A few years ago, i was talking to somebody in Google and floated the idea of Google acquiring Apple. The reaction was something along the lines of “why should we?”. Well - it has been a few years since this conversation - and that is exactly the answer. While the merger between the giants might look good on paper - and can defintly excite a lot of reporters - in reality, the duo has been co-operating and reaping many of the mutual benefits that such a merger would bring them. Without having to go with all the monopolistic scrutiny, financial oversight and organization shock that a transaction would force them to go through. Or in other words - what else would you expect to see if the companies merged ?
As shown during the iPhone launch: “Apple introduced the iPhone today, and joining Steve Jobs onstage for about a minute was none other than Google CEO and Apple board member, Eric Schmidt.Schmidt was there to announce that Google Maps and Google search would be built into the iPhone”
Together, Google and Apple bring us the content we care about, on devices we care to have. This has huge impact for anybody thinking through the mobile or digital home space.
February 5, 2008
Last week, a Xoogler I know made some public comments about his fortunes… And how lucky he was to offload some of his stock when GOOG was at $600…
At the same week we made an announcement about Nokia intentions to acquire Trolltech - which as a result I received a few (funny?) emails assessing my interest in Ferraris. So for the record, no - I am not interested in one. Neither can I afford it.
Which reminded me of one of the most honest and insightful conversations I had on the topic
In 2001, while I was at OPWV, Chimene was still at Yale finishing her law degree. One of the executives I was close to @ OPWV was valued at the time in the few hundred $M range, and like many other execs had his own private jet. His family was in Boston, so to help the long distance relationship, I was sometimes invited to join him as he commuted back and forth to the East coast.
In one of those flights, as the two of seat happily seat in the jet @ 36K feet and sip wine he said … “you know Ram… I have made more money then I ever thought I will. And more then I probably deserved. Why? Luck. I was at the right place at the right time.”
If you dont realize that luck had a major part to the amount of money you made, you might mistakenly start attributing it to how smart you are. Which explains why there are so many over inflated egos around here. Or maybe how hard you have been working. Which might explain why there are so many workaholics here as well. But when you look deep down in it - yes, smartness and hard work play a role and are *required* elements - but most of the new Googlers, Facebookers, Youtuber, meSqlrs and the like should say thank you to Tyche
And if you wonder where the executive is today - he gave significant amounts of his fortune to orphanages in Easter Europe. Anonymously. And stepped out of high tech to spend in time helping others.
February 4, 2008
