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Video: Sergey Brin And Larry Page's Great Google Phone Adventure

Live on my Flip camera, I captured Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin as they wowed the crowd at Tuesday's New York City intro of T-Mobile's G1 Android phone. Well, it was mostly Sergey who wowed the crowd, playing Paul to Larry's Ringo, though it was actually Larry who made the most forward-looking comment.

"A big element of this is having computer-like functionality on a phone," said Page, capturing exactly what's happening in the smartphone arena. I'm working on a broader story about this, which you'll see soon. I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but it is indeed fascinating to see how iPhones, BlackBerrys, and now Google phones are becoming that Holy Grail of the computer industry since PDAs emerged more than a decade ago. Namely, they're truly converged devices. True, their capabilities are today a fraction of what they'll be five years hence. Still, it's exciting stuff.

OK, so now that I've padded out this post to a reasonable length, check out the video. BTW, if you've read my earlier first-take on the G1, you'll know that I was underwhelmed by the phone, especially as it compares with Apple's iPhone. Similarly, I was struck by the fact that Sergey and Larry were somewhat less magnetic in person than I'd expected. Charisma isn't something you can teach, nor even does a billion dollars in one's pocket amp up the personality quotient into rock star territory. (Though, not surprisingly, everyone wants to get close to you.)

Please understand that I am not criticizing the Googly guys. I have enormous respect for them both, and Sergey in particular appears to have a heavyweight presence. I'm just saying that these guys aren't in Mick Jagger territory. (I know many of you are thinking, thank heavens for that!).

Here now the video. (They're on Rollerblades, though you can't really see that, because I didn't shoot their feet.)

So where you wowed? Please leave a comment below, or shoot me an e-mail directly at alex@alexwolfe.net.

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