Sparrow acquired by Google • Hacker News Board

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#31

Post by trevorturk » Fri, Jul 20, 2012, 4:21 PM UTC

I want a refund.

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#32

Post by untog » Fri, Jul 20, 2012, 4:22 PM UTC

atirip wrote: post #18

My first reaction was - oh fuck. Am I alone.

Why? If you use Sparrow, you use Gmail. So it's an odd place for a Google-hater to be.

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#33

Post by robin_reala » Fri, Jul 20, 2012, 4:22 PM UTC

SquareWheel wrote: post #4

Ah, just bought Sparrow for iOS. Expecting it to go freeware shortly. edit: Ah, and they're not going to be adding any new features. http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/20/3172222/google-buys-sparro...

Not everything that Google buys does. SketchUp was never free as far as I can remember.

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#34

Post by Kiro » Fri, Jul 20, 2012, 4:22 PM UTC

masklinn wrote: post #22

dabeeeenster wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And the cost will be $0?

And it will stop being maintained

Yeah, because Google has no interest in maintaining the official Gmail app...

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#35

Post by kyleslattery » Fri, Jul 20, 2012, 4:22 PM UTC

The email Sparrow is sending out, looks like there won't be any future feature additions:

  Hello,

  We're excited to let you know that Sparrow has been
  acquired by Google! You can view our public announcement
  here, but I wanted to reach out directly to make sure you
  were aware of the news.

  We will continue to make available our existing products,
  and we will provide support and critical updates to our
  users. However, as we’ll be busy with new projects at
  Google, we do not plan to release new features for the
  Sparrow apps.

  It’s been an honor and a pleasure to build products for all
  of our wonderful users who have supported us over the
  years. We can't thank you enough.
  We look forward to working on some new and exciting
  projects at Google!

  Dom Leca
  CEO
  Sparrow

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#36

Post by simonbarker87 » Fri, Jul 20, 2012, 4:22 PM UTC

Congratulations but...

Argh, I love Sparrow. Why couldn't you do the 37 Signals/Panic/Mail Chimp thing and not sell and just be a nice profitable company that provides some consistency - ohwell.

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#37

Post by BlackNapoleon » Fri, Jul 20, 2012, 4:23 PM UTC

I wish Apple acquired them.

iOS Mail needs those gestures more than Google does.

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#38

Post by carlsednaoui » Fri, Jul 20, 2012, 4:23 PM UTC

atirip wrote: post #18

My first reaction was - oh fuck. Am I alone.

Same here. Im always afraid that an acquisition will turn a service I love into some long-forgotten lines of codes as the team works on new projects.

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#39

Post by mtgx » Fri, Jul 20, 2012, 4:24 PM UTC

I haven't used Sparrow, since I don't have an iOS device, but any particular reason why Google thought they needed to buy it? What could Sparrow bring to the Gmail mobile app that Google couldn't do themselves (or well enough)? Or maybe they just wanted it so the competition doesn't get it first, just like Facebook wanted Instagram?

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#40

Post by coryjacobsen » Fri, Jul 20, 2012, 4:24 PM UTC

This is a huge accomplishment for the Sparrow team. Now lets hope Google doesn't do what they do best and ruin this beautiful app.