Technologizer’s Frenemies List

Harry McCracken — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:02:40 +0000

Frenemies! They kind of love each other–except when they kind of hate each other. You’ll find them all over (including in the White House, starting next month). But there may be more of them in the technology industry than anywhere else. In fact, they’re essential to the business as we know it.

In recognition of that fact, we’ve rounded up and ranked a dozen prime examples. (One thing we discovered while performing this exercise: Most large technology companies have multiple frenemies.) Check out our roster, then continue the conversation with more examples, won’t you?

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The Best of Frenemies

Harry McCracken — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:01:16 +0000

Frenemy: Someone who is both friend and enemy, a relationship that is both mutually beneficial or dependent while being competitive, fraught with risk and mistrust.

–Urban Dictionary

That’s not a bad first stab at a definition, but let’s expand on it: A frenemy can be a friend who evolves into an enemy. Or an enemy who morphs into a friend. Or a friend who seems to be an enemy, or an enemy who seems to be a friend. Or someone who teeters precariously between friendship and enemyhood, sometimes over the course of decades. One thing, however, is undeniable about frenemies: The technology world has always been rife with them. Consider these twelve outstanding examples–past, present, and future.

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Technologizer » Frenemies

Technologizer’s Frenemies List

The Best of Frenemies