Roundup: More Google departures, the future of Android, and more

January 4, 2008 | Eric Eldon | Comments |

1. Three more senior Googlers leave for startups
2. Can Android spur innovation like the Japanese mobile industry has?
3. The four horsemen of the DRM apocalypse

googlelogo010408.pngThree more senior Googlers leave for startups — Kevin Fox, a user experience designer for Google, designed Gmail 1.0, Google Calendar 1.0, and Google Reader 2.0. Now he’s going to work for an un-named “very small start-up,” he says on his blog. David Hirsch, an eight year Google sales veteran currently based in New York, is leaving to become an angel investor, Silicon Alley Insider reports. Nathan Stoll, a product manager of Google News, is leaving for “new endeavors,” he blogs — we’re guessing he’ll end up working at or investing in startups.

Can Android spur innovation like the Japanese mobile industry has? — Google has a long, hard fight in front of it if Android is to succeed, according to academic researchers in Japan and the US. They compared Google’s Android mobile software development kit (SDK) with the evolution of the Japanese mobile applications, as well as with rival efforts by Linux-based SDK MontaVista, Symbian, Microsoft, Apple and RIM. (You have to pay to read report; but graphical excerpt is below). For a more optimistic perspective, see here.

androidscreenshotgood0104081.png

The four horsemen of the DRM apocalypse – Sony BMG is joining the other three major labels to free some of its music collection from digital rights management (DRM) software restrictions, BusinessWeek reports. Lots of discussion on Techmeme.

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About the Author, Eric Eldon

Eric currently covers digital media technology and business news, especially what's happening on social networks and their platforms. He also writes and edits stories about venture capital, and lots of other stuff, too. He started at VentureBeat in the spring of 2007, half a year or so after Matt Marshall left his reporting job at the San Jose Mercury News to found the site. Eric previously cofounded a startup called Writewith, that was building editorial software for newspapers and other groups of writers. The startup didn't work out, but he learned a lot.

  • Very informative!

    Nhick
    http://www.itrush.com
  • Wonder where the mobile industry is going...
  • Keiretsu Forum is forunate to have many of the X Google individuals as angel investors in Keiretsu Forum and they are investing in many of these start up companies like these!

    Todd Dean