Google CEO Eric Schmidt was recently captured in a picture by BusinessInsider, showing him using a phone that clearly sports a BlackBerry logo on the back. It seems that the device of choice for the CEO of Android’s owner is a BlackBerry Curve – strange huh?

A lot of other people felt the same, for example Gizmodo ran a story that – while not scathing – certainly questioned Mr. Schmidt without holding anything back. Here s a snippet:

You’re telling me that the CEO can’t get his code monkeys to create some custom Android software that connects to a special server and does everything a BlackBerry can? And it doesn’t seem like a one night stand either—the ratty Google sticker on the back of the phone (presumably a Curve 8900) seems to indicate the thing gets some serious usage.

Could you imagine El Jobso (or Phil Schiller, for that matter), toting around an HTC Touch Pro 2? And I’ll give you one guess what Roger McNamee and Jon Rubinstein are using (three letters…starts with P, ends with E). Tsk, tsk. Do better, Mr. Schmidt.

I agree that an Android Phone should undoubtedly be the phone of choice for the Google’s CEO… but think about it – do you REALLY think he should ONLY have ONE phone? Google provides services for virtually ALL mobile platforms including iPhones and BlackBerries. In fact, sometimes Google launches products and services for competing mobile platforms before Android!

I think it would negligent for Mr. Schmidt NOT to be using and testing other phones both so he can analyze them from a competitive standpoint and so he can assess the strength of Google’s products on the device.

I’m not the CEO of one of the world’s most powerful company’s but I have 3 phones on 3 carriers:

G1 on T-Mobile Pre on Sprint Voyager on Verizon

I love my Android the most but I carry my other phones often as well and expect Eric Schmidt might do the same for similar reasons. What do you think… should his BlackBerry sighting inexcusable or a necessary evil?