Sergey Brin ridiculed for saying mobile phones 'emasculating'
But how can the 'geek' behind Google's Android OS tell people what is manly and what isn't?
GOOGLE founder Sergey Brin, whose company developed the Android operating system, has declared that smartphones are "emasculating" and claimed that his latest innovation, Google Glass, will help people interact better.
He said people's use of their mobile phones had become a nervous habit, like smoking, and meant they spent all their time looking down at the screen in their hand.
"You're actually socially isolating yourself with your phone," Brin told an audience at the Technology, Education and Design (TED) conference in Los Angeles, according to Wired. "I feel like it's kind of emasculating... You're standing there just rubbing this featureless piece of glass."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
He said that Google Glass, a device that sits in front of the eye on a pair of spectacles, would mean that users were able to take in the world around them as information was relayed in their field of vision. He said testing the eyewear had "really opened my eyes to how much of my life I spent secluded away in email or social posts".
His comments prompted a strong reaction on technology websites.
PC Mag said that Brin's comments were "a dumb way to talk about technology" and noted that "the whole riff appeared to be an attempt to argue that the Google Glass spectacles he's thrown his weight behind over the past few years are supercharged engines of machismo".
John Gruber of tech blog Daring Fireball dismissed Brin's comments. "We're taking advice on cool from this guy? Seriously?".
San Francisco-based website Sfist.com agreed. Brin, a man who wears terminally-unfashionable Crocs shoes, was in no position to tell people that "your smartphone is totally making you look lame".
Plenty of Twitter users backed up that sentiment, pointing out that Brin was a renowned geek.
Bloomberg was equally confused by Brin's attack on mobiles. "Whatever their effect on the attributes usually associated with men, smartphones and other mobile devices are key to Google's future," it pointed out.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What the chancellor's pension megafund plans mean for your money
Rachel Reeves wants pension schemes to merge and back UK infrastructure – but is it putting your money at risk?
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
Why Māori are protesting in New Zealand
A controversial bill has ignited a 'flashpoint in race relations' as opponents claim it will undermine the rights of Indigenous people
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 21, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Google Maps gets an AI upgrade to compete with Apple
Under the Radar The Google-owned Waze, a navigation app, will be getting similar upgrades
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Is ChatGPT's new search engine OpenAI's Google 'killer'?
Talking Point There's a new AI-backed search engine in town. But can it stand up to Google's decades-long hold on internet searches?
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
'Stunningly lifelike' AI podcasts are here
Under the Radar Users are amazed – and creators unnerved – by Google tool that generates human conversation from text in moments
By Abby Wilson Published
-
Will the Google antitrust ruling shake up the internet?
Today's Big Question And what does that mean for users?
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Wall Street tumbles on poor tech results
Speed Read US markets had their worst day since 2022 as Tesla and AI stocks dropped
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Why is the tech industry up in arms about Google's search algorithm leak?
Today's Big Question A leak of about 2,500 documents shed light on how Google's search engine operates, and not everyone is happy
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
How AI is going to change the Google search experience
Talking Points Summaries are the new links
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Google unveils 'AI overviews' atop search results
Speed Read Users of the search engine in the US will now get AI-generated answers first
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published