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Sparrow acquired by Google

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Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#141

Post by omgsean »

rglover wrote: post #102
justauser wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I read the grandparent correctly(and I do agree), the best destination is not Apple, Google or anyone for that matter but rather to stay in the game as an independent. Where are the small companies that are building for sustainment? All of these product disappearances do have a long-term effect of causing users to hesitate before signing up to use your offering.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. Especially in the case of a product that had revenue/customers, I can't see why you'd want to quit just to go get a job. Sure you'll make some money and your work may have a larger scope to impact, but why not be known as that awesome company that makes awesome things?

To quote Krusty the Clown: "They drove a dump truck full of money up to my house!"

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#142

Post by thematt »

ceejayoz wrote: post #95
sammcd wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Great software for half off doesn't seem like a scam to me. The app still works.

Timing a sale right before an announcement you're well aware will drop sales numbers off a steep cliff looks pretty deceptive to me.

It's a standalone app, it's not going to stop functioning. $4.99 is a deal, regardless of whether there would be future versions or not.

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#143

Post by veidr »

rogerchucker wrote: post #55
rglover wrote: post #46

This is getting extremely frustrating. Sparrow is a fabulous email client both for iOS and Mac. I love and use both daily and this is fairly devastating. I was really looking forward to the products development, growth, and future releases. To read this announcement and hear that they won't be working on their apps but on Google projects is sad. To bigger companies: chill out with the "acquihires." If anything, do wh…

Clearly Sparrow was created for Gmail - so it's in Google's best interest to use those guts to enhance the Gmail app and dump the Sparrow app itself eventually. I thought that statement about not adding features is a clear indicator of that. I don't see why one would get frustrated with that or ... feel devastated about it.

Well devastated is (hopefully) overstating the matter, but it certainly is frustrating to see an app you use every day -- one not yet perfect, but already the best email client on iOS (or any phone OS) -- get discontinued.

Sparrow was indeed originally created for gmail, but what it is today is the very best standard IMAP mail client you can get on a phone.

Unfortunately, it won't be getting any better, though.

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#145

Post by rogerchucker »

rglover wrote: post #102
justauser wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I read the grandparent correctly(and I do agree), the best destination is not Apple, Google or anyone for that matter but rather to stay in the game as an independent. Where are the small companies that are building for sustainment? All of these product disappearances do have a long-term effect of causing users to hesitate before signing up to use your offering.

That's exactly what I'm talking about. Especially in the case of a product that had revenue/customers, I can't see why you'd want to quit just to go get a job. Sure you'll make some money and your work may have a larger scope to impact, but why not be known as that awesome company that makes awesome things?

If my memory serves me right, a startup that builds apps to improve the experience of a pre-existing service doesn't stay for long as an awesome company that makes awesome things. It usually either plateaus out or gets gobbled up eventually.

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#148

Post by veidr »

rogerchucker wrote: post #58
BlackNapoleon wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Agreed. Sparrow needed to be acquired by Apple. Period. Imagine iOS mail with Sparrow's gestures and organization? Fantastic.

I think Google was the best destination for Sparrow simply because sparrow was created for Gmail. If Apple acquired it then it's focus would be iCloud email which is garbage.

I think it might be a good destination for the Sparrow creators, but this is not the best outcome for those of us who are Sparrow users.

I agree iCloud mail is garbage, but frankly so is Gmail.

The sentiment that it would be better if Apple had bought it, I think, is more of a wish that some of Sparrow's awesome would rub off on the standard iOS mail client, since it is a similar app for the same platform.

Re: Sparrow acquired by Google

#150

Post by alexobenauer »

jcurbo wrote: post #77

First Thunderbird then this, what's a native-email-app user to do? I wonder what ever happened to that Letters email app for OS X that people were wanting to build? There was a flurry of activity and complaints about Mail.app and then nothing.

We're working on Mail Pilot (http://mail-pilot.com/) which will have Mac & iOS apps, among others (Android, Windows, Linux).
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