Andy Rubin announced his new start up today, by way of a full page ad in the NYT paper paper. Essential is its (rather boring) name. My first experience with Mr. Rubin was online, on stage during the introduction of Google’s phone the Nexus One. Clearly a smart guy, and credited with helping develop the Android OS, Mr. Rubin had a global coming out party that day.
Today is his second coming out party and though the returns won’t be in for a few years, this one looks to be more successful.
According to the website, Essential is a hardware and software company, with 7o+ employees. Quite a few for a startup. So there’s money there. Big money.
The mission of Essential is grand. Make technology easier. Completely open. More pervasive (into the home) and, one might intuit, more affordable down the road. On the site one can pre-order a phone. See the specs. Read about a new 360 camera. Bathe in promises of integration of home and intuitive systems. And feast on the company’s “festo a mano.”
It’s not my favorite launch approach. I like to have real stuff. Build your brand around stuff. Not talk. I’m sure genius will come from this company. I wish them well — we all do. But coming out of the gate with “an ad and a promise” is not the best start.
Peace.
