GeekWire

An ad placed on Seattle’s bus lines has caused an uproar on the web, and a fierce debate in the GeekWire offices. The ad was for Code Fellows, a Seattle-based coding school, and made what some saw as insensitive comments about Seattle’s housing crisis. We unpack the ad and the issues behind it in this lively, debate-style episode of the GeekWire Podcast. Follow all our coverage, including our stor...

Alexa, Amazon’s artificial intelligence personal assistant, can now make phone calls -- so, of course, we try it out live on this episode of the Week in Geek. Plus, hear about Microsoft’s bold new strategy and the surprise guest that showed up at the Amazon Spheres this week. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: W...

This week’s episode of Geared Up is all about electric transportation. Join Todd and GeekWire contributor Tim Ellis as they take a ride in Tim’s brand new Chevy Bolt, one of the all-electric cars making a buzz in the automotive world. We also check out Tim’s collection of electric-powered skateboards. Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on Gea...

It’s been 15 years since Reid Hoffman co-founded LinkedIn. The company was acquired by Microsoft last year for $2.6 billion and Hoffman now sits on Microsoft’s board,  but he’s still very much an entrepreneur. On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, we share Hoffman’s full talk at the recent Technology Alliance Luncheon in downtown Seattle, where he shares thoughts on how to drive entrepreneurshi...

Lots of news from the tech world this week: Microsoft takes on Apple and Google with a striking new laptop, Bill Gates and Roger Federer put on an epic tennis match and we consider what our lives would be like without Apple, Amazon, Facebook or Google. All that and more on this episode of the Week in Geek. Follow all our coverage, including all the stories we discuss in this episode, on  GeekWire....

Five years ago, GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop shared his experience about deciding to drop his unlimited AT&T data plan. Things have changed dramatically in the past five years, with new services and devices pushing change in the wireless industry. This week on Geared Up, we take a fresh look at unlimited data plans and ask: did Todd make the right decision? Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.c...

It’s earnings season, and GeekWire reporters have been busy diving into the quarterly financial reports put out by tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Nintendo and more. The reports cut through all the flashy marketing to give a glimpse into how these companies are really doing, and what products and departments are succeeding or struggling. On this episode of the Week in Geek we share a big-pictu...

E-commerce powerhouse Amazon has drastically changed the retail landscape, threatening traditional retailers left and right with their new model of selling things. A few years ago, Best Buy was a victim of that changing market and on the verge of collapse. But the company has clawed its way out of the hole thanks to a new emphasis on multi-channel commerce, in-store and online. Today we’re sitting...

Amazon unveiled a puzzling new device this week: The Echo Look, an Alexa-powered speaker that comes with a camera and lighting. It's marketed as a fashion device, but Todd and Andru aren't buying it —  in more ways than one. Plus, equally puzzling news about new projects from Twitter and Apple, and we finally get a hands-on look at the new Samsung Galaxy S8.  Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.co...

In ominous sci-fi future news this week, Facebook is working on a program that could let people type with their brain and hear with their skin. Is it a revolutionary idea or a Pandora's Box that could go wildly wrong? Plus, we hear about the world of Amazon's secretive horticultural program and bring back one of our favorite segments: The Random Channel. See links and details in  this week's show...

The new iPhone is months away from being released, but some insiders are already getting chatty about its design. On this episode of Geared Up, we take a look at the rumors and speculations about what Apple will do with the next edition of its most popular product. Meanwhile, Nintendo cut production of the popular NES classic edition — could it be gearing up for a classic edition of the SNES? Plus...

The average person is born with 60 genetic mutations. Some are harmful, some are helpful and many don't mean anything at all — but for a parent, any variation in genetics can seem like a health disaster waiting to happen. Author Bonnie Rochman joins us on this episode of the GeekWire Podcast to delve into the world of genetics and parenting, including why and when we should think about testing kid...

Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is a numbers guy. He's taking that data-focused mindset to a new project: USAFacts , a project that's bringing together mountains of data to build financial reports on U.S. government operations, like a 10-K for business leaders. GeekWire editor Todd Bishop sat down with Ballmer to get all the details on his new project, and we're sharing the full interview on th...

The GeekWire Awards are just around the corner, and on this episode of the GeekWire podcast, we take a look at our finalists. They represent the best of the best in the northwest tech community and they speak volumes about where things are headed in the coming years. Winners will be chosen by public voting and announced at our Awards on May 4 at MoPop. Check out all the finalists and vote for your...

The Xbox spring games sale started this week with some pretty sweet deals on some of the biggest games of the past few years. Plus, Apple made a rare move: an apology. The company admitted they had made a big mistake in the design of the 2013 Mac Pro and promised a new version is on its way, but not until next year.  We also dive into some of our favorite games of the moment including some fun sur...

Uber won a small victory in its legal battle with the City of Seattle this week, but the fight is far from over. In more promising news, Seattle's giant tunnel boring machine, Bertha, finally reached the finishing line of the nearly two-mile tunnel she's been creating under the city. We get first-hand accounts of both events from GeekWire reporters on this episode of the Week in Geek, and also tak...

Just in case Xfinity doesn't offer enough services, the cable and internet providor is making the leap into another industry: wireless phone service. Plus, YouTube launches its TV feature, giving subscribers live streams of local stations and limitless DVR storage, and we go hands-on with Apple's mobile photo and video editor, Clips. All that and more on this week's episode of GearedUp.  See omnys...

It may seem like something out of your favorite sci fi novel, but Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos wants to make space tourism a reality. He spoke about Blue Origin's plans for commercial space flight at the 33rd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, where GeekWire reporter Alan Boyle has been covering all the action. We're sharing a recording of that talk and his Q&A with reporters on thi...

Nine years ago, almost to the day, Seattle's NBA team, the SuperSonics, was officially relocated to Oklahoma City. And even though the city has changed by leaps and bounds since then, there's a growing movement to revive the Sonics in the city. Jeff Shulman has been documenting that movement, and the possible impacts to Seattle's tech community, on the Seattle Growth Podcast. On this episode, we t...

The speculation is over! After months of anticipation, Samsung has revealed their next smartphone: the S8. Andru got his hands on one at the launch event in New York City this week, and says it's unlike any other smartphone he's seen. On this episode of GearedUp, we take a look at what makes the S8 special, and whether it stands up to Samsung's claim that it's the biggest thing to ever happen in t...

It was a busy news week in Seattle. Rover announced it is acquiring its biggest competition; the Bezos family made a record-breaking donation to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; and the University of Washington released a heartwarming study on the effects of Pokemon Go on family bonding. Catch it all on this episode of the Week in Geek.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

A few weeks ago, Henry turned 10. That's when a new friend named Alexa entered his life. Henry's dad, GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, says welcoming Amazon's AI assistant into their home has been an enlightening, and at times difficult, transition. This week on the podcast, we sit down with Henry, Kurt and Alexa to hear about Henry's new friendship.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Starbucks and Amazon, two of Seattle's iconic businesses, started off very different from each other. But they're slowly and steadily moving towards the same goal: a hybrid of tech-driven and in-person retail. Today on the Week in Geek we ask, what does that mean for the businesses, and what would it look like if they eventually merged? Plus, we introduce a new segment: The Random Channel.  See om...

Trying to keep up with news from Apple this week was a challenge. New iPads, a new Product Red iPhone, a Snapchat-like app, and changes to Apple Watches were all in the headlines today. On this episode of GearedUp we review the news (or lack thereof) in all the announcements, plus Andru goes over some tips and tricks for getting better speeds on the Xbox One. See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Theories about the future of tech are a dime a dozen, but this week's guest has a tried-and-true method to peek into the tech ecosystem: follow the money. Greg Beams is a partner at global professional services firm EY and heads up the Entrepreneur of the Year program in the Pacific Northwest. He takes us on an in-depth study of the numbers and figures behind Seattle's tech scene, and what they sa...