Highlights from today’s top stories. Subscribe here to receive this rundown daily.
How’s everybody doing? That seems to be the question of the moment as friends, family and colleagues check in with one another remotely during the coronavirus outbreak. The GeekWire team shared laughs; introduced pets and kids; and caught up during a virtual lunch on Friday (above). Collaboration technology is key as we all look for new ways to connect, as Microsoft, Zoom, Slack and others are seeing.
More tips for well-being, via Karen Clark Cole, CEO of Seattle-based Blink:
- Prioritize the health and well-being of your loved ones
- Create boundaries between home and work
- Shift your work priorities
- Take the same (or more) breaks
- Find ways to stay connected
- Remember the 5:1 positivity ratio
“The magnitude of managing through this situation is the single biggest challenge many of us have faced in our lifetime,” Starbucks US president Rossann Williams told employees Friday, announcing that the company will close all company-operated stores in the US and Canada for at least two weeks, shifting entirely to a drive-through model.
Speaking of java, startups that have built their business around coffee are facing a unique blend of challenges amid the crisis. Here’s how they’re adapting.
There are still “too many social interactions in our state,” Washington Gov. Jay Inslee acknowledged Friday afternoon. But he’s not ready to issue a full “shelter in place” mandate as officials in California and New York have, sticking with voluntary restrictions for now. Inslee also implored citizens to keep in touch virtually, touching base regularly with loved ones, particularly older friends and relatives. More from the news conference.
GM and Bothell, Wash.-based Ventec Life Systems say they’re collaborating to increase production of Ventec’s next-generation ventilators, which will be sorely needed to serve waves of patients during the coronavirus outbreak. Read the story.
“Simply unfounded.” That was Amazon’s response to a letter sent by four U.S. senators who scrutinized the company’s handling of its warehouse workers amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Layoffs: Seattle tech startups are already being forced to slash jobs, while the Pacific Science Center laid off more than 300 people this week.
DIY Homeschool: GeekWire reporter Lisa Stiffler gets education and technology tips from experts, and shares her own experience working with her 11-year-old daughter, offering helpful insights for parents and kids looking to keep learning without the ability to go to school.
Looking for something to do this weekend? Some recommendations:
- Read: Here are Bill Gates’ favorite books from 2019.
- Listen: Catch up on this week’s news with our GeekWire Podcast.
- Exercise: Yes, you can still go for a run. Or try these in-home exercise apps.
- Play: The new Animal Crossing game just debuted for the Nintendo Switch.
- Watch: Team GeekWire recommendations: Ugly Delicious (Netflix); Hunters (Amazon Prime); Lost Cities with Albert Lin (Disney+); Seattle Symphony virtual concerts (YouTube at 8 p.m. PT tonight).
Acquired is Adapting: Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal, hosts and producers of the podcast Acquired, shifted the focus of their show to highlight how company leaders are adjusting to this new world. Their first episode features Mark Canlis, whose fancy Seattle restaurant pivoted to drive-thru fare that is attracting massive lines.
Seattle tech veteran Jennifer Haller was the first person to get a shot in the first U.S. clinical trial of a vaccine for coronavirus. Read about her experience, and learn more about our latest Geek of the Week.
Live Blog: Stay up-to-date on the latest coronavirus news in Seattle and the world of tech
