AMCP Tech Blog

Google's CEO and former Novel CEO, Dr. Eric Schmidt, has joined the board of directors Apple Computer, joining others including Al Gore and Jerry York. Although you might think that this brings even more tension on Microsoft vs. Google blood fest (The recent news about Google's supposed "Office-killer" has everyone up in arms), I question Schmidt's motives. Afterall, Google and Apple do offer a handful of competing services, such as Google Video, which competes with Apple's iTunes Music Store offering television programs.

However, I can still see Steve Balmer's face white as he thinks of the possibilities surrounding this recent news. Microsoft "Zune" device, a digital media player that is thought to be Microsoft's stab at the iPod's success, isn't even public yet and is sure to draw out an even bigger battle between him and King Jobs when it's finally released. Sure, Microsoft has the budget to market the thing to Hell, but Apple has the brilliant marketing team. But, as tech-gossip website, ValleyWag, puts it, "This has to be a lousy day at Microsoft HQ."

With Schmidt on the board, he could leverage deals with Apple to offer even tighter integration between the two companies (Google Talk integrated with Mac OS X anyone?). iTunes gets integrated with Google Pack, a group of software that Google suggests for Windows users; It would be a great way to get the software that made me want to kill myself (Twice, count it!) onto everyone's computers! Maybe you'd want to sit down and use an integrated blogging tool in Mac OS X that's hooked up with Google's Blogger service. The possibilities for Google/Apple integration seems endless. But one thing is for sure, this could be one bad day for media companies around the world...