This is my favorite time of the year. Because it’s the only time when there are no public broadcasting pledge drives. But wait. While I was typing this sentence my… Read More
I’m the kind of guy who worries when something gets too popular. I looked askance at novels (especially science fiction) that made it to mainstream bestseller lists when written by… Read More
The certainty in the headlines is almost palpable. “eBooks Now ‘Dominant Single Format’ in Adult Fiction Sales,” shouted book publishing site GalleyCat. “Kindle ebook sales have overtaken Amazon print sales,”… Read More
When a company providing financial services emphasizes digital convenience, you’d think that also applies to its customer service. After all, nearly every major bank and credit union pushes online banking,… Read More
One could successfully argue that modern geek culture wouldn’t exist in its current form without 20th century science fiction and its fan culture, the true Ancient Geeks. Tech’s unconferences have… Read More
You say you know what it’s like to live like a geek. But do you know how to fly like one? I do. And not like the annoyingly self-important “look… Read More
Twice in the span of one month I did something I hadn’t done for a decade — worked in a newsroom. Those two partial weeks that I spent enfolded, tauntaun… Read More
The designer of the iconic collectible physical card game Magic: The Gathering has a new venture in the virtual mobile game world — and has launched a crowd-funding initiative to make… Read More
Call it a noble experiment: only a month to re-imagine institutions with centuries of tradition and, some might say, baggage. But that’s exactly what the University of Washington’s Master of… Read More
If you say nothing else about social media, you can at least say it’s developing a sense of humor. Mean? Maybe. Self-deprecating? Definitely. But it’s a sense of humor. The… Read More
Cheezburger Network founder Ben Huh has been uncharacteristically quiet about Circa, his online journalism startup. Now word is out that Circa has raised $750,000 in seed funding. TechCrunch reports that… Read More
That hotel room you booked in Cabo may have just helped pay for office space in Bellevue. Expedia has released its financial results for the first quarter of 2012. And perhaps… Read More
Clearwire says it will launch its new LTE 4G network in 31 cities in the first half of next year, including Seattle, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago.… Read More
What’s the price of influence? It may just be a free trip to Seattle. While the digerati, including Wired in its May issue, debate the true influence of high-scorers on… Read More
The state of Illinois has lost a lawsuit against the state’s attempt to collect sales tax from out-of-state, online retailers — a law often called the “Amazon tax.” The Performance… Read More
Walk Score, which has made a name for itself ranking neighborhoods by how easy it is to walk to amenities and transit, is now rolling out its first ratings of… Read More
It’s a common sight on the road: the focused driver with white ear buds and trailing wires. But common or not, it may not be strictly, well, street legal. Lifehacker… Read More
It was the very last question at the news conference announcing Planetary Resources’ plans to find mineral-rich asteroids, pull them into near-Earth orbit, and mine them. Did science fiction play a… Read More
Supercomputer giant Cray has announced it’s selling a hardware program and related intellectual property to Intel — and in the process, up to 74 Cray employees will join Intel and… Read More
Consider it a boost for Seattle’s self-esteem as we enter the second rainy season. Two different rankings give Seattle top marks in the U.S.: one for popularity, the other for… Read More
Part of whatever Amazon.com sells in Vegas will soon stay in Vegas … or more accurately, in the state of Nevada. Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval has announced Amazon has agreed… Read More
Google Drive is alive. The long-rumored online storage service was officially announced today, following an apparent attempt at pre-emption by Microsoft earlier in the week. But in both timing and… Read More
Consider it a kind of milestone: the iPhone is so ubiquitous, it becomes an accessory for a water bottle. That, in essence, is the idea behind 999Bottles, a project of Seattle-based… Read More
In a broadside aimed directly at Comcast, Netflix devoted a section of its quarterly shareholder letter on financial performance to call the cable provider out for exempting the Xfinity On… Read More
“Given Amazon’s size and ambitions, we continue to track their progress carefully as well.” With that brief statement, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings acknowledged one of the online streaming video service’s… Read More
Ever paid to extend or enhance a free-to-play digital game? A new study from market researcher NPD Group says you’re not alone. The NPD report, Insights into the Freemium Games… Read More
Digital education company DreamBox Learning has solidified its shift to emphasize the K-12 school market over the consumer market by unveiling a new logo and brand identity. Bellevue, WA-based DreamBox, founded… Read More
Super Friends meets The Office? That, in a nutshell, is how Seattle production company Moon Bullet Studios describes its new web series, The Collectibles. The ten-part series will officially debut… Read More
First, Angry Birds became part of the Space Needle. Now, the Space Needle is literally becoming part of Angry Birds. Developer Rovio has posted on its Angry Birds Facebook page… Read More
With a kick-off Facebook post propelled by a tweet from major science-fiction fan Paul Allen, tickets have gone on sale for what’s being billed as Seattle’s first annual Science Fiction… Read More