Get caught up on the latest technology and startup news from the past week. Here are the most popular stories on GeekWire for the week of Dec. 6, 2020.
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Most popular stories on GeekWire
Amazon Sidewalk rollout shows the future of ‘forced opt-in,’ taking lessons from Xfinity Wifi
How would you feel if you were a homeowner and woke up one morning to find people on a new sidewalk on your property, seemingly with no warning? … Read More
SpaceX’s Starship flies high-altitude test that ends with a bang — and with congrats from Jeff Bezos
SpaceX put its Starship super-rocket through its first high-altitude test today — and although the flight ended in a fiery crash, the performance was impressive enough to draw congratulations from Jeff Bezos, who’s locked in a multibillion-dollar rivalry with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. … Read More
How I became a ‘Pop’ icon: Testing Funko’s new personalized figurine-building experience
Move over Captain America, Hulk, Princess Leia, Russell Wilson and every other pop culture icon in Funko’s world of Pop! … Read More
First glimpse of Amazon’s new robotaxi: Zoox autonomous vehicle spotted during video shoot
Isn’t it always the urban video shoot that spoils the big car reveal? … Read More
Seattle tech leaders including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella are investing in cricket teams
Startup founders and tech giant CEOs are putting money behind cricket teams and leagues, betting that the sport will continue growing in popularity — even in the U.S., where it has struggled to gain a foothold. … Read More
Washington state extends COVID-19 lockdown restrictions another three weeks through Jan. 4
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced Tuesday that the state’s COVID-19 restrictions will be in place for at least an additional three weeks through Jan. … Read More
QuantumScape pursues ‘breakthrough’ in lithium batteries — with tips from Bill Gates
Bill Gates isn’t just investing in QuantumScape’s potentially revolutionary lithium-metal battery technology — he’s giving the venture advice as well. … Read More
‘Five good books for a lousy year’: Bill Gates turns the page on 2020 with his annual holiday list
You don’t have to be a genius to get a read on how rough 2020 has been. … Read More
Emptied by pandemic and overtaken by cranes, Microsoft HQ is a symbol of the changing world
REDMOND, Wash. — The heart of Microsoft’s headquarters campus was full of noise and activity on a recent weekday afternoon, as crews worked beneath a sky full of cranes to keep the tech giant’s massive redevelopment project on track. … Read More
2020 Game Awards: Nintendo reveals new Smash character; ‘Among Us’ debuts a new map; and more
This year’s Game Awards took place Thursday as a socially-distant event, with hosts Geoff Keighley and Sydnee Goodman presiding over an evening of announcements, teasers, trailers, and occasionally, even the presentation of an award. … Read More