“Oh my God. It’s another one.” That was my wife’s reaction when she saw that a third Amazon Alexa device had infiltrated our household. It’s understandable. First, tall, slender Echo.… Read More
The clock is ticking in the campaign to save a beloved media institution based in the Seattle area. With 24-hour jazz and exclusive in-studio artist sessions (plus quirky promos and lively personalities),… Read More
Befitting its stature, here is the capsule review: Amazon’s new Echo Dot smart speaker is the Echo you’ve been waiting for if you mainly want its flexible, functional voice commands and… Read More
Amazon has almost perfected a shopping experience for browsers — and I mean human, not web. Four months after the first Amazon Books physical store opened in Seattle’s University Village, Amazon… Read More
Tomorrow sucks. That, in a nutshell, seems to be the assessment of many film reviewers and even the box office receipts when it comes to the futuristic Disney release, Tomorrowland. Expected… Read More
It’s been a most-frenzied spring of conferences in the new hotbed of startup and investor tech opportunity, education technology. And “frenzied” isn’t too strong of a description. At one point… Read More
On Friday, May 1, the Seattle Symphony will present the world premiere of a new work. It will be conducted by Music Director Ludovic Morlot and feature ten human musicians… Read More
The future of science fiction and fantasy’s most prominent award may be decided on its flight from Seattle to Spokane. If, that is, the prominence survives the trip, thanks to… Read More
Sad Tomagotchis. Dead batteries in Robotics Camp capstone projects. Discarded Legos discovered by bare feet in the middle of the night – with no one around to blame. If you have… Read More
Comcast has my TV business. And despite the deep emotional satisfaction I might derive from cutting that particular cable, it is keeping that business. Despite the fact it’s Comcast. It has… Read More
One of the knottiest problems in applying technology to education is the holy grail of “personalization:” How to adjust and adapt instructional materials automatically, so that every child is both… Read More
So far in 2015, I’m doing a great job of keeping my only resolution – to give up coffees. Not coffee, the staff-of-life-steaming beverage. (God forbid, no.) But those meaningless,… Read More
It’s not whether you embrace the light side or the dark side. It’s how you dress the part. That, in a nutshell, sums up Rebel, Jedi, Princess, Queen: Star Wars and… Read More
Education technology is a weird little industry. But you may never fully appreciate exactly how weird until you start to dig into the numbers for 2014 — a record year for investment… Read More
All hail paper, the book reading technology resurgent. Eight years after the first Amazon Kindle and five years since the first Apple iPad, lowly pressed wood pulp is on the… Read More
I have seen the future. And it looks a bit ratty. That was my not-so-charitable reaction when I got up-close with eyewear from the 1995, post-apocalyptic Kevin Costner film Waterworld… Read More
At one end of the intelligent audio spectrum is the gadget that hangs on to your every word, a vocal personal assistant role to which Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana and… Read More
This month marks the 50th anniversary of one of the technological marvels of modern geek culture. I am, of course, referring to the animated Rankin/Bass television special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed… Read More
I’ll never forget the gift I unwrapped last Christmas. It came by digital delivery: A colorful package of incendiary words from an anonymous giver, conveyed with the care one would… Read More
Dear Santa Tech, I won’t humblebrag: I’ve been good this year. Very good. I didn’t click on links in email sent by people I don’t know, I maintained unique passwords… Read More
We are living in the era of artificial scientific literacy. And for that I blame iPhones, geek culture, and STEM. Especially the term “STEM.” My recognition of the pervasiveness of… Read More
Sure, Interstellar is smart spectacle. But is it good science fiction? In short: Interstellar tries hard. Maybe a little too hard. As a one-time writer of the form, I use… Read More
I am not the me that others think I should be. Especially if you judge my identity by those who co-opt my name and personal details – or put my… Read More
As a species, we don’t seem to get any smarter about rumors and misinformation – even if our technology evolves. Take Ebola and compare its scares to those of another… Read More
How much perceived privacy are you willing to give up to reduce pain? That’s one of the questions Alaska Airlines is wrestling with when it comes to bringing biometrics –… Read More
Thought experiment: You have developed a groundbreaking computing device, a worthy hardware challenger to every laptop, tablet, phablet, and phone known. Through a totally unrealistic quirk of licensing fate, you… Read More
I’m about to overshare on sharing. I have good reason. In mid-June, my wife Dee Dee was diagnosed with breast cancer. Among the many hard decisions we had to make… Read More
Educators had the right to feel a little freaked out about Microsoft’s announcement that it was acquiring Minecraft maker Mojang. Microsoft’s news release stated, “The Mojang team will join Microsoft… Read More
When I first heard Apple was making a Big Announcement on September 9, I thought it was great that a Cupertino-based company was honoring California statehood day. It was more… Read More
At times, the coolest technology isn’t the bright-shiny object that glares at you demanding recognition of its awesomeness. It’s the type that quietly and discreetly makes your life easier. Even… Read More