Google's Android Engineering Director leaves for... Coupons, Inc.
By Nilay Patel 
posted January 20th 2009 7:56PM
posted January 20th 2009 7:56PM
While we're primed and ready for Android to take over the mobile marketplace, it looks like Steve Horowitz, Google's engineering director for the upstart OS, has other thoughts -- he's bailing out for Coupons, Inc. Yep, it's a coupons site. We have no idea why Horowitz thinks a company working on a "digital coupons and promotions platform" is more exciting that leading Android's development, but he's certainly jumped ship before -- he started his career in Apple's Macintosh group before a stint at Be, and prior to taking the reins at Google he was on the teams at Microsoft that shipped Windows Media Center Edition, UltimateTV, and WebTV. We'll be honest, those all sound infinitely more interesting than doling out coupons, but maybe dude just really loves typing in instant savings codes. As for Android, it doesn't sound like Andy Rubin's going anywhere, so we're certain work will continue with nary a hiccup -- or at least we're hoping it does, because we're getting pretty hungry for some Cupcake.[Via Electronista]
I'm guessing he loves dollars, and they offered him some.
Shoot, I would do the same thing, even if I had to work for an even lamer company. Money is Money.
It's a ploy by Google, to send him in undercover... just wiat, there's gonna be a coupon app in the Market any day now...
Steve, can I get a coupon code for the G1?
Yes you can, but you have to pay me first, cos that's why I ended up in a totally uncool company called Coupons, Inc. I don't even know how to pronounce this Koo-pongs or Q-pans or whatever for Christ's sake.
- Steve the fake
If by 'coupon code', you mean QR Codes ... that might be awesome. I could see this having something to do with 2D barcode technology.
Duh, he clearly has more foresight than us laymen/laywomen.
With the current economic downturn, he knows that the coupon-clipping index will be on the rise. Thus, he gets a job that's more secure--perhaps he even stands to benefit from it.
Exactly. He probably thinks things will get so bad, few people will be able to afford shiny gadgets, let alone food.
Who knows.
The link Coupons Inc has with Google is that it's all about tracking consumer preferences then spamming them with targeted advertising, either online or in the letterbox.
So if Steve has also been doing some work on the Google Ads side of things, then he'd be a good fit for the job.
That's why Google called me via subspace last orbit to offer me a job in the Consumer Software department!
This is unbelievable. I'm stunned. There MUST be more to this decision than him wanting a "change of pace." Does he have any family members at Coupons Inc? Did he need to change his residence for some reason, and Google wouldn't let him keep his position? Is there some nasty scandal that happened? I'm all for respecting people's privacy, but as one of the billions of people who long to work for Google, I'm just boggled right now and wish I knew what was really going on.
'There MUST be more to this decision than him wanting a "change of pace."'
Why?
I bet you've never worked as engineering director of something; especially when that something is one of the most important pieces of software around. Pressure and responsibility for that kind of work are very high and very demanding. It's only natural that, after working for a long period of time on such things, one is willing to lead a quieter life and a "change of pace".
Then again, maybe the money was too good to refuse.
Why is he going there? Easy:
He has an agreement with Google that he will not work on competing products for X number of years (where X is probably 1). In return, he gets a nice chunk of cash or stock to sit on his ass and do nothing for that period. Now, this guy is smarter than that. He circulated his resume' to non-competing companies, ones that would think it's a big deal to have a Google exec on board and are willing to pay big cash for it. He found one that is willing to pay up, and he's going to chill out there while his non-compete period expires, drawing double salary all the while. Once his term is up, it's bye bye coupons. He'll be going to a Google competitor with which he has already secured an employment agreement (my money is on Microsoft).
I smell some Fatal Attraction
@joe_bruin:
Well said. No idea if you're right, but that's a pretty legit analysis.
@joe_bruin
You could at least google it in advance.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-compete_clause#Enforceability_in_the_State_of_California
@ eugene. Who says the non-compete he signed is under California law. There are all kinds of ways of getting around California's restriction against non-competes.
coupons.com is in the top 100 sites online, they're kind of a big deal(not affiliate with them)
Extra stress on "kind of".
Your $0.65 will be paid directly to PayPal, thank you
yeah, so its not going to get any hype on a gadget site, but what they do is pretty big money
he's right; they're pretty big. I'm sure steve's getting a pretty penny for working there.
@Greg
I think his e-mail would rather read:
"$0.65 worth of coupons coming to you, thank you."
how do you pronounce coupon?
My friend, it is pronounced (koo-pon).
+1 for (koo-pon)
I take it you don't speak English or French Or you're just a kid.
@kris
apparently you're unaware that some people pronounce it (kyoo-pon). ew. it' sort of a soda/pop kind of deal. its soda, btw.
The following are acceptable: kü-pän, kū'pŏn, kyü-pän, kyū'-'pŏn'
I use soft drink
There is only one way to pronounce it and that's Koo-pon. Any other way and that's mispronunciation most likely due to accents.
@Kris:
You are aware that English is a dynamic language, correct? It changes, you know. Besides the fact that there are different grammar rules for different places ("punctuation goes inside the quotation marks in the US," but "outside in the UK".), pronunciation is an entirely subjective thing. One person says "you", another says "yuh". Who cares? Poh-tay-to, poh-tah-to. in the end, it really does not matter. And you're a presumptuous ass if you think otherwise.
("Pop" for me, by the way. --> http://www.evl.uic.edu/aej/422/GIFs/total-county.gif )
Yo uso refresco.
Like I said. It's mispronunciation on accents. Being from Yorkshire I Mispronounce ever so slightly my words. In fact I mispronounce all my words. In fact in Yorkshire you would find it hard to understand us. I make it sound worse than it is. If you're that bothered wikipedia Yorkshire. Oh I also call it pop.
It's also a French word so we say it slightly different to the French. By slightly I mean a 1% difference. If you can use a percentage. Which you probably can't
Punctuation inside is generally completely illogical and started not as grammar, but as a way to avoid cracking letters on old printing presses. Punctuation should be inside quotation marks when the punctuation is part of the quotation! T_T ...and outside otherwise.
I use to side with "soda" in the soda/pop debate as well, until I realized I would say "coke." But I really meant Coke... and if they say "we only have Pepsi" I say that is fine.
This is in Florida.
Kris,
Yes, because we all know how you can judge differences in pronunciation based on percentages. That makes total sense...
If you're going to make a snarky comment about my intelligence, the least you can do is make sure that it makes sense and doesn't make you look like a complete tool. See, saying that I can't "do" percentages but then using a totally arbitrary number in an unrelated way kind of has the opposite effect. That is, it makes you look even less intelligent than before.
It's "coo-pin" ala "Tater Salad"
Also, if I want something fizzy that won't get me drunk, it's a coke (no matter the brand or flavor), if I need to sneeze, get me a Kleenex (no matter who makes the tissue), if I need you to search for something, I'll tell you to google it (no matter what website you go to), but don't you dare try to Simonize my car!!!
Goatee Man, I'm pretty sure all he meant was that he doesn't think 'you' (ie anybody, including himself) can use percentages when talking about accents...
Oh noes! Android is gonna failz!!
Just kidding! That is odd though...Dig deeper Engadget!! =P
That's called journalism, and this is Engadget. :)
Follow the money!
flooz
He prob went for ownership, options, stock, money straight up.. or a combo of them all.. why not..
Time to move stock investments to Coupons INC.
what are you talking about?! that's an awesome job! he could just "design" coupons for products he wants. its genius!
:P
"taking the reigns"
Argh!
Perhaps the Coupons, Inc. corporate structure is one of hierarchical monarchies.
Based on the article on TechCrunch about Google benefits (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/18/why-google-employees-quit/), I am not surprised that someone is leaving the job but it is still hard to believe that coupons.com would be doing something equally intellectually challenging as Google.
Wat.
The rabbit makes it funnier.