Andy Rubin
Industry: Telecommunications
Title: Vice President, Engineering
Organization: Google
Credit Rubin for giving Apple's (AAPL) mobile OS a serious run for its money. In stark contrast to Steve Jobs' marriage of hardware and software, the open-source Android OS allows any OEM to use it for phones, set-top boxes, or car navigation systems. Android powers more than 30 devices, including Google's (GOOG) Nexus One smart phone and Barnes & Noble's Nook e-reader.Up next? Android for enterprise, scheduled for release this year. "There's really not all that much of a difference between what [phone] you're carrying around as a consumer and what the enterprise might be giving you from an IP perspective," says Rubin. "The hardware's the same. The only real difference is the software that will improve functionality and allow a consumer to come to the enterprise with [their own] cell phone ...and use it for enterprise functionality." Rubin wants Android to be that software.
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