https://bgr.com/business/thanks-to-openai-its-never-been-clearer-that-sundar-pichai-is-googles-steve-ballmer/
Every new development at OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, makes it increasingly obvious that Google is playing catch-up.
I've maintained this idea for a while as well. It's really only after Pichai took over that Google and Android both have started scrapping useful programs/apps/services, made needless change to make products worse, and in general just haven't really innovated much at all. At least when compared to how the company was run when Larry Page and Erik Schmidt were running the company.
This dude has made Google boring.
I also have the impression that google jumped on the feature treadmill that microsoft is on. Working with Google ads + analytics in 2016 was a pleasant experience, it was fairly simple and it worked. I could easily maintain it as a side project next to my main job, but a few years later and it had become a feature treadmill where all new features seemed to have 3 goals in common: waste my time by making me migrate settings to basically end up with the same end result, make the product more convoluted to use + milk more money per customer. Add to that, that facebook campaigns were both easier to run and resulted in more good leads for us and it doesn't look good for Google.
We can point fingers at Pichai, but I don't think Larry Page and Erik Schmidt would have been able to keep Google true to its visions even if they really wanted to. Google simply became too big and successful compared its humble cool techy startup era, no way it was remaining the same all along.
I wonder if this correlates with my recent desires to de-Google my life. I'm steadily growing less happy about daily using their services and them holding all my info.
I'm open to suggestions for cloud photo storage/management on par with Google Photos if anyone has some. I'm looking into FOSS but would rather pay for the service in the long run. These days I'm too busy to learn to be an effective server admin and keep up with the technology.
I'll second Proton. It sucks to have to pay for services again to have something that matches the generous free shit that we got before... but seems those wild west days of the internet, unless you were grandfathered on or have to give up a lot of info in return... are now long gone.
If you're not paying for a service, then you're the product. I never understood the expectation that people should just provide you email and storage for free, because?
This saying is actually horseshit, though. The profit motive and infinite growth model of capitalism guarantees that even if you are paying for a product, your data and attention — everything that can be — will be monetized eventually.
The saying should be "if the service isn't open-source and E2E encrypted, you're the product"
Nah I'd disagree. Infinite growth motive doesn't necessarily apply to private companies. To suggest there's unbridled greed present in every company is just a falsehood.
It should be noted, though, that the "if you aren't paying, you're the product" mantra isn't always true. FOSS exists.
And I know that seems obvious to anybody reading this on Lemmy, but I've had people refuse to use good open source software because they fundamentally refuse to trust something being provided to them for free.
That applies to the software itself, sure, but only if you bring your own infrastructure. Large scale FOSS infrastructure services are going to be the exception not the norm.
You can also feel good about supporting Proton. They are literally bootstrapped as a service and only rely on what we pay them. They never took any money from vc or other sources.
If you have more than one person who should/would/could move over to Proton, they have a family plan and every so often they bring back their visionary plan which is a better version of the family.
I'm particulay looking for.the functionality of Google Photos, not just a cloud storage solution but a photo catalogue integrated with my camera among other things. Does Proton offer this?
There is a self hosted alternative for google photos if you have NAS. I don't remember the name and it's not nextcloud but that project have web and mobile apps to sync and they catalog photos with face and name similar to google. If you are specifically looking for storing and syncing photos mega.nz is decent but pricey alternatively pClound offers one time purchase during holiday season which is much more affordable.
PhotoPrism is kind of that thing on self hosted NAS.
Or alternatively both biggest NAS makers Synology and Qnap have their own things for that.
No, Ente has more photo gallery functionality though. Not sure about it being "integrated" with the camera. What do you mean by this?
The photos I take on my cellphone are instantly catalogued, scanned for metadata, and synchronized with my gallery. The app then gives me fun photo displays and reminders of my past daily.
I do nothing but take photos and pay a small fee.
Self hosted immich is by far the closest. It has many if the same features but all runs locally
Lots of people here say Proton, but I'd also consider selfhosting my email on either a home server or the cloud, whichever meets my criteria for redundancy to stay online vs cost
I hear self-hosting email is a really complicated thing if you want it secure and all that. I never tried, just hearsay.
The only problem with self-hosting is that big coorps like google or microsoft will put you on their spam list, so your e-mails will land in the spam folder when you send emails to gmail or outlook addresses. Other than that it's not a huge hassle as stuff like https://mailcow.email/ or mailu or mail-in-a-box exist.
google or microsoft will put you on their spam list
Ah, wow. Yeah. That's a big problem, or would be for me anyway. No time or energy to deal with that issue.
Just make sure you add DKIM and all that. Mail in a box will do it mostly for you and it should take care of the spam issues at least until someone reports your emails as spam. For a personal email that shouldn’t happen.
Basically sending emails without DKIM is like serving a webpage on HTTP; nobody should trust the page you got was not altered and the domain is properly registered.
Without dkim dmarc spf and all that stuff it won't even reach the spam folder, but get either silently dropped or rejected where mailer daemon will send you a nice message.
I'm an iPhone user, and i'll probably stay that way, but I've tried to de-google my life as much as possible and I'd consider de-appleing if there was an alternative that wasn't google'd up. What do anti-google self-host folks do about smartphones? Android is "open" i guess, but it's crammed full of adware and trackers and all sorts of garbage.
Linux for desktop is an easy-peasy transition; linux for mobile, no so much
Android devices with a non-deadlocked bootloader can be reflashed to have de-googled builds of Android. LineageOS isn't completely de-googled (it's damn close to it) but you can put that on any supported device without GApps and use it that way.
Apple is completely deadlocked, through and through, and you cannot de-Apple without completely abandoning their platform.
Android is “open” i guess, but it’s crammed full of adware and trackers and all sorts of garbage.
That's a bit hyperbolic and unfair to the point of being misleading.
"Android" is not one universal type of phone operating system. It, like Linux, has various distributions. Samsung makes their own version. as does Motorola, as does HTC and Nokia, as does OnePlus, Huawei, etc... The version of Android that comes with a Samsung phone is radically different than what comes with a Motorola phone. You cannot blame Google for what Samsung decides to include on their own strain of Android. You cannot blame Google for what shady Chinese brands put on their hardware.
Want an Android device that isn't crammed full of adware, trackers and all sorts of garbage? Stop buying garbage devices from garbage OEMs.
Motorola and Google are the two that (shock, surprise!) are the most open, always have unlocked bootloaders when bought directly and not through a carrier and have the most well supported devices if you decide to go with a custom rom.
I work for an Android OEM; i am quite familiar with GMS and AOSP versions of Android. I was unclear what i meant - software choices on Android are highly limited when trying to avoid adware and trackerware apks. It's just unfortunately a platform where the value extracted from it is way more often from provide free but not great software that also mines your life. not too many options for great software that also doesn't mine you, free or paid.
I suspect you feel that way because it's easier to know what DOES mine you, free or paid, on Android, than it is on any other mobile OS. Consequentially, it's also easier to block such stuff on Android with custom dns, custom roms, root and a hosts file or using apps to track the trackers like Exodus. So, no, I disagree: You say it's highly limited when trying to avoid those kinds of apps... We have F-Droid and other third party app stores. There's a plethora of FOSS apps that can replace the common garbage data collecting apps out there. People just don't want to make the effort and look a little bit harder elsewhere for what they would feel more comfortable using. That's why we have privacy nightmares: people are lazy.
I agree. It's time Sundar hits retirement and they put someone more visionary at the top.
Google has become seriously stale.
I was just remembering how back in 2010 on my iPhone 4S I could receive a text message while driving and tell Siri to read it to me, with no internet connection. And it would, and I could reply by Siri as well
But my current Android phone (I love Android it's really great overall) cannot do that if I don't have an internet connection!
Why??? Why haven't they baked certain basic offline capabilities into Assistant and only need internet for search queries? Makes no sense but it's one of those small indicators that Sundar is not paying attention.
Because they use every reason to bring you online asap. Only then they can get as much data as they want. For example your location, no matter if via GPS or nearby Wifis.
This is consumer abuse for profit and should be regulated, but our country is run by oligarchs that pay the politicians so this is never happening.
And I swear to god, when they released the pixel 6, they said Assistant could do things much faster and without an Internet connection because all the processing for certain tasks (like language recognition, timers and sending messages) was all done on-board.
What the hell happened to that? Assistant has felt slower than ever for everything and more unhelpful every day
I can offer some insight. A friend of mine recently switched to the new one plus and he's finding all sorts of little things he misses from his pixel 6 pro. The background music discovery was one, as was the camera processing stuff.
Ai summary of the article if you don't wanna click the link:
A recent poll found that 76% of respondents agreed that Google CEO Sundar Pichai is comparable to Steve Ballmer, who led Microsoft during a period of decline. Both men took over from revolutionary founders as business managers focused on profits rather than innovation. However, under Pichai's leadership, Google has lost its dominance in areas like search and AI, with competitors like OpenAI making strides. Many argue Google search has become cluttered with irrelevant results, while former employees say visionary leadership is lacking. There is a sense that Pichai's Google is no longer the innovative company it was and risks losing further ground to emerging technologies if it does not recapture its start-up spirit.
I'm an Apple user, for the most part, and I've noticed lately that in the last 6-12 months Google Maps has deteriorated significantly for me while Apple Maps has gotten better and better. Even things you'd think would be similar, e.g. satellite imagery, for my area Google's imagery is now a half-decade out of date while Apple's is current.
It really does feel like most of Google's consumer-facing products are languishing.
Google Maps has gotten worse and worse.
It's now actively bloating a map with random businesses, making it difficult to use. And worse, it's obscuring random businesses from search. I noticed it a while back if I googled "Chinese food", a few places aren't showing unless I zoom in really really close. And these are places with 100+ reviews.
Yeah it's started inserting "totally not advertisements" like "take a left in 300 feet, past the McDonald's". More enshittification.
Five years ago, I would have said, "Nah, they can throw money at it and make it better. So we should stay."
But now, Google has a massive history of giving up and killing products. Devs and open source are making comparable alternatives. The general public is turning on even Google Search. And even my own job is considering Google alternatives.
The next five years are going to be anybody's game.
Using Google products is starting to feel like watching season 1 of a Netflix produced show - I don't want to invest energy into something that'll just get cancelled.
It's the same for many tech CEO's. Arguably, Apple hasn't had a hit under Tim Cook, although I'd say he's definitely the most successful of the FAANG leaders. Andy Jassy's legacy at Amazon is 18 months of rolling layoffs, missing the boat on AI despite having the most popular consumer AI product in Alexa, and forcing millions into an office in some of the cruelest methods possible. Sundar is much of the same, but including mass enshitification of basically every successful Google product, from YouTube to Search, all while also fucking up severely with AI, RTO, and layoffs. To make things worse, he's turned the most exciting tech company into just another boomer tech company like IBM.
The pandemic has shown that once the visionaries have left, the current crop of CEO's in tech are just really not good at their jobs. Their sole role is to keep shareholders happy, and that's it. As a shareholder, that should probably make you think twice about putting money into legacy tech, and maybe looking outwards to see what those that were laid off have managed to do elsewhere.
None of the CEOs you’ve mentioned have changed before or after the pandemic except AMZN.
I think it’s unfair to say Tim Cook hasn’t had a hit. They started the watch line up, AirPods, the M series chips are some solid products and revenue streams. Also while he may not be a “visionary” I think he is done a mighty fine job of making AAPL one the best brands to exist.
The economic climate changed since the pandemic and the cards dealt now are a bit difficult compared to the low 0% interest rate times.
All I’m saying is, I disagree with your opinion by adding my two cents, but to each their own :)
Yeah, admittedly Tim Cook is a stretch. He's no Steve Jobs, but I don't think trying to replace him would work either. Ultimately, the only role he can play is the one he's dealt, but given that they're also one of the biggest companies on the planet Apple haven't really "innovated" anywhere. They're also guilty of missing the ball on AI, especially with Siri essentially becoming the third-place voice assistant.
I'm not so sure I agree with the economic reaction in tech, but I am biased in that I work for one of these companies, and have a first-hand view in how these companies are cutting jobs while making insane profits, and demanding innovation with fewer resources than ever. My point around the pandemic is less to do with the change of CEO's, and more to do with the climate highlighting that in a pinch, these CEO's have done a poor job. I could go on for hours about this, but they praise themselves for the work their companies do, while admitting that they over-hired, and wasted huge sums of money in industries that aren't ever going to generate profits. Google is burning huge sums of money on LLM's, Amazon have spent enough money on MGM and ROP to effectively keep every laid-off employee employed on full-pay for a full year, Zuck has also bet big on AI despite burning cash on VR/AR. To some degree, all big tech companies have been poorly run by "safe" bets at the helm.
Lol being the top boss is not easy when you're a Technical guy. He comes from a technical background hence the sweat. I can relate but these top jobs are best suited for guys from sales coz they know how to talk and play with words.
Lol its like comparing apple to oranges. Read about Sundar and Steve to get more info. About their background.
Why am I comparing apples to organges?
I can relate but these top jobs are best suited for guys from sales coz they know how to talk and play with words.
I asked you according to this statement, if you want to tell me, that Steve Jobs was a sales guy.
Google and apple are not same company. Sundar and Steve don't have the same technical background. Steve bootstrapped the company and scaled it , Sundar was given the CEO role of an established company.
There's more but I'd suggest you to read and learn and try to become a wise man.
The thought that comes to mind for me is that all of the tech companies are in a heavy cycle of stock/investor profit mode. It seems like every major company is just pumping the bottom line for stock gains.
I know that can lead to R&D money and advances, but I'm only really seeing that with M$ buying (I mean partnering) ChatGPT for their CoPilot to be the next big thing for Office/Microsoft 365.
What has Apple done new lately? iPhones just get better specs right?
Google, being the subject of the article, they do seem like they're getting their butts kicked trying to compete with OpenAI.
Broadcom buys VMware (which wasn't really doing anything wildly new IMO lately), openly plans to milk it for profit, and has been pretty honest about not giving a shit about customers, until their latest post where they are trying to speak against the obvious aforementioned 'not-giving-a-shit'
Who else?
Any major innovations lately not coming to my mind, or all just bottom line pumping?
You are too kind to Microsoft, buying into innovation isn't the same as creating it.
If you aren't seeing innovation from Apple it's likely because you're an Apple hater. For example, they released their own CPU chips quite recently. The smartphone is now a matured product, any innovation would likely be something very different.
Broadcom? Who cares. Thats enterprise shit. It's like mentioning Oracle in the same list. They are milking corporations. Completely different paradigm.
You don't mention Amazon, but there's another potential sinking ship. Their brand loyalty is fading and they don't seem to care but it's still has momentum to recover.
Google is the real concern. They have lost their luster. Their main product is search and it is getting worse and no one trusts their new offerings to last because their product grace yard is a landfill. No one can say the same about any of these other companies.
Windows is still the same meh.
iPhones, Apple Watches, etc are meh.
Google search is done. Everyone that was an early adopter is fleeing to the competition, desperately looking for something that sucks less.
Eventually someone will find the new way to search the wealth of information found on the web. It does not look like that company will be Google. It's also unlikely to be Apple or Microsoft but both of those companies have mature products that aren't experience a decline in the way that Google search is.
apple hater
Nah, I'm indifferent. They're just another company. I did forget about the chips they're working on. That's a big/expensive investment.
Google is trying that with the tensor. Not hearing a huge roar about that either.
I was thinking more enterprise with MS.
I think the new way to search the web is LLMs, but still probably relies on their respective indexer.
HPE just made the fastest supercomputer in the world by 2.5x the closest system in 2nd place a couple years ago. Frontier breaking the exascale barrier was pretty huge.
Now that's more upbeat. Good call.
I'll have to go see if they're doing anything cool with it, it just trying to fix male pattern baldness. I'm thinking of an Idiocracy reference...
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