The One Trick Pony

For the past five plus years as I have watched Google prosper I have always suspected it is a one trick pony, a very good one trick pony. The announcement today that it is selling the Motorola Unit that is bout a few years ago seems to more than validate my view.

One need just look at Google's stumbling:

1. Nexus, now I have several Kindles, they work, they are reliable, and Amazon understands customer care. My Nexus broke in 6 weeks and I sent it back to the Chairman who I had co-chaired the Internet 2 Presidential Panel with. I sent a letter, a personal letter. Did I ever get a response, no, did I ever get a replacement, no. One suspects management has other issues that are more important than customers.

2. Google RSS Reader: Now this could have been a goldmine. Dead.

3. Google's Personal Health Pages: I saw this as a home run for the EHR requirement. Google's response, kill it.

4. Fiber to the Home: What part of my many analyses on cities did Google not read? Forget it guys, the Cable companies will bury you. How much did you wast on this one.

The list goes on. However, Android makes sense, but that was a natural extension of software to the customer, a platform. The other things were toys that the "kids" played with.

My advice to Google, "focus, focus, focus". Being under 30 and having a high IQ is not all in life. And yes, if all else fails please listen to the customer. After the NSA does, your customers at that!