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Apple boardroom gains Google's Schmidt

Margaret Kane Former Staff writer, CNET News
Margaret is a former news editor for CNET News, based in the Boston bureau.
Margaret Kane

Google CEO Eric Schmidt has joined Apple Computer's board of directors, the companies said this week.

Apple-Google

The move brings the total population of the board up to eight, including former Vice President Al Gore--and of course Apple's iconic CEO Steve Jobs.

Schmidt's appointment was seen by many bloggers as a strategic move against a mutual foe: Microsoft. But some were wondering whether a closer partnership between the two companies will just create another giant to deal with.

Blog community response:

"No one can outspend Microsoft, but one can outsmart them. An Apple-Google informal alliance is one way of taking on Microsoft and its coterie."
--Om Malik

"Google alone is frightening enough for Microsoft. One way or the other, this could mean exciting things in the future. Granted, you've got to give a nod to the 'Google is Evil' perspective and this budding partnership might end up being awful - we'll see! I at least can't help but be intrigued."
--TechCrunch

"What can we expect from this development? My prediction: nothing. Despite the potential for spying all kinds of conspiracy theories in this move, my guess is that this was just Jobs and company saying, 'Hey, Eric is a smart guy and knows a lot of what's going on in places that Apple isn't. We could use his advice.'"
--Blackfriars' Marketing