While Google's mobile operating system may have consumer market momentum with Android handset activations hitting 500,000 per day, one person who appears to not be in a rush to abandon his BlackBerry habit is Google Chairman Eric Schmidt. Schmidt was in Indonesia last week for an entrepreneurship summit, and one of our CrackBerry spies on the ground in Bali managed to catch Schmidt black-handed snapping a photo on his BlackBerry Bold 9780.
What's really funny about this photo is that it isn't the first time Schmidt has been photographed while taking a photo on his BlackBerry. Back in July 2009 he got caught using his Curve 8900 (see photo below). Past precedent is always the best indicator of future performance, so I'm placing my bet we'll see Schmidt upgrading to the BlackBerry Bold 9900 next month. I'm not sure what this says about Android, but it definitely says a lot of good for BlackBerry. Maybe it's the keyboard, maybe it's the world class security, the BBM, the battery life or impossible to ignore blinking red light... or maybe it's all that and more.
There's nothing really "new" in that Bold that can be justified as testing out the competition, so at the end of the day I'm thinking that Eric Schmidt just loves his BlackBerry. Smart man. Kind of makes you wonder if he also has a BlackBerry PlayBook running Android apps?
Reader comments
Caught Black Handed! Google Chairman Eric Schmidt photographed while taking a photo with his BlackBerry (again!)
Mr. Schmidt needs to get on the stick and give BlackBerry users a Google+ client! :)
When a company quadruples its workforce in 5 years it comes to a point where it has to start trimming it.
didn't Google lay off people 2 or 3 years ago too.
In January of 2009 to be exact.
This is 2011 right. Let's talk about the present and not the past. Seem like that's what you fanbois are still relying on. What bb WAS
You're how old and still sucking on mommy's titty? You don't have room to talk.
The point is Google was struggling in 2009 and fired people. Now there bigger and better. because people get fired does not mean a company is going downhill.
Companies doin well don't lay off employees. FYI
Companies lay off people they no longer need.
Companies layoff people because there is no profit. Its bein wasted on playbooks, the same bb with a different name. Ask yourself why are the stockholders jumping ship. Is it because they no longer want the stock
Company's lay off people like you that complain that the BB isn't a Apple you ignorant. BB is alot better!
BB is a lot better? Is that why you fanboys was wanting android to make apps for bb? Lol. Playbook the wifi version is extinct but bb is better than apple?
First off all idiot. I don't need all those stupid applications. Second and foremost, Apple can't do crap compared to what QNX can do and you'll see soon. Have a nice day idiot.
You dont need the apps because bb dont have any goodd so you have learneD to roll without them. QNX must not be the right thing if the ship is sinking. Wait and see in the future. Lol what about now lil fanboy. Just hold on to your 2011 model with the 2006 capabilities. did QNX save the Playbook? Nope, the wifi version is done. Not even 6 months and it's done
How's the security on your iPhone? How about push email? How about the web browsing experience without flash? Sooner or later RIM is going to catch up and do more. How's that 10 inch iPad in your car? Maybe you have an app in there for that high speed train powered by QNX your're going to hit for either reason that you can't see because of the size or just you're that ignorant... Either way you're dead wrong! It must suck having such insecurities about RIM and QNX taking over that you have to come here and try to convince everybody else different. I've tried them all and always have gone back to a BB. Eric Schmidt has a BB which basically means he doesn't stand by his product. If Apple is so great. Why doesn't he have one?
You seem a little upset about the layoffs my friend. Don't get mad at apple and android because the fanboys didnt purchase enough outdated phones. You seem to be stuck on QNX, obvious it's not working. iPad has another about to drop like a bomb, if I'm correct the Playbook wifi version has been put on the shelf not even 6 months after it was released. So talk about apple all you want but atleast my phone dont spin when Im using it to much, don't have to do a battery pull to fix everything, don't have a disco light flashing when someone is calling like I'm In the 60's, just face it enough bb didn't sell so people has lot their jobs and people are selling their stock. Last time I was in Verizon store the bb were In The back..............room. How is the touch screen business going
So outdated that I can customize custom ringtones and have FIPS 140-2 encryption and true multi-tasking... So how many iterations of the same iPhone do they have to do before they get all that? iFail to see any argument of you trying to win anything here... Be very frightened my friend. IOS is going to need a new OS soon cause NeXt just isn't cutting it. How do you expect Apple's HDTV to do picture in picture if it can't multi-task? Oh forgot they left that feature out!
You must be one of those fanbois that is hurt by the layoffs. Call it what you want but apple and google sales are doing waaaaaaaay better than rim
Maybe, for now anyway... You must be hurt that the iPhone can't multi-task. It's ok. RIM will prove over and over that all you nayslayers are idiots.
how is the playbook dead. you must be reading bgr and there crap. need to go back there and read the story again where they retracted that article.
the point is rim said they didn't sell enough so now they are scrapping and now they retracted their story? It was said
the point is rim said they didn't sell enough so now they are scrapping and now they retracted their story? It was said. Never heard apple say we're not selling iPads zoned gotta stop making them. Lol
I'm sorry you're so stupid. You must have been "HOLDING YOUR IPHONE WRONG" Like Steve Jobs says when you heard that. Apparently, the magical piece of shit lied to you!
Seems as if u want an iPhone. You have so much hatred toward apple. Do a battery and wait 15 minutes for it to boot up and call me back. If you want one it's ok. Rim is not gonna punish you. You really need to unpark rim nutz out of your mouth. There is life outside of bb. Trust me it really is.
first of all android is not making apps for the playbook. the playbook is running android. lets see your tablet run 2 os's
Furthermore, you don't know what the layoffs are for.
This is to funny, when android was considering putting their apps with that crappy Playbook that was the best thing that has happened to bb. Now that didn't pan out now you guys wanna clown android. Look at the sales. Last I heard rim is laying 2000 employees. Cheer about that fanboys. Guess you guys didn't buy enough phones to keep them employed
Hey, one thing is for sure, if Google buys Rim, Rim will be in good hands :D
I wouldn't make fun of Eric Schmidt. He's a pal now :) Seriously, if he chooses BlackBerry, then so be it. He could pick any other phone on the market: there are several with the Google branding, iOS, and many others. He chose BlackBerry. We should be pleased. Yeah, folks working for Google may find it odd, but that's his personal choice.
See, its things like this that make me appreciate this guy. He's the CEO of Google for a reason.
Fanboys can't run companies.
This guy uses the right tool for the job and doesn't care about all that partisan smartphone OS stuff. He's helped organize the creation of Android, which is great. This guy has nothing to hide. He knows that the best way to promote Android is to work on making it better.
He uses a Blackberry because he probably talks to his family that way and it is a more international device.
I say, props to this guy and all the great things Google has done.
ah, nothing like getting to know the product you're about to acquire
Katie pee on. Why don't you go do something constructive. The fact of the matter is BlackBerry is better than Androidcrap anyday.
Maybe it's a sign that Eric / Google will be buying RIM soon?
:-)
CEO's don't do R&D that's why they are CEO's. They pay someone else to do R&D. As a CEO, you use what gets things done and let those specialized in Research and Development do their job and report the findings and the "numbers".
The poor guy probably got his family all BB's before they had developed the Druids and now can't break them out of using BBM.
Official reason is of course going to be "testing what the competition has to better our products".
Wow...what an ignorant response.
Companies like RIM, who don't test other products, but simply believe that they are superior, usually fail on innovation. I think that sums up RIM quite well, especially since every device RIM brings out is nothing but a "upgraded" version of another device. And they all look, and work, the same.
I think many of the articles that have been posted by crackberry show one of the RIM CEO's, Mike, having that mindset. I'm sure he is one of those CEO's who rely on someone else. Doesn't really seem to be getting RIM very far.
There are articles out there, stating how android is attemping to gain RIM's corporate market. Which is why there are small amount of android devices out there, that look very similar to a blackberry. I think its pretty obvious that google is attempting to capture that market.
Someone should send this article to RIM.
I think its very evolved thinking.
I think all the senior RIM managers should carry an iP4 or Android phones around as a constant reminder of the competition's capabilities. Might even break them out of the "cone-of-denial".
I wouldn't be surprised if Eric doesn't carry a BBerry for the same reason.
Sent link to BGR and recieved reply. Bet this goes unreported.
LOL, seriously priceless! love it! I wonder what androidcentral fans have to say about this!
i, as an android fan, would say, well yeah duh, it's no secret that corporate america is still using blackberry, especially at high levels, i would also say the more google's upper ranks depends on it, the more likely they are to buy it.
priceless! I can't blame the guy for using a BlackBerry though.
Finally, proof that bb is live a virus, infecting the hearts of all phone lovers, even rival os makers. For all we know Jobs has one too
Probably had one while making iMessage at least :) or when he demonstrated "they all do that" after Antenagate
Is this really a big deal?
each to there own I say.
Can you imagine BMW CEO driving a Mercedes? Steve Jobs using an Android? Harley Davidson CEO riding a Honda? Etc etc
So awesome! Really says a lot ;)
that's too funny.
i love my bb and wouldnt trade it for any phone out there. I love no flipping, no time wasting on getting what i want I used my wifes phone the other day a mere toy had to slide the key pad out and .......... aweful feel to it .
The second picture where he's snapping a pic with his BB is my favorite. He has a Google sticker on the back of it. LOL!
Lol. What an eye! Didn't notice it until u mentioned it.
Nice one :)
LOL. I guess he values getting things done over the ability to play Angry Birds. People say RIM isn't putting out competitive phones, but apparently Android isn't putting out an OS for phones that can do what their fearless leader needs.
Funny way to take a picture with the 8900 with him pressing his eye on it
that is the best! Confidence in your own product?!?!?! NOT!
So what? if this was Andy Rubin (the founder of Android) it might make a difference.
Now if somebody could take a picture of him using Bing.........lol
Is a BB Bold running Android! :P
Ha Ha, talk about a slap in the face to Android owners. Maybe he doesn't want Google to spy on him ;)
Maybe he is using a BB because he doesn't like the lag or the force close or the bad battery life or the fragmentation or the crappy exchange support or...
HAHAHAHAHAHA! Android sucks.
I don't want to hear that garbage. I have a Tour which I'm replacing with the next Nexus. Great battery life, but i have to pull the battery every other day cause it bogs down. And you can't say anything about fragmentation because blackberry might be just as bad. If not worse cause there is only one manufacturer with no custom skins.
Haha nice catch , I wonder if bgr would post this (never I guess)
So what? He uses a BB, zomg wtf?! Crackberry...sometimes I wonder...
Imagine mike lazaridis taking a photo with an iphone , or steve jobs with a samsung galaxy .IN PUBLIC. IN BROAD DAY LIGHT(so to speak) Get the picture ?
If Steve Jobs were caught using something other than an iPhone, I think it would cause a tear in the space/time continuum.
RIM send that man a 9900! Seriously...
Blackberry is just straight to the point. It doesn't waste time with fancy interfaces.That's the reason he uses it. Some people don't need all multimedia features that iPhone or Android offer. Blackberry IS geared toward BUSINESS.
Agreed. That's why my love for BlackBerry never waivers... I don't waste time on my BlackBerry. I get Sh!t done. Goes back to the smartphone hierarchy of needs and what your priorities are.
Blackberry's beginning is BUSINESS and they will always have their smartphones geared toward that. The QNX 'superphone' will be their multimedia phone but they will equip it with business oriented applications.
OMG I love this guy! He is the sub-conscience that lives within everyone who doesnt have a BB. You can run to Apple. You can drool over Android...But you can never hide your love for the Blackberry. Deep down inside somewhere all the people that jumped ships miss that blinking red light, or the green LED coverage light... or the new one: Blue blinking connection to the Playbook... * RIMPIRE IS ALREADY STRIKING BACK*
Good Catch Kev
Who cares? What does this have to do with RIM not putting out competitive phones? As if this means Android phones are inferior...SMH
Apparently even not putting out competitive phones hasnt caused the Google CEO to abandon his BB.
it's the inescapable led... the impossible to ignore... captivating led....
I feel like you are saying that in jest, but it is true.
I have a friend who I ride the train with. She was BB a while ago but has since been on iPhone for a good year or so.
She said to me the other day that she is really thinking about the potential of coming back to BB. Why? Because, in her words, "I miss my blinky LED!"
Personally, one of the things I would hate about any platform other than BB would be not having an LED that I can customize based on contact info. BeBuzz is a godsend to me!!!!
Lol are we serious? Hahahahah wow. Ok
Haha, feel it, Google.
Scurvy on the Google ship
lol... priceless.
You have the read the post on Android Central...it was funny as hell.
thanks for the tip! friggin hilarious!
lol,checking for patent infringements