Bridge span collapses over I-5 near Mount Vernon

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Interstate 5 is snarled this evening after a bridge spanning the Skagit River near Mount Vernon collapsed. According to KING 5, the incident occurred around 7 p.m. and northbound and southbound lanes are now closed. It’s unclear at this point what caused the collapse and how many people were injured, but eyewitnesses indicated that some… Read More…

High school hackathon: 500 budding teen geeks learn how to code

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It’s no secret that Washington is falling behind when it comes to educating our future geeks. While the state ranks fourth in the nation for tech-related companies, Washington comes in a disappointing 46th for participation in science and engineering graduate programs. Which makes what happened on Thursday inside the gymnasium of Rainier Beach High School all the more… Read More…

New look: Rhapsody iOS app gets complete makeover

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It’s makeover time for the Rhapsody iOS app, as the Seattle online music streaming company just debuted a completely redesigned version of the app. There are several differences from the old look, including a new visual homepage, updated artist and album pages, personalized organization and a new full screen player. Earlier this month, Rhapsody became the… Read More…

So this is how you make a point about sexism in gaming

"Brosie the Riveter," the prank who made a point.

This week I walked into the Idea Room at HUB Seattle and met two people whose office prank calling out sexism in gaming went all over the Internet as a positive story. A positive thing. Really. One of them, “K2″ and @k2_said on Twitter, won’t reveal her name in public. The other is artist Sam… Read More…

Bezos to Amazon shareholders: It’s not only Day One, ‘the alarm clock hasn’t gone off yet’

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The official business at Amazon’s annual shareholder meeting at Seattle Center this morning was quick and to the point, as shareholders re-elected Amazon’s board and rejected a shareholder proposal asking for more transparency in the company’s “politically motivated spending.” Then Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos took to the podium for a broad overview of the company’s… Read More…

FAA ban on electronic devices making us less productive in the air

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Earlier this year, we wrote a post about flying with our gadgets and wondered if the takeoff and landing restrictions for electronic devices actually had any validity. Several of you chimed in with some insightful comments on the matter. Now, a report from the USA Today notes that we’re becoming less productive because of the… Read More…

Jeff Bezos grilled over violent games, movies during Amazon shareholder meeting

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Amazon just wrapped up its annual meeting of shareholders at Seattle Center, with Jeff Bezos giving a broad overview of the company’s business and fielding questions from shareholders. But the hot-button issue during the Q&A wasn’t profit margins or taxes — it was the company’s policies about sales of violent games and movies. Three shareholders… Read More…

Ride sharing service Lyft zooms forward with $60M from Andreessen Horowitz

A Lyft vehicle. (Photo via the Lyft blog)

Lyft, the ride sharing service known for the distinctive pink mustaches that drivers attach to their vehicles, has raised $60 million in venture funding from Silicon Valley powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz. The new funding values the San Francisco-based company at $275 million, according to The Wall Street Journal. The new money will be used to supercharge… Read More…

Medical device maker Ekos acquired in $180M deal

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Ekos, a Bothell medical device maker whose catheter-based ultrasound devices are used to break up blood clots in legs, has been acquired by British pharmaceutical company BTG for $180 million. The deal also includes up to $40 million in additional payouts if milestones are met. In addition to Ekos, BTG also agreed to purchased Nordion’s… Read More…