IFA stands for International Funkausstellung, which roughly translates to International Radio Exhibition. In a press release, IFA Director Jens Heithecker explained the interesting choice of  keynote speaker.

“Google today connects people to the Internet and opens the world in the same way radio did 80 years ago. [Schmidt's keynote] echoes the 1930 keynote by Albert Einstein, Einstein was talking about radio, the new technology at the time. He said ‘technology enables communication and communication connects people.”

Whether or not Schmidt will go down in annals of history ala Einstein, his keynote did provide a some interesting “big think” quotes, including a couple that may come back to haunt him “Everyone should have the right to change their names” style.

“Ultimately, search is not just the web but literally all of your information – your email, the things you care about, with your permission – this is personal search, for you and only for you.”

“We can suggest what you should do next, what you care about. Imagine: We know where you are, we know what you like.”

“A near-term future in which you don’t forget anything, because the computer remembers. You’re never lost.”

Uhh. While I’m sure Schmidt has the best intentions here, it’s probably time he got a PR person or maybe even a friend that can clue him into the fact that statements like “We know where you are, we know what you like” can come off a little creepy, especially when you consider that Google is currently under antitrust investigation by the State of Texas and just settled a $8.5 million dollar law suit regarding privacy.

Coincidentally, Schmidt referred to his previous name change gaffe while at IFA, “I was making a joke when I was saying that, and everybody who was present burst into laughter.”

Perhaps the Google CEO just suffers from the world’s worst case of “foot in mouth disease”?

Image: Dullhunk

0 0

7 7

Authors: Alexia Tsotsis

to know more click here