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Yes, I’m from frickin’ Ohio, and I cuss up a storm
By John Cook at 12:36 am on 05/15/2013 | 19 Comments
Those around the GeekWire offices know that I occasionally like to drop an f-bomb or two every once in a while. It's not in anger, typically. It just kind of feels nice rolling off the tongue. Now, I've got an excuse for my potty mouth. It's a cultural thing. I'm from mother f***ing Ohio, dammit! Marchex, the Seattle mobile call advertising company, used a … Read More...

Tesla exec on potential North Carolina sales ban: ‘It’s an inconvenience’
By John Cook at 9:25 pm on 05/14/2013 | 18 Comments
Tesla isn't going to let a little legislation slow it down. The electric car maker, whose stock has soared 145 percent so far this year and now boasts a market value of nearly $10 billion, hit a speed bump last week after the Senate Commerce Committee in North Carolina unanimously approved a plan that would essentially stop direct-to-consumer sales of Tesla vehicles in … Read More...
Wave Welcomes New Seattle Regional Business Solutions Director!
Wave Business Solutions would like to welcome Michael Villanueva as the newest member of the Wave Business Solutions leadership team. Michael will lead the Seattle West Division sales executives in Wave’s fastest growing business segment. Michael comes to us from Time Warner Cable Business Services in LA. Welcome to the Wave Business Solutions family Michael!

Teens create business plan for floor boards that convert footsteps into electricity
By Taylor Soper at 6:30 pm on 05/14/2013 | 1 Comment
A group of Seattle-area high-schoolers is heading to a national competition after creating a business plan for piezo electric flooring boards that convert kinetic energy generated from foot steps into electricity. Teams from Seattle's TiE Young Entrepreneur (TyE) Program, a branch of local non-profit entrepreneurial network TiE Seattle, were coached in an eight-month … Read More...

Northeastern Univ. CEO: ‘Gaming in Seattle is a submarine industry’
By Taylor Soper at 4:49 pm on 05/14/2013 | Leave a Comment
Tayloe Washburn gets excited when talking about Seattle as a gaming hub. He also knows how many people play video games — 170 million — and what that could mean for the education and healthcare spaces. So it comes as no surprise that Northeastern University's Seattle branch is introducing a new program that focuses on gaming. "The gaming industry is a submarine … Read More...

tlhIngan Hol mughwI’ launchHeS microsoft bing
By Todd Bishop at 4:19 pm on 05/14/2013 | 3 Comments
That headline is Klingon for "Microsoft Bing launches Klingon language translator." We know this because we've been having fun — perhaps a little too much fun — with the Redmond company's latest creation, an homage to Star Trek that launched today as a new feature of the Microsoft Bing Translator. The Klingon feature was developed in partnership with the Klingon … Read More...

Startup valuations remain strong, but ‘down rounds’ increase to 28% of all VC deals
By John Cook at 4:12 pm on 05/14/2013 | Leave a Comment
It was a bit of a mixed message in the latest Entrepreneurs Report from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, as so-called "down rounds" increased at the same time that startup valuations in some categories went even higher. First, on valuations. The median pre-money valuations increased for series A and later-stage funding deals. For the fourth quarter, the last … Read More...

Sweet gigs: Openings at Wave, Apptio, and more!
By Emily Shahan at 3:39 pm on 05/14/2013 | Leave a Comment
Got some good ones lined up for ya. From marketing positions to network engineering and merchandising, here are our latest top picks from the GeekWire job board. Web Marketing Manager – Wave Broadband Spanning all facets of marketing, this one looks like it offers diversity. From the listing: This position includes responsibility for corporate websites, search … Read More...

New Photowerks app for iPhone and iPad makes it easier to find your own pics
By Todd Bishop at 2:48 pm on 05/14/2013 | 1 Comment
Like many people nowadays, Seattle-based indie software developer Stephen Orth uses his smartphone as his primary camera. He has more than 4,000 images on his iPhone, and prefers to keep them on the device to reminisce while waiting in line or riding the bus. But with that many images, finding a specific picture can be a challenge. The built-in Photos app in iOS is … Read More...

Gov. Inslee to sign bill that counts computer science for high school math, science credit
By Taylor Soper at 1:57 pm on 05/14/2013 | 3 Comments
Washington high schools will now allow computer science classes to count as a math or science requirement toward high school graduation. Today at Seattle's Rainier Beach High School, Washington Governor Jay Insee will sign bill HB 1472, which “provides initiatives to improve and expand access to computer science education.” He will be joined by … Read More...
Smokin’ hot avatars: Microsoft patents system for ‘attractive cartoon faces’
By Todd Bishop at 12:59 pm on 05/14/2013 | Leave a Comment
Lots of people labor over their avatars for video games and other online services, using manual tools to make their digital likenesses as flattering as possible. Why not just leave that to a computer algorithm to figure out? That's the promise of a newly approved Microsoft patent. The title is "Cartoon face generation," but the patent is more narrow than that, … Read More...

A CPR coach: New $1,795 device measures chest compressions in real time
By John Cook at 11:38 am on 05/14/2013 | Leave a Comment
Redmond-based Physio-Control today rolled out a new technology called TrueCPR which is designed to help first responders and other health professionals more accurately determine whether they are performing CPR chest compressions properly. The unit uses a proprietary technology known as Triaxial Field Induction to monitor the depth of compressions, using magnetic fields … Read More...

Twitch debuts on Xbox Live, lets you watch gamers play games
By Taylor Soper at 10:36 am on 05/14/2013 | Leave a Comment
If you're tired of moving your thumbs around after hours of gaming on the Xbox but still need your fix, the newly-released Twitch app may be the answer. Debuting today for Xbox Live Gold members, one of the "most-asked for apps" has arrived to Microsoft's console. Every month, more than 34 million people watch nearly 800,000 gamers play titles like Starcraft, League of … Read More...

These new mini robots could teach your 5-year-old how to program
By John Cook at 10:21 am on 05/14/2013 | 1 Comment
Kids love robots. And now a new San Francisco area company, backed with $1 million from the likes of Google Ventures and Madrona Venture Group, is looking to develop a new class of low-cost robots designed to help five to eight-year-olds learn the basics of programming. All Things D has details on Play-i, which is led by former Googler and ex-Amazon.com … Read More...

Lumia 925: T-Mobile scores U.S. exclusive for Nokia’s sleek new Windows Phone
By Todd Bishop at 10:02 am on 05/14/2013 | 1 Comment
Nokia unveiled its new Lumia 925 Windows Phone at an event this morning in London, and it's getting a mostly positive response from the media who were there to try it out in person. At 8.5 mm thick, the Lumia 925 is even thinner than the recently unveiled Lumia 928 (a Verizon phone). The 925 features an aluminum frame that wraps around a polycarbonate body. The device … Read More...

College grads would rather work at Microsoft over Amazon, Facebook
By Taylor Soper at 10:01 am on 05/14/2013 | Leave a Comment
Maybe it's the wacky and awesome commercials they've been putting out. Or it could be company’s reputation as an impressive charitable organization. Whatever the reason, college grads seem to want to work at Microsoft over places like Amazon and Facebook. That's the finding from Universum USA, a global research and advisory company for employers that … Read More...

Video: Melinda Gates tells Duke grads to reject the ‘Me Generation’ label
By John Cook at 9:15 am on 05/14/2013 | 1 Comment
Duke University computer science and economics grad Melinda Gates returned to her alma mater this past weekend to deliver the commencement address, telling grads to reject the notion of Time magazine's thesis in the piece "The Me Me Me Generation." "I want to encourage you to reject the cynics who say that technology is flattening your experience of the world. Please … Read More...

Nintendo wins court appeal over Wii motion-tracking patents
By Taylor Soper at 8:57 am on 05/14/2013 | Leave a Comment
The United States Federal Circuit Court of Appeals today ruled in favor of Nintendo, upholding a previous decision that video game giant did not infringe upon motion-tracking patents held by Ohio-based Motiva LLC. Back to 2008, Motiva accused Nintendo of infringing on two patents it held for "Human Movement Measurement System," and it claimed that importing the Wii … Read More...

Microsoft to release free Windows 8.1 update as public preview next month
By Todd Bishop at 8:02 am on 05/14/2013 | Leave a Comment
Microsoft this morning gave more details about the Windows 8 overhaul known previously as "Windows Blue" — confirming it will be called Windows 8.1 and be released as a free update for existing Windows 8 machines through the Windows Store. The company also said it will release a public preview of Windows 8.1 on June 26, coinciding with its Build developer conference … Read More...

Amazon.com workers in Germany strike over pay
By John Cook at 7:34 am on 05/14/2013 | Leave a Comment
About 900 workers at Amazon.com facilities in Bad Hersfeld and Leipzig, Germany have gone on strike against the online retailer, arguing for increased pay and better benefits. Reuters reports that Amazon employs about 9,000 people in Germany. The strike is being led by the large German trade union Verdi, which is looking to boost pay and benefits for workers. Amazon … Read More...

Microsoft builds Google Chat into Outlook.com webmail in new bid for switchers
By Todd Bishop at 7:15 am on 05/14/2013 | 2 Comments
Microsoft is integrating Google Chat into Outlook.com, attempting to eliminate one of the factors that prevents Gmail users from switching to Microsoft's revamped webmail service. Outlook.com users who connect their Google accounts will be able to chat with Gmail users — or "friends stuck on Gmail," as Microsoft cheekily puts it — from inside Microsoft's online … Read More...

Heralded UW computer science professor scores $6.75M for GraphLab, looking to make better online recommendations
By John Cook at 4:30 am on 05/14/2013 | 1 Comment
It was a major coup last summer when The University of Washington hooked computer science professor Carlos Guestrin, a leading data scientist and expert in machine learning. What wasn't widely known at the time was that the Guestrin-led open source project, an ambitious undertaking known as GraphLab.org, would soon sprout into its very own startup. But that's how … Read More...

Inside La Marzocco: Starbucks’ original espresso machine gets a high-tech makeover
By Alisa Reznick at 5:27 pm on 05/13/2013 | 1 Comment
Walking into the La Marzocco distribution center and showroom, the ambiance is pretty low profile. Amidst the rows of smooth, stainless steel coffee machines, the static sound of frothing milk hangs in the air as a single cappuccino is prepared. Positioned on a quiet corner in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, the warehouse and showroom blend into the rest of the pale, … Read More...

The significance of Amazon’s Appstore launch in China
By Robert O'Brien at 4:25 pm on 05/13/2013 | Leave a Comment
Amazon launched its app store in China last weekend, becoming the first Western company to offer both free and paid Android apps to consumers in the world’s largest smartphone market. Google Play, which is also available in China, carries only free content. The app store’s establishment came as a surprise to many, as China was noticeably absent from the Amazon … Read More...

Portland becomes first city to let you buy transit tickets with your smartphone
By Taylor Soper at 4:06 pm on 05/13/2013 | 1 Comment
More and more paper products are going digital, and now, Portland's transit ticketing system is the latest to do the same. TriMet, Oregon’s largest provider of bus, light rail and commuter rail transit services, today unveiled its new e-ticket app that was built by GlobeSherpa, a Portland-based provider of secure mobile ticketing software and … Read More...

Portland data visualization startup Lucky Sort gobbled up by Twitter, will shut down
By Taylor Soper at 2:54 pm on 05/13/2013 | Leave a Comment
Portland startup Lucky Sort has been acquired by Twitter and will be shutting down its service in the coming months as company employees move to Twitter's revenue engineering department. Lucky Sort, founded in 2011, crunches trends and patterns in live text-based data streams to help users better predict market movements. The startup packaged that information into … Read More...

Location-sharing startup Glympse looks to expand its reach with first public SDK
By Todd Bishop at 2:51 pm on 05/13/2013 | 3 Comments
Seattle startup Glympse has made its mark with time-based location sharing technology, letting people share their spot on the map with others in real time, for a limited period of time. Increasingly the company has also been working with partners — including BMW, Ford and many others — to incorporate the technology into their own products. And today Glympse made a move … Read More...

Shark Tank: The 3 worst startup mistakes made on TV’s best reality show
By Dan Shapiro at 2:05 pm on 05/13/2013 | 10 Comments
For a long time I've felt like I must be either the first or last entrepreneur to discover the ABC series Shark Tank. For the uninitiated, it's pure startup voyeurism: a company stands in front of a panel of five plutocrats, pitches, and either gets an investment or gets laughed off the stage. It wasn't until Jeremy Liew's great review of the latest episode that I … Read More...

Microsoft cites progress on Yahoo search ads, says it’s still committed to providing an alternative to Google
By Todd Bishop at 11:54 am on 05/13/2013 | 1 Comment
Microsoft's search advertising group says it's starting to wring more revenue out of the Internet search ads that it's serving as part of its partnership with Yahoo — despite recently needing to extend, for another year, its commitment to cover revenue shortfalls experienced by Yahoo under the arrangement. The news follows a report by the Wall Street Journal last … Read More...
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