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December 10th, 2008

What if Steve Jobs ran GM?

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 8:19 am

Categories: Humor, Rumor, Steve Jobs

Tags: Steve Jobs, Brand, Apple Inc., General Motors Corp., Branding, Keyboards, Federal Government, Marketing, Hardware, Peripherals

picture-7a.pngIt’s insane, but we live in an economy so bad, that some are suggesting that Apple CEO Steve Jobs either a) take over GM; or b) be appointed as federal government’s “car czar” (anyone else loathe that term?) overseeing the bailout of the big three automakers. Really!

The comments on Digg about this latest rumor are definitely some of the funniest that I’ve read in a while. Some are laugh out loud hilarious. There’s a screen shot of some of the better comments here, but you’ll have to zoom in to read them.

Here’s a sample of some of my favorites, but feel free to add your own in the TalkBack below:

Acceleration and braking would be handled with a single pedal.

It would drive slower in Redmond than it would in Cupertino.

You’d have a choice of: brushed aluminum.

Steering would be done via touchscreen.

You could only use Apple brand gasoline from Apple brand gas stations.

Good stuff. This is why I love the Internet :)

Jason D. O'GradyJason D. O'Grady is the editor of PowerPage.org, which has been publishing daily mobile technology news since December 1995. For disclosures on Jason's industry affiliations, click here or to view Jason's full profile click here.

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  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 269 Talkback(s)
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?
Car wouldn't start without iTunes, and you couldn't see out the windows without Quicktime. (Read the rest)
Posted by: fionncreagh@... Posted on: 12/31/08 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
Talk is cheap  zmud | 12/10/08
With about $25 Billion in cash  Ken_z | 12/10/08
Then I guess the auto industry needs to  GuidingLight | 12/10/08
"But seeing that these are two completely different industries"  joeldm | 12/10/08
you apple idiots need a life  seannj427 | 12/10/08
Car won't start until you install itunes.  Chippolus | 12/10/08
Funny how no one is suggesting Bill Gates take over GM!  KaplanMike | 12/10/08
What the user wants it to be  frgough | 12/10/08
Look who's writing the story  Pliny the Elder | 12/10/08
Proprietary is what we would see.  mjolnar@... | 12/10/08
This is your answer  nizuse | 12/10/08
Reply to Pliny the Elder  914four | 12/11/08
Truer words have never...  likeabite | 12/11/08
Bill Gates?  lmenningen | 12/11/08
Easy...  bentedgz | 12/15/08
Apple was a all but a corpse  bknabe@... | 12/16/08
I agree  Dena81 | 12/11/08
Talent Supercedes Experience  godsfault | 12/11/08
If "SJ" is....  bentedgz | 12/15/08
What is this?  daMan25 | 12/10/08
Well, you outed yourself nicely  Pliny the Elder | 12/10/08
Cars and Electronics Don't Mix?  cfostel | 12/11/08
Yep....  daMan25 | 12/10/08
The foreign companies don't have to deal with  Pliny the Elder | 12/10/08
Not so sure about his business acumen  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
You obviously don't know how to read a balance sheet...  Spiritusindomit@... | 12/10/08
Maybe you would care to explain it to us.  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
Not to mention...  914four | 12/11/08
Apple itself went through a very trying time and  James Quinn | 12/10/08
It is one thing to get the college student  GuidingLight | 12/10/08
From what I've seen, ...  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
See I have lived and continue to live in a different  James Quinn | 12/11/08
oh, I dunno...  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
Cars are not an unusual graduation gift  bknabe@... | 12/16/08
Very true  rparker009 | 12/10/08
Better check out your history.  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
...and in most quarters...  Leeroy_Jenkins | 12/11/08
Jobs at GM???  BernieLyons | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  Sleeper Service | 12/10/08
And run very well... last for years:)  James Quinn | 12/10/08
but at what price?  adr5@... | 12/10/08
That sounds like...  Ben_E | 12/10/08
no, tell that to BMW, Lexus and now Hyundi?  ralphrides | 12/10/08
Here is why  mjolnar@... | 12/10/08
True about quality issue, sort of...  RobinSoCal@... | 12/11/08
In the end, Quality doesn't matter  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
70's and 80's? - try again  oldbaritone | 12/11/08
A Major Error Here...  bohannjn | 12/13/08
Maybe you should watch...  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
iCar  Jkirk3279 | 12/10/08
Oh, the UAW would love that  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
Porsche is the most profitable car company in the world...  914four | 12/11/08
expensive - but really reliable  james.strange@... | 12/10/08
expensive and reliable  hizaleus | 12/10/08
Windows limit outlook  Bludnok_z | 12/10/08
Take your Windows ranting and  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/10/08
THIS From a Proven Bush Nazi Micro$haft Bigot Like Ax!  drprod@... | 12/10/08
Hey  rparker009 | 12/10/08
I love this kind of non-thinking  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
When the battery dies ...  bkshort@... | 12/10/08
And gorgeous is what it's all about  Crestview | 12/10/08
If Stevie Boy ran GM...  ths40 | 12/10/08
Not quite right there....  James Quinn | 12/10/08
Actually  Badgered | 12/10/08
Not in Steve's nature I tend too think...  James Quinn | 12/10/08
A C C E P T  tikigawd | 12/10/08
Really?  Linux User 147560 | 12/10/08
Check the cost os the Battery.  mjolnar@... | 12/10/08
For God's sake...it was a JOKE!  ths40 | 12/10/08
I understood that you just messed up the punch line:)  James Quinn | 12/10/08
You should know by now  Azathoth | 12/10/08
IPhone battery VS Car battery  Starman35 | 12/10/08
energy density  adr5@... | 12/10/08
Aluminum Gallium Alloy  Jkirk3279 | 12/10/08
A Few Questions  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
Who cares how big his head is?????  kelsey1944@... | 12/10/08
Not only that  jgaskell | 12/10/08
Almost right  Crestview | 12/10/08
You have to do that now  frgough | 12/10/08
And of course  voyager529 | 12/10/08
Now that is funny: Apple approve roads wink  james.strange@... | 12/10/08
What if Steve Ballmer ran GM?  Henrik Moller | 12/10/08
It would be billions in the black  Crestview | 12/10/08
Yep  frgough | 12/10/08
So many have no clue what it takes to run GM  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/10/08
What is blatantly obvious is ...  dkawalec | 12/10/08
Or as Jay Leno put it  GuidingLight | 12/10/08
So funny, so true and so sad.  James Quinn | 12/10/08
I disagree...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/10/08
Oh come on..... while I grant you that others  James Quinn | 12/10/08
Of course GM knows it, AMERICANS didn't buy them!  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/10/08
GM knows it?  arkware | 12/10/08
NoAxe, get a clue  nizuse | 12/10/08
I'd like too have both......  James Quinn | 12/10/08
Jim  gandalas | 12/11/08
NOPE .... I support Macs:)  James Quinn | 12/12/08
One question.....  James Quinn | 12/10/08
Cash reserves  alajon | 12/10/08
Drained  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/10/08
I disagree.  Hates Idiots | 12/10/08
Bad vehicle to pick on . . .  JLHenry | 12/10/08
Owns a pickup truck.-Perfect target.  Hates Idiots | 12/11/08
I'm sick of Detroit Bigotry  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
RE: Drained  Rddake73@... | 12/10/08
You're obviously looking at the wrong banks, ...  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
*** Cars Proves You Wrong  chessmen | 12/10/08
I'm not  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
Remember, Apple almost went bankrupt a few times  jvin248 | 12/10/08
There is some truth to that but in the end and one  James Quinn | 12/10/08
economy woes?  vilppuu@... | 12/11/08
Louse Economy or Lousy Decision Making?  marc_90292@... | 12/10/08
So in what other ways is Detroit different  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
So GM leadership decisions are right ...  dkawalec | 12/10/08
A clear example of this...  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
who knows?  adr5@... | 12/10/08
Obviously not you  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/10/08
Facts please.  nizuse | 12/10/08
A company that can't turn a profit  Crestview | 12/10/08
Exactly!  zach.winchester | 12/10/08
Have what it takes??  jonpolliard | 12/10/08
This is a blog, NoAxe  nizuse | 12/10/08
Steve's cars would be just like...  TheTruthisOutThere@... | 12/10/08
At twice the price  Crestview | 12/10/08
Tech? Telsa is doing so good... NOT  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/10/08
Of course  adr5@... | 12/10/08
More like Americans have to accept change  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/10/08
Accepting change...  arkware | 12/10/08
Why do Americans have to accept  frgough | 12/10/08
Toyota and Honda Made Their Fortune Selling Small Cars  chessmen | 12/10/08
Not wanting small cars . . .  JLHenry | 12/10/08
You've convinced me  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
I accept change!  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
Tesla  Jkirk3279 | 12/10/08
There's actually some sensible reasoning here  bmeacham98@... | 12/10/08
Job's first action as GM CEO:  shollomon | 12/10/08
I fugured the first thing he would do is to  GuidingLight | 12/10/08
Stock Options  shollomon | 12/10/08
Message has been deleted.  BALTHOR | 12/10/08
please, sir  spinin | 12/10/08
native americans??  inertman@... | 12/10/08
Yes, and no  Jkirk3279 | 12/10/08
Or maybe just BORN here....  Crestview | 12/10/08
So we go all the way back to Adam and Eve?  Crestview | 12/10/08
Fine!  magallanes | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  schroder@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  Starman35 | 12/10/08
"Break Down Never to Be Repaired?"  joeldm | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  Old-n-Grey | 12/10/08
Steve Jobs Gets Too Much Credit  Grexican | 12/10/08
Steve Jobs is only an Apple God  Crestview | 12/10/08
It would be profitable and you could download a car!  ralphrides | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  sboverie@... | 12/10/08
better with new ideas  james.strange@... | 12/10/08
Better with New Ideas?  sboverie@... | 12/11/08
I would argue your point...  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
Apple should just buy GM  dklcheng | 12/10/08
And replacing the battery  Crestview | 12/10/08
STOP the bail out  James Schroer | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  VitaSigns_CSI@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  brownbagmusic@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  spowell@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  Mr_Wizard | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  khess | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  ja4509 | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  james.strange@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  rparker009 | 12/10/08
Bailout  Jkirk3279 | 12/10/08
Better do some more research, rparker...  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
Mine is spot on  rparker009 | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  DMRadio | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  tbrnet2b@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  Graham Ellison | 12/10/08
Nail on the head!  TimmyB | 12/10/08
Revisionist history strikes again  frgough | 12/10/08
No I think its a bit different....  James Quinn | 12/12/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  ratfret | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  The Rog | 12/10/08
What if Mitt Romney took over GM?  daepowell@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  NefariousWheel | 12/10/08
dont you mean  madmax_2069 | 12/10/08
I don't think so.  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  madmax_2069 | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  fcanapa | 12/10/08
Two vastly different marketing structures  jvin248 | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  dmccall | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  tech_ed@... | 12/10/08
If the economy is so bad...  Spiritusindomit@... | 12/10/08
$24k maybe for a max out Mac Pro  madmax_2069 | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  lolszewski | 12/10/08
"his consumers"  mswift@... | 12/10/08
Steve Jobs just as much as Bill Gates or any serious net pioneer..  Silex | 12/10/08
Has anyone else stopped to consider...  Spiritusindomit@... | 12/10/08
Examples?  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
For example  sboverie@... | 12/11/08
And how are these illegal?  vulpine@... | 12/11/08
Not Illegal  sboverie@... | 12/12/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  dogmai | 12/10/08
And..  magallanes | 12/10/08
Would he want to preside over a bankruptcy?  channelmkt | 12/10/08
Gay and built in China.  magallanes | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  clava | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  number9 | 12/10/08
And what's so different about that?  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
iCar Genius Bay  oldbaritone | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  bgonetoo | 12/10/08
No more bailouts  Christian C Spence | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  baceman007 | 12/10/08
Holy Smokes! Take a breath, man!  vulpine@... | 12/10/08
Mitt Romney is the serious answer  PhotoLeon1935 | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  rib4937 | 12/10/08
The ego's certainly match  Crestview | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  j3hdz@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  Laraine Anne Barker | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  nakedjazzman | 12/10/08
drug czar, car czar, what czar?  ticthak@... | 12/10/08
Political Science  sboverie@... | 12/11/08
No, calling government control of  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
As Heinlein said  sboverie@... | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  dcmorton | 12/10/08
I'd Rather Have Steve, than Monkey Boy  swbobcat | 12/10/08
We got glossy windows  rhon@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  mitch_marcotte@... | 12/10/08
Would he sell a Lisa ?  mitch_marcotte@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  badders46 | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  fletcher.khoo | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  gaelicfog@... | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  perdewjd | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  zach.winchester | 12/10/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  chromeronin | 12/10/08
All parking problems would be solved happy  nitinbhag@... | 12/10/08
You Know, the Vicious Shrieking of the M$FT Fanbois is Jobs's Best Defense  drprod@... | 12/10/08
Ah, yes, liberal intellect at its finest  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
new models for resource allocation needed  tapcity | 12/10/08
Resource Allocation  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
bucking up the free market system  tapcity | 12/13/08
ONE PROPRIETARY  westks | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  NegativeElectrons | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  kbrumann | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  arthuryee@... | 12/11/08
Shouldn't you Americans be following in Steve's footsteps - drive a Merc!  jonathan.greenwood@... | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  ashmulay80 | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  Sir_bobbyuk | 12/11/08
What does Steve drive?  PMDubuc | 12/11/08
Opps  docbillnet | 12/11/08
Manual transmission  docbillnet | 12/11/08
There was a car like that!  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
No Windows  docbillnet | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  ted_leblanc@... | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  ted_leblanc@... | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  qdunder | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  likeabite | 12/11/08
Error, Error! Statement is incorrect!  vulpine@... | 12/16/08
American cars would drop to a 100market share...  bernalillo | 12/11/08
Some old humor regarding computers and the car industry  cmryan@... | 12/11/08
What if Linus Torvalds ran GM?  hiraghm@... | 12/11/08
What if GM was GNU GM  eliddle | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  chromeronin | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  justFEA | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  stand3 | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  tacbinh | 12/11/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  anonymous_dan | 12/11/08
Follow-Up: What if Jesus ran Harley-Davidson?  SteveMak | 12/12/08
This is hilarious (nt)  reapur | 12/12/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  smiller987 | 12/12/08
What if he dies tomorrow ?  Gradius2 | 12/14/08
If Jobs ran GM  rkegel@... | 12/14/08
Oranges are in vogue  checkingher | 12/14/08
Job's ?? Better off with Gates  randers8 | 12/17/08
RE: What if Steve Jobs ran GM?  fionncreagh@... | 12/31/08

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