webOS UI designer to join Google's Android team

By on May 27, 2010 at 12:51 PM
mobile May 27, 2010

matias-duarte-palmLove Android? Think its UI could use a little unifying sexification? Well, you may be in luck. All Things Digital/Digital Daily is reporting that Matias Duarte, Palm’s senior director of human interface and user experience who was largely responsible for webOS, has left Palm HP, and will be joining Google’s Android team. His official position over at Google will be: “User Experience Director for Android.” Before joining Palm in 2007 Matias was the design chief at Heilio, and previous to that he was project lead on the team that designed the Danger Hiptop mobile device. Congrats Duarte, and we look forward to your future work.

UPDATE: Engadget confirms this with Google.

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21 Comments

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  • TONY

    This is good.

    He will bounce back like this guy:

  • TypicalAppleHatingDBAG

    Yeah suck it Apple. I hate you.

    • Mr. Anderson

      for real? why bro? there’s wasn’t even any appletalk in this article. just go somewhere & woosah b, damn

      • crappypunk

        that guy worked for apple with andy rubin

  • http://music.kwaping.com Kwaping

    That’s great news! Android could definitely use a face lift. I hope this guy is given the freedom he needs to accomplish his mission.

  • andy

    I use a iphone but have to say web os is allot better. this guy also created halo a ui for helio. he is incredible talented. the real winner is going to be Android.

    • andy

      HP should have tripled his salary just to keep him. he also wrote ui for the sidekick. the name of his team was danger. His old partner is working for google already. So you can expect the whole danger team to working on Android. Android fanboys(i am not) are going to eat triple
      butter cream cake update 3.0

  • Gauntlet Down

    Why is HP buying Palm again?

    Android with a webOS-equivalent UI….looks like it’s coming, huh?

    Why is HP paying BILLIONS of dollars on Palm again?

  • Onceuponatime

    HP bought palm for WebOs and their extensive, heavy patient catalog. Just because a guy on the design team of WebOs joins google, doesn’t mean you’ll see an equivalent. Bright sights for android, for sure. They just better jump the gun and get ahead now!!

  • http://doubletwist Ted

    Bring It

  • b00dah

    Ok, I usually find myself being critical of just about anything these days but this is most worthy of many kudos. Duarte is the man and Android, in my opinion, has always needed a “visual facelift” and now it’s gonna get one. :)

    This IS good. If he makes Android as sweet as it can be AND either Google or “someone” makes an iTunes equivalent app then Android will be the sweet-minty Holy Grail!

  • stevesvagina

    FU Apple

  • Gordon

    Good pickup for Google. Both the ui for Google and Apple look dated next to WebOS.

  • Electrofreak

    Pretty fail of Palm not to have this guy under a no-compete clause in his contract.

    But very win for Google…

    • http://rossmanngroup.com Louis Rossmann

      If I were that good at what I did I would never sign a no-compete contract!

  • I told you so.com

    people dont know there facts that well but its ok since theres more information behind closed doors us at precentral have heard. First the guy has been a issue with the Deve team, and is responsiable for the design of the pre (so like it or hate he came up with the design) also there are two other guys that made the UI with him, and there still with Palm so its not a huge lose as everyone thinks for palm. Third HP is utilizing webos in smartphones as well as tablets and printers so they didnt just buy them for the patents.

  • B

    This is a pretty big deal. Google has a tendency to produce rather quickly when integrating (see: assimilating) new engineers and companies too. I can’t wait to see what comes next for Android.

  • MikeD

    This is a good thing for Android OS.

    Looks like the polish is about to be applied to the interface.

    looking forward to the results.

  • FreeRange

    Hmmmm – he worked on Sidekick and then Palm. Two spectacular failures. It’s like putting lipstick on a pig and Android’s next.

  • Joe

    @ FreeRange it wasnt the UI that killed those devices off btw.

    This is great news and I look forward to seeing what this guy brings to Android. And happy to see that M$ didn’t gobble him up when they took over Danger. (yes I said gobble)

  • Nellibly

    Just when I was thinking of switching to Android after rejecting the new Palm. Sigh.

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