Google and Apple who will win the data war?

Meet the Google iPad
April 5, 2010 12:39 PM

No matter what sleek device Apple designs, it’s Google that will win the data war.

By Jeff Jarvis, contributor

Apple and Google, until recently friends and allies, are now fighting for the future of the Internet. They won’t occupy the same territory exactly: Apple will still design hardware; Google will still organize information and sell advertising. They have been complementary. But now they are competing to be our constant companion.

The two giants came into conflict over the mobile web; Apple (AAPL) with the iPhone and now the iPad, and Google (GOOG) with its Android operating system and Nexus One smart phone. But these are just skirmishes in the war to control the opportunities that will come when we are all connected to each other, all the time and everywhere.

With the iPad, Steve Jobs provides a bridge between Apple’s phones and computers, a way to fill more hours of our day with connectivity. It’s a smooth gadget, of course, but not a world-changer. Actually, it’s rather retrograde. After the web empowered us all as content creators, the iPad is trying to revert us back into audiences: mere consumers.

Thus Apple tantalizes desperate media companies with the hope that they can regain the control over content that the web and its links broke for them. In this, Salon CEO Richard Gingras says, Apple is offering publishers a “fatal distraction.” Apple is nothing if not seductive.


In contrast to Apple’s control-and-quality strategy, Google is going for quantity: get as many devices as possible — phones, tablets, and gadgets yet to be imagined — to run its Android OS so developers will create more and better apps for a larger constituency. At the World Economic Forum at Davos this year, Google CEO Eric Schmidt told a group of journalists, “the phone is defined by the apps.”

That hasn’t happened quite yet. Time magazine, the New York Times (NYT), and other media companies are spending resources on the iPad, not on Android, despite what would appear to be a larger base. Google, I fear, has lost its vision of profound simplicity; its new products — Android, Wave, Buzz — can be bafflingly complex. This particular battle isn’t yet over.

But once we and our devices — phones, pads, TVs, refrigerators, cars — are connected, the idea of the mobile web will become meaningless; we’ll simply be online everywhere. Local information will be what matters. We will want to ask the web what it knows about what is around us at any moment.

Using your smart phone’s GPS and maps — or using Google Goggles to simply take a picture of, say, a club on the corner — you can ask what the web knows about that place. Are any of your friends there now? Geographic social platforms like Foursquare and Gowalla, or soon Facebook, Twitter, or Google Buzz, could tell you.

Do your friends like the place? (Facebook and Yelp will know.) You can ask for pictures and video from inside, and be served geo-tagged content from Flickr and YouTube. Worried about health violations or arrests? Everyblock has government data on that. What band is playing there tonight? You can hear them. You can buy their music.

What’s on the menu? What’s the most popular dish? Here are coupons and bargains for you. Finally, tell your friends you’re there on nearly all of those services, and see if they come by.

To connect us to all this, Google needs two things: First, it needs rivers more data; it needs us to annotate our world with information. The more we use our phones — of whatever brand — to leave reviews and photos and tell the web where we’ve gone, the more the web knows about those places. Second, Google needs to know more about us — it needs more signals such as location, usage history, and social networks — so it can make its services, and ads, more relevant to us.

Today, Apple may be providing the device that connects us to this almost omnipresent web of knowledge, but it’s still Google that has organized that web and still Google that best monetizes it.

Google may compete with Apple in devices, operating systems, and app marketplaces, but that is a sideshow. For Google’s bottom-line business model is dead simple: The more we use the Internet, the better Google becomes. Apple is only helping us use it more. So in this battle, it doesn’t matter who wins. Google wins.

Jeff Jarvis, author of "What Would Google Do?", blogs at Buzzmachine.com and heads the interactive program at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism.

Tags: Android, Apple, Google, iPad, mobile web, Nexus One
53 Comments | Add a Comment | Email Facebook Twitter Digg Buzz Up! Share this
Response to JT:
Maybe they wouldn't if your comments were angry venom filled tirades. YOu have obviously spent too much time with your chemicals.

Your statements are factual about people self destructing PCs with errant web surfing, but the value of those statements is greatly diminished by your rude and adolescent comments.

Posted By CD, Syracuse NY: April 8, 2010 12:32 AM
@steve, warner robins, ga
Where is Apple going to get maps, and search data and lend creditability to its "internet connectedness" without Google? MS Bing? Yahoo or the other Steve's bread crumbs. Apple needed Google as much as Google needed Apple and Apple hated it. If Apple could drop Google, they would have done it long time ago. Looks like they are going to try.

Posted By Mark, CA: April 7, 2010 2:40 PM
@Mark at London
Simple. They are trying to clear off the Droid inventory because the next gen of Android devices are at the door step. With so many OEM making Android OS/Device, it does take 1 year to evolve, let see how Apple can keep up with that. Do a google on next wave of Androids (not next year, but coming out this month, next month and etc). Your iphone 3gs will look like a Tandy computer. I know because I had one.

Posted By Mark, CA: April 7, 2010 2:36 PM
This appears to be something of a "me too" product. The question is – why? Apple has not yet effectively IMHO provided a compelling reason to attract NEW customers with the iPad. Statistics I have seen show over 70% of iPad buyers are Mac owners, and over 60% are iPhone buyers.

It is a product that, thus far, has made inroads to the Apple faithful, but not as much to NEW buyers who are buying their first Apple product. However Apple has a HUGE base of Apple faithful to market to, with some of the strongest brand loyalty to be found anywhere. Perhaps I am mistaken, but I have never perceived Google in this way. So the answer becomes – why? If a Google iPad is the answer – what was the question? What is it solving? What is the reason for its existence? Or is it simply a – me too – product?

Posted By Claude Suddreth – Phoenix, AZ: April 7, 2010 2:08 PM
Although I'm not a huge fan of the iPad, reading this article made me a much bigger fan of Apple than I was ever before.

Posted By Craig, Seattle WA: April 7, 2010 1:47 PM
google is scare of apple bc apple could integrate their own version of search and ad into every apple products in which could create a standard within comsumer. apple has the power to change everything.

Posted By steve, warner robins, ga: April 7, 2010 12:57 PM
Response to Meredith in Houston.
Kindle connects to a 3G GSM network for FREE with no contract. Newflash: This is NOT free on the iPad. Maybe you should have done 5 seconds of research before posting ; )

Posted By Daniel, San Jose, CA: April 7, 2010 12:09 PM
if CNN censors ONE MORE of my comments…

Posted By JT: April 7, 2010 10:33 AM
if i want to be a lazy, stay at home, free-loading retard who wants to read my horoscope and read gossip girl e-books on an overpriced paperweight, aka 80% of the sheep in this country, i would get an itampon.

but as an intelligent individual, a tech savvy chemical engineer, who realizes the world needs creation and invention to supply those sheep with the stuff they think just exists for them, i purchase flexible, and reliable PCs. and yes i said reliable. if you're not an idiot and don't download from xxx.com or bull like that, or throw your computer around like a frisbee, a PC will give you little to NO problem for a good 5 years and possibly more (by that point, PC or Mac, you probably will upgrade by then; 5 computer-tech years is nearly a life-time in computer circles).

Posted By JT: April 7, 2010 10:31 AM
Response to Mike in Amarillo.
Of course the Internet is 'free'. Why would that suprise you? It's Called WiFi. Newsflash Internet is 'free' on the ipad too! Of course if you are at home using your home wifi connection you're paying for it.

Posted By Meredith, Houston, TX: April 7, 2010 10:07 AM
Apple Fanboys don't realize that Mac users make up less than 10% of the computers out there while Windows PC make up 90% of the market. With several millions of Kindles already sold, it will be difficult to convince them to switch to Ipads.

I didn't realize it but Amazon stated that it now sells more ebooks than printed books. I'm not a big book reader but it appears that the Kindle is very much like a book (not hard on the eyes like a lcd screen is). Kindle's battery life lasts for up to 2 weeks. Internet on Kindle is FREE. A Kindle user can browse several websites and connect to Amazon to download books. The connectivity is FREE… I am amazed that they offered it for free.

Posted By Mike, Amarillo TX: April 7, 2010 9:30 AM
Ipad is for consuming information, not producing it? It's still Google [and not Apple] has organized the web and still Google that best monetized it?

Suggest you check the app stores and think again. This is one the weakest essays you've ever written.

Posted By John, Austin, TX: April 7, 2010 9:27 AM
The author of this article is an ignorant fool. Apple doesn't make search engines, Google does. Google pays Apple to be the default search engine.

Posted By Mike, Berkely, CA: April 7, 2010 8:03 AM
Sadly, Apple will probably win the war. I say "sadly" because anyone with a bit of common sense can see that Apple products are all so nice because anything that they don't consider to be good doesn't go. In other words, Apple makes their devices so simple to use by excluding a whole lot of stuff that I would love to use. (By the way… the iPad is simply not powerful enough to replace laptops. Take a look at the tech specs and you will see what I mean.)

Posted By Matt, Fairfield, Iowa: April 7, 2010 12:20 AM
Most of those who commented seemed to have missed the point. If Apple sells 100 times more phones than Google, Google still wins since people will use those Apple products to connect to Google.

Posted By Tom, Reston, VA: April 6, 2010 5:59 PM
The Android OS is superior to that of the iPhone hands down. Look at current market share for Android vs. iPhone, the numbers tell the story, people have caught on.

In a couple years when everything's up in the cloud the iPad and other products like this will serve a purpose. Today it's just a waste of money, but Apple knew 300k people would be dumb enough to buy it

In two years, "Google will be just another search engine"… who gave you permission to speak? The Google OS is coming… you're obviously clueless.

APPLE FAN BOYS ARE SELLOUTS

Posted By jrage99, Chicago, IL: April 6, 2010 4:25 PM
My 2cents worth. Talking of apps. App development will move towards neither apple nor google devices, but to (google) WAVE. Thats the future of apps… Apps for a non device specific platform. Email, web and social networking all in one… IMHO.

Posted By Craig Williams: April 6, 2010 4:18 PM
@Mark in CA: If Droid is selling so well, how come Verizon has already offered buy one, get an Eris (or other smartphone) free deals? We all know that they just did the same type of deals for Palm phones just to sell them.

Posted By mark, boston, ma: April 6, 2010 3:39 PM
Wow, all the Apply fans really don't like you much, Jeff. LOL

Your article is a bit ridiculously speculative, but the rabid attacks from the Apply fans are so obviously oppositely biased and hold so much misinformation, the whole read simply isn't funny without both sides of it.

Posted By LMAO, Everywhere: April 6, 2010 2:28 PM
"Google needs to know more about us…". While true, what is it about that statement that shouldn't concern me? People worry about government & "Big Brother". Who is going to hold Google, etc., responsible for invading our (previously) private lives.

Posted By J. Garman, Lisle, IL.: April 6, 2010 11:32 AM
It looks like Google "could" win the mobil war someday as they are gaining the fastest market share (5.2% from 2009 to 2010). But they still only have 9% of the total market compared with 42.1% for RIM, 25.4% for Apple, 15.1% for Microsoft and 5.4% for Palm. They are sill many years away from taking the largest market share if it even happens, so it seems quite premature to predict Google will win the mobile war.

But by saying they will win the data war is silly, as they are already the number one search engine in the world… they control the most data, so they are "winning" the "war" if you want to call it that.

It certainly seems inevitable that we will become more and more connected to each other via our mobil devices in the future, but to assume they will all be on the same platform is absurd. Right now, the way we stay connected is via 1)cell phone number for voice on cross platforms 2)email across platforms 3) text messaging across platforms 4) facebook across platforms 5) you name it… across platforms.

Why aren't we all talking about how RIM has "world dominance" of the smartphone market right now? Shouldn't they be Google's biggest competitor? And already, Microsoft is producing what could be a fierce competitor in the mobil world with Windows Phone 7. In my opinion this is going to be a fragmented market for a long long time… and this article gives Google more credit than its due at this point (red herring perhaps?).

Posted By JR, Cincinnati, Ohio: April 6, 2010 11:15 AM
I think you are spot on. Google is a monster (not in an evil way). The android marketplace added 10,000 new apps in March 2010 ALONE. This growth is faster than anything apple experienced. They are on pace this month to add another 10,000.

At this growth rate they should catch the apple app store in about 6 months. Further, the majority of apps on the android marketplace are free. Better yet there are a bunch you can;t get through apple because of "content restrictions." I honestly see no use for the ipad (for me personally anyway).

IT CANT MULTITASK. What the hell? I was switching from sprint this winter and had the choice to go verizon or ATT. I was a former blackberry user. I went to Verizon (droid) simply because it could multitask. If I cant be texting and check a document and look ont he web and switch back without losing everything then its not a seirous tool. Its a toy.

@whoever said they are freake dout byg oogle. Google anonymously collects data. They assign unique identifiers that don't identify you (not as name, ip etc). They use this to track data. A mega-winning example is Android phones with google nav anonymously report back location and speed. Google crossrerefences this witht heir database of roads and expected speeds and instantly updates your phone/nav for slow traffic areas. Epic.

Posted By Ben, Buffalo, NY: April 6, 2010 8:34 AM
Apple continues to expand its market share in various subdomains of the technology field, but as it gets bigger and the money rolls in, the question remains, will it get evil? Meanwhile, Google's unofficial motto is 'Don't be evil', but is it really?

Posted By John Ward, Detroit, MI: April 6, 2010 7:53 AM
I look forward to an open source netbook or netpad. I would buy an Android unit today. Apples are food, 'nuf said…

Posted By FastKatt: April 6, 2010 7:52 AM
I'm reminded of the talk from the late 1990's: In interactive television, I would be able to watch Friends on NBC, Click on Ross's leather jacket and then be able to buy the jacket. That never happened. More streams of info aren't going to help there. If I'm consuming media on my iPad, I'm not going to be consumed with buying experiences in the middle of the show. I just want to enjoy the show.

Jeff, I enjoy you on TWiG. But sometimes people just want a good story. They don't need everything flowing towards them all at once. The iPad is a device for consuming media. a GooglePad would just be too much information

Posted By Scott Thomas, Fort Myers FL: April 6, 2010 4:29 AM
What do you expect from a whiner of the iPad and goog fanbois – pure unadulterated envy.

Posted By Anon: April 6, 2010 1:24 AM
The premise of the article is that Google has an advantage because "for Google’s bottom-line business model is dead simple: The more we use the Internet, the better Google becomes." This is precisely why I try *not* to use Google products. What of my personal use are they capturing? What do they plan to do with it? Google has hundreds of millions of dollars of computers that are essentially structured to monetize the private actions of their users. "Their products are free"? Not in a million years.

Posted By S.F., CA: April 6, 2010 12:37 AM
What else have you got to say?

Posted By Orlando: April 6, 2010 12:06 AM
What, exactly, is the point of this piece except to give Jarvis yet another platform to tell us how wonderful Google is?

The logic in this is so flawed that it makes my teeth hurt.

According to Jarvis, Google will win a fight against Apple that the latter isn't even taking part in. Google's 'war' over its only successful product – search – isn't with Apple, it's with other search engines and the other services that already do its job better.

Really, it's like saying a football team will win a football match against a swimmer who isn't even on the field.

The area where Google and Apple do go toe-to-toe is in devices. Although, according to Jarvis that's just a sideshow. Of course it's a sideshow to him because it's a war Google doesn't seem to know how to win. It's no surprise developers are ignoring Android, it's a dog of a mess. No-one wants their fingerprints on that train wreck.

But I do have to applaud Jarvis for his ability to take the linkbait topic du jour – the iPad – and twisting it into a glowing homily of the Googly one's greatness.

Well done Jarvis, they'll be very proud of you at Mountain View.

Apple and Google only compete in one area: devices.

Posted By Andy, Sydney: April 5, 2010 11:34 PM
I have a tendency to laugh when I read Apple haters use the word "fanboy(s). It sounds so childish and immature because it's not a word used in their everyday speech. I guess it makes them feel hip or that they are on "ins" with others who use that word. It's hilarious. It gives me the impression that a kid is writing the comment, not an adult. If using that word makes you feel good all over and inside of you, then that's better than…

Posted By Wiggles: April 5, 2010 10:29 PM
The last 5-7 comments read like an "APPLE FAN-BOYS UNITE" ad…you guys are ridiculous.

Posted By Anonymous: April 5, 2010 7:52 PM
Apple Fans can be a bit touchy.
Jeff didn't really bash Apple at all but the fanboys come to tell us how great Apple is.

Posted By Gary, Silverspring MD: April 5, 2010 7:28 PM
Game, set, match, APPLE

Posted By STORYBURNCOM, USA, USA: April 5, 2010 7:17 PM
iPad is just the iPhone for seniors:
They can see it.

Posted By John O. Chicago, IL: April 5, 2010 7:10 PM
While I agree with this article, I think it needs to go one step further…Where does this put Microsoft as we move to the future?

Apple will not take out MS because they want to keep everything proprietary (which I don't mind being a Mac addict myself) however, as Apple has now proven the future of computing is moving to the upscaling of the Smart Phone OS vs downsizing a computer OS. I think the revolution created by the iPad is going to give Google the opportunity to make some serious inroads in the world of mobile PCs. I think several companies will now move to using Android for their tablet PCs and as this moves forward in time we will see a fracturing of the monopoly that MS has enjoyed for decades over the PC world.

Posted By Kevin Williams, Castle Rock, CO: April 5, 2010 7:03 PM
I think people write their opinions against Apple's iPad device because they believe they have been short-changed on features like phone, Flash, multi-tasking, and printing capabilities even though their intentions were not to buy one in the first place.

Apple could have included all the bells and whistles, but wisely chose not to on this first generation product. They don't want to give any hint to the consumers' perception that the iPad is to replace their laptop line. Perhaps this is their biggest concern of possible cannibalization. Companies with near nil or no product line comparable to Apple's line can risk adding all the bells and whistles to their iPad-like devices. But the greater risk for these companies will be, will the consumer buy their Tablets and Slates over Apple's iPad.

Apple also wants to keep the price affordable, which is an understandable issue in this present economy. People don't want to dole out money for nothing. People who want it will buy it. It's that simple.

With the 300,000 iPad purchases on the first day behind them, Steve Jobs and company can breathe a sigh of relief that their strategy to "streamline" iPad was the right decision at this time.

There are enough key features on iPad to keep the user occupied and yet not too busy. There is a delicate balance of hardware and software features between the iPod, iPhone, iPad, iBook, and iMac to facilitate proper usage and navigation among these devices. It's a heck-of-a fine line to come up with a product line such as this and still maintain a yearly revenue base of $50 billion. It's absolutely phoenominal! Go Apple!

Posted By Orlando: April 5, 2010 6:24 PM
Thinking both Google and Apple win. The Ipad looks like a great internet device….I use Google for all my email and Apps (including writing docs and spreadsheets). I see myself using an Ipad and Google Apps to do almost all my "light" work.

Posted By Dirk Los Gatos, Ca: April 5, 2010 5:13 PM
I will wait for the iPad to grow up quite a bit before spending any money on it. I like the idea but early models will not impress non-tech users. Give me something that I take out of a box and get it to work without having to read anything or program anything. Turn it on, let it connect to the web, and go. No fuss no muss.

Posted By Red, Clayton,NC: April 5, 2010 4:34 PM
"People just want things that works"
Hmm Maybe someone should check how Droid is selling and is working. Google aren't no Microsoft. You need better argument, Apple fanboys.

The funny thing is, Google doesn't make money on Android itself. The whole purpose it to prevent likes of Apple to control software/internet thru the use of hardware. That is why Google goes for Open-Source route. That is why Apple hated it. Anyone seen the latest Android OS market share # lately? One more quarter and it will blow pass Apple on the phone OS arena. And don't worry, Android tablets are already announce long ago and are coming in full speed. So far Apple can only update its hardware once a yea for iphone. The Android phones are in constant evolution as one is better than next with a span of a month.

"People also wants freedom too"

Posted By Mark, CA: April 5, 2010 4:23 PM
Two things to add:
– @Mark, boston; dude, Facebook, Twitter et al didn't "take a chunk of Google", Google wasn't even in those areas. Google was busy making money on the ads. And yes as it stands now, unless you are selling product online, or charging an access fee the only other way to make money on line is with advertising and Google is KING in that arena. The other sites you mentioned also only make money with the advertising they throw at the user. And I believe that, yes, Google is the only one making money of the three you mentioned.

- @Peter, you are absolutely right regarding the Ipad. It is strictly a consumer product and nothing more. I will wait for a more robust and powerful unit to come along that will actually replace a laptop before I drop that kind of money.

Posted By Dave, Akron Ohio: April 5, 2010 4:06 PM
Google is nothing more then Grad School for most of the people working there.

It's why most of their products bomb and are in beta for the most part.

They have the tech side via engineers, programmers, but they don't have the key side, which is the designers and UI developers who develop for the everyday person. Apple has a high high high standard of quality in their products. Google does not. You can tell a product designed by an engineer vs a designer.

Apple wins this war hands down.

Don't be surprised when 2+ years Google is just another search engine.

Posted By James, Arlington VA: April 5, 2010 4:01 PM
well its true. the more iphone and ipad in existence, the more info there will be in google's datacenters. apple knows how far behind bing is from google and despite the competition between these two, my guess is that there's still a comfortable working relationship and respect there that cant be achieved with microsoft. when steve jobs not in apple anymore, that's when things might shift.

Posted By SADDIE, LOS ANGELES, CA: April 5, 2010 3:50 PM
Is that ipad same as iPod ipad?

Posted By Nick lee: April 5, 2010 3:22 PM
@Peter:

"the ipad [sic] is for info consumers and not producers."

The night is young, my friend: Try taking a look a the tens of thousands of apps that currently run on the iPad/iPhone/iTouch, many of which aid in "info production".

And then take a look at where the iPad is taking us. Dude, even AUTODESK has a (admittedly nascent) product on the iPad!

You have no conception of what's about to happen. That's the bad news. The good news, if you can call it that, is that you're far from alone….

Posted By Sacto Joe, Sacramento, CA: April 5, 2010 2:34 PM
I think apple will at some point enter into search market as well, then its going to be different

Posted By guest, Toronto: April 5, 2010 2:32 PM
True enough google wins anyway, But I feel at some point apple is going get into search market as well then its going to be different.

Posted By Anonymous: April 5, 2010 2:29 PM
Your vision of the future looks a lot like 2008.

Besides, the biggest threat Google faces isn't Apple, it's adblockers. In the battle of mobile OSs, Apple writes software to sell hardware (and media-tunes, videos, books, apps) while Google gives away software for free as a loss leader to get eyeballs to view their ads.

Block the ads and it's all for naught. Meanwhile Apple keeps making a profit on every single thing they sell.

Posted By Don: April 5, 2010 2:13 PM
I was looking for a replacement for my old laptop and thought the ipad would be it. However I have also concluded that the ipad is for info consumers and not producers.

You basically said the same thing early in the article.

So Apple may still get my money when I buy the next laptop, but it won't be from buying an ipad.

Posted By Peter: April 5, 2010 1:45 PM
OMG you spend the weekend holding your enemies closer and now this crap?

Jeff. Yes Google will sell more of their pads than Apple will sell of theirs because it will be a cut down, good enough product for consumers.

Apple are laying the groundwork for them as well by clearing the web of Flash and making it easier for Google to sell their vision.

But really when all is said and done the Google tablet will be a small computer that boots into a web browser. If you want to do real computing on a tablet you will need an iPad or possibly one of the HP Slate thingies.

We shall see how Google best monitizes things when Apple moves their customers away from Google's advertising and onto their own.

Enjoy your fantasy but Apple are in this to win.

Posted By RattyUK, Naples, Florida: April 5, 2010 1:43 PM
Jeff, if Google was doing such a great job at organizing the Web, how come Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, Foursquare, Gowalla, etc have all stepped in and taken a chunk from Google while Google fiddled with lots of unsuccessful ventures?

As for "best monetizing", Google still has only been successful with monetizing through ads (and a tiny bit with Docs support). Are ads the only way Google knows how to monetize?

Posted By mark, boston, ma: April 5, 2010 1:25 PM
Boy are you underestimating Apple, and boy are you wrong.

Posted By Mark: April 5, 2010 1:19 PM
One of the most biased (for Google) that I have ever seen. Remember, Google is not the only player out there – If Google acts wierd, Apple (with humongous market size) can switch to Bing or Yahoo and complement with Facebooks of the world.

So in this battle, it doesn't matter who wins – Google does not necessarily win. Stop biasing your readers if you can't help, keep this cheap gossip within your office/cubicle or wherever you are

Posted By Stev, Campbell, CA: April 5, 2010 1:12 PM
The problem with your assumption is that not a single Google product except PPC has actually been completed. All the products are in a perpetual state of [unsupported] beta. This just doesn't fly with many people. Also, they have very little experience with hardware and all the compatibility issues you need to design for. The test matrix for them would be enormous, and relying ONLY on developers to test their own stuff does nothing except make Android appear to be flaky.

It is absolutely a great horse race to watch, but I would hesitate to declare a winner at this point.

There are vast more non-geeks than geeks out there (disclosure: I have one foot in each camp and it is painful, ha!), and the non-geeks want stuff that just works.

Posted By Ryan Malone, Orange County, California: April 5, 2010 1:03 PM