @ May 7th 2008 1:14AM]

Wow Block, after needing to pull that BS article about the Samsung Access plans on Sprint being overpriced because you didn't even investigate it before you posted it I'm not too sure Motorola needs your help, either. I'm surprised you still think of yourself so highly. Oh wait, that's right, you're an Apple user...

[Anonymoose @ May 6th 2008 3:47PM]

was this meant to go on your facebook and not on engadget?

[Ty @ May 6th 2008 4:45PM]

I enjoy your ego stroking very much Ryan! Good luck!

[Timmy @ May 6th 2008 3:48PM]

What does this have to do with the guy from the Smashing Pumpkins?

[Mills @ May 6th 2008 3:49PM]

haha i never noticed the similarity between ryan and billy corgan!

[Jagannath A @ May 6th 2008 3:53PM]

eh?

[NumberXII @ May 6th 2008 3:53PM]

Good Luck!

[Eric M. @ May 6th 2008 3:54PM]

Umm I'll take that job, I'm not out of college yet but like Ryan I doubt I could do worse than the last guy. Come on, when you think about it the job really isn't hard you simply need to listen to your potential and current customers.

But nooo in this capitalist society we live in innovation doesn't seem to manifest itself into corporate strategies, but rather corporate strategies manifest itself into innovation.

[packetsniffer @ May 6th 2008 4:37PM]

Yeah, all this damn capitalism is sickening isn't it? What with these companies forcing private citizens to buy their products and constantly making money... Why, the government ought come in guns blazing and seize control of all businesses!

Yes, I believe Motorola's failures are the last straw. I'm moving to Venezuela; Hugo Chavez is where it's at, baby!

[Eric M. @ May 6th 2008 4:46PM]

@packetsniffer

Wow, your post was completely irrelevant. I clearly didn't point out anything other than capitalism fails at times when corporations would rather milk a product's name rather than innovate.

And maybe you should move to Venezuela because your insight isn't wanted around these parts, ya hear?

[Chris @ May 6th 2008 5:12PM]

@Eric M. and if there were no capitalism, there would be no products to milk in the first place.

[Jason G. @ May 6th 2008 3:55PM]

I'd love to see it, I think it'd be a great experiment. Need some conditions, like royalties for saving the ship, and freedom to blog endlessly about it here.

[Kris @ May 6th 2008 3:55PM]

Was that your daily ego boosting shot for the day? Jesus this entire entry is about you becoming a leader of a large company.

[Ryan Block @ May 6th 2008 3:57PM]

Missed the point much?

[Mark @ May 6th 2008 4:07PM]

ya, I think that was his daily ego boost daily for the day and the day for the day.

[Veronica @ May 6th 2008 4:13PM]

If by "daily ego boost" you meant "commentary on a floundering company who could do better to have ANYONE be their new CEO, and thus the humorous intention of the post" then yes.

[Timmy @ May 6th 2008 4:17PM]

Feel the wrath of VB!!!! She will go all abso-smerfly ape shit on your ass.

[shamste @ May 6th 2008 4:17PM]

No really Ryan, there is a point in there and I see it, but it is really hard to get to past your ego stroking.

[Eric M. @ May 6th 2008 4:38PM]

Kris must be happy to have been replied to by both Ryan and VB. Hopefully that will boost his ego for the day, because hes obviously just trying to put people down today.

[packetsniffer @ May 6th 2008 4:42PM]

I don't think they could do better by hiring a blogger as their CEO, but that's just my two cents.

But I've got to criticize both sides here. for Ryan to be taking this with even one ounce of seriousness is a laughable, to say the least. For Kris to actually be angry about this post is equally funny.

If Ryan had proposed becoming a board member or an adviser, I would have found that entirely reasonable.

[Ty @ May 6th 2008 4:47PM]

"humorous intention of the post"

Except it wasn't funny.

[Kris @ May 6th 2008 5:15PM]

@packetsniffer, Trolls don't get angry ;)

[phanbouy @ May 6th 2008 5:45PM]

Veronica,

If things don't work with Ryan you know where to find me =)

[LegendZ28 @ May 6th 2008 6:09PM]

Does Ryan really need his girlfriend to defend him?

I'm a fan of the site and the blog, but I'm not sure having your girlfriend call the morons out for being morons because they disagree, helps the article or the blog out at all.

[Dolemite @ May 6th 2008 7:37PM]

Legend, I don't know, I think most people will probably find it endearing that Veronica came over to defend him. I know I did.

Phanbuoy,

Buddy, the only reason she would come find you is if she needed to babysit you.

[Ryan Block @ May 6th 2008 8:15PM]

It's not like anyone demanded she do so, either. She's her own person with her own opinions.

[happy_penguin @ May 7th 2008 12:07AM]

Ryan Block @ May 6th 2008 3:57PM
"Missed the point much?"

I didn't.

I see the problem here as one related to interaction on internet communities. Everyone wants to be heard. But what I really hate is this negativity and constant criticism from some individuals. Have any of you ever clicked on some profiles to read the list comments? There's a pattern of constant negativity from some. I am not pointing a finger at anyone in particular but it's like some people think that being critical makes them seem intelligent. Trust me, it doesn't. It makes you seem like an asshole.

F#@k it, Ryan. I am sure you don't need any of us to tell you that you're appreciated. But I do enjoy reading your posts even if they do have occasional mistakes. Engadget is the only place I get the kind of tech reading I'm looking for.

[LordFarkward @ May 7th 2008 7:02AM]

well said, happy_penguin, very well said

[CUBSWILLWIN @ May 6th 2008 3:58PM]

move to Schamburg!!!! Then I'll be closer to you :P JK 'bout that, but maybe I can meet you? :)

[xB Owner @ May 6th 2008 6:07PM]

How very creepy...

[Andir3.0 @ May 6th 2008 6:43PM]

Ugh, I lived in Schaumburg about 3 years ago, funny enough, I lived in walking distance of Motorola. I'd only suggest living there if you like living under constant police supervision, enjoy high taxes (to pay the billion officers they have) and love paying $900+/month for a one bedroom (approx 500 sq.ft.) apartment and close to a million+ for a tiny house.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ May 6th 2008 7:24PM]

I'm in Joliet which is much better

[jb @ May 6th 2008 9:16PM]

You won't like Irvine then $1675 for a 700sqft apartment. I would kill for a $900 apartment, it would be like winning the lottery.

[Rob @ May 6th 2008 3:59PM]

Ryan, that's a hilarious picture of you looking all thoughtful and all. Not that you couldn't do the job. It still amazes me how CEOs can make so much money when at the sight of financial troubles the first thing they do is fire people. Damn, that's quite analytical and worth a $65million salary. GTFO.

Anyway, Ryan, you can pull it off. We're all rooting for your nomination/coronation as Moto's new CEO. Good luck buddy.

[kentavos @ May 6th 2008 4:24PM]

He's looking all thoughtful outside the Schaumburg Motorola building.

I used to work down the street from it and was constantly wondering how Motorola could be within line of sight, yet I was only getting one bar on my cell phone.

I know the two aren't necessarily connected, but I sort of thought they would have a cell tower or something nearby.

[RYANGee @ May 6th 2008 6:16PM]

ptf. . photoshop.

haha.

[chainstay @ May 6th 2008 4:03PM]

Apparently the giant sucking force emitted from the Motorola beaurocratic manhole has expanded to drag in not only engineers, but also bloggers.

[Dolemite @ May 6th 2008 4:23PM]

Great, Andrew's post is gone and my response is now out of place. :(

[Rex @ May 6th 2008 4:11PM]

Ah, when the mighty fall! First Moto and the RAZR, next up Apple and the iPhone :)

[Wes @ May 6th 2008 4:13PM]

Ryan's first day on the job.

"What first, sir"

"Get Steve ahold of Steve and ask how much to rebadge the iPhone as the IPHN."

"Anything else?"

"Um... can I get like an Asteroids or Adam's Family pinball game in here? That'd be cool."