GeekWire

In this year-long series, GeekWire is chronicling GeekWire Chief Business Officer Daniel Rossi's quest to transform his health using the latest in science and technology. It's now month eight, and Daniel has just passed some major milestones with his most recent blood test. In this installment, we talk about what's been working for him and how a genetic analysis he received back in month two has helped him manage his health and his type 2 diabetes. Follow all our coverage of Daniel's journey, including GIFs comparing his pictures when he started and today, at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: The University of Washington’s Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more about them at: www.hcde.washington.edu/ Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more about them at: hughesmarino.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sue Bird is a living basketball legend. She's played in the WNBA for over fifteen years and has earned two WNBA championships, four Olympic gold medals and countless other awards. So what's her take on how tech, analytics and data are changing the game? Find out on this special edition of the GeekWire Podcast. Read more of our sports tech coverage at GeekWire.com/sports. Thank you to this week’s sponsors: The University of Washington’s Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more about them at: www.hcde.washington.edu/ Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more about them at: hughesmarino.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Uber finally did what drivers have been asking it to do for years: allow customers to tip. The next day, it’s CEO and founder Travis Kalanick resigned. On this episode of the Week In Geek, we discuss how Uber’s many controversies have changed how we and others see the company. Plus, Amazon rolls out a new fashion service and a few updates on big Amazon news from last week. On the Random Channel: how we vacation. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsor: GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft is getting into the hardware business in a big way, and its new Surface Laptop is poised to compete with the likes of the MacBook Pro and other leading devices. We get our hands on one for our very first unboxing on this week’s episode of Geared Up. Plus, we take a look at Andru’s new iPad Pro 10.5 inch, complete with an preview of iOS 11. We’ll discuss how the devices stack up against Todd’s new MacBook Pro and also dive into Andru’s favorite game from this year’s E3 — Super Mario Odyssey. Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearlive Thank you to this week’s sponsor: GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon announced Friday morning that it has reached an agreement to acquire grocery retailer Whole Foods for more than $13 billion. On this special coverage episode of the GeekWire podcast, we get into the nitty-gritty of the deal and what it means for Amazon and other retailers around the country. Follow all our special coverage of the news at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsor: GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon announced it latest — and tiniest — gadget Thursday: the Amazon Dash Wand with Alexa. It’s designed as a kitchen assistant, and we got our hands on one to test it out for this episode of the Week In Geek. Plus, why Amazon is suing a former AWS employee and how two Seattle entrepreneurs are trying to make doctors’ lives easier. On the Random Channel this week: What will Safeco Field’s new name be? Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taking a pill isn’t so hard. The tricky thing is remembering to take it. Patients not taking medication properly is a huge problem for the health industry, but these three entrepreneurs think they have a solution: A gadget that can fit in the palm of your hand. Thank you to our sponsor, Providence St. Joseph Health’s Digital and Innovation Group. Follow them at twitter.com/provinnovation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt have more in common than a first name: They’re also fanatics about numbers. GeekWire’s Todd Bishop sat down with Dubner and Levitt, founders of the popular Freakonomics podcast and books, at Microsoft’s Data Insights Summit this week. On this episode of the GeekWire podcast, the three talk about everything from healthcare to Amazon to how data is changing the world. Follow all our coverage, including more about Microsoft's Data Insights Summit, at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s that time of the year -- E3, the United State’s biggest video game conference, is in full swing and the first day was all about Xbox. Microsoft announced all the details on the new Xbox One X, previously known as Project Scorpio, along with planned releases of backward compatible original Xbox games. Our own Andru Edwards is on site at E3 and we go over all the Xbox news with him on this episode of Geared Up. Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearlive Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BMW car-sharing service Reach Now launched a new service this week: Ride, a ride-sharing service that's taking on Uber and Lyft. We tried it out and tell you all the juicy details on this episode of the Week In Geek. We also explain why Snapchat's parent company paid $200 million for a Seattle startup and why new engineering centers mean Seattle continues to reign supreme in cloud technology. On the Random Channel: Scathing reviews of some hot new tech ventures. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

iPads, iMacs, HomePods, oh my! Apple’s annual World Wide Developers Conference set off a flurry of news from the tech giant this week, including big updates in the works for iPhones, a new iPad and an Amazon Echo competitor, the Apple HomePod. We break down all the news and tell you what you really need to know in this episode of Geared Up. Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At just 35 years old, computer scientist Shwetal Patel has made a career out of taking on "grand challenges." Now he's tackling his biggest challenge yet: health. He’s using code and some creativity to turn the smartphones we carry around every day into powerful medical devices. Thank you to our sponsor, Providence St. Joseph Health’s Digital and Innovation Group. Follow them at twitter.com/provinnovation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're excited to share a teaser for our newest show -- Health Tech, a podcast all about digital health. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon has had some wacky ideas over the years, but this might take the cake. The company patented a shipping label that turns into a parachute, designed to safely deliver packages from drones to your doorstep. Plus, bored by today's NBA games? Steve Ballmer has a solution: real-time, AI-fueled graphics that are layered over the game. We discuss how AI, drones and other tech are impacting all corners of our lives on this episode of the Week In Geek. On the Random Channel this week: our favorite TV shows of the moment. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comcast is taking the plunge with a new gigabit internet service. But is it worth it? We debate on this week’s episode of Geared Up. Plus, we test T-Mobile’s new digit service live and tell you all about the Essential Phone, a new smartphone from the creator of Android. Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearlive Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When most people think of their public library, technological innovation isn’t exactly top of mind — but Seattle’s City Librarian Marcellus Turner is working to change that. On this episode of the GeekWire podcast, Todd Bishop and Frank Catalano talk with Marcellus to hear about how new tech initiatives are changing the libraries and how citizens can shape those initiatives at an upcoming Community Conversation event. He also gives us tips on some existing tech resources that you might be surprised to learn about. Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com, and learn more about the Seattle Public Library's community conversation events at spl.org/communityconversations. Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Remember the Amazon Fresh, the secretive grocery pick-up service that Amazon’s been working on? It finally opened for Amazon Prime members Thursday, and Todd took a few GeekWire journalists to try it out. Plus, inside Amazon’s shareholder meetings and all the latest news on geeky media, including Bill Gates' summer reading list. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft ups the ante on its Surface line with another new model: the Surface Pro. Plus, Nintendo announces a summer road trip to capitalize on the Switch’s runaway success. We give you all the details, and a debate about the pros and cons of USB-C, on this episode of Geared Up. Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive, youtube.com/gearlive Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kids are full of questions, and this weekend some lucky elementary- and middle-schoolers got the chance to ask those questions to Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos. Some wanted to know how artificial intelligence will impact space exploration, while others weremore interested in stories about Bezos’ personal adventures. We’re sharing the full Q&A on this episode of the GeekWire podcast. Follow all our coverage, including interviews with students at this event, at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout, goddaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s your weekly roundup of tech news, and we’ve got everything from how tech is impacting Seattle’s art scene to Amazon’s spot on Saturday Night Live. U2’s Bono even makes a surprise guest appearance. Tune in to hear behind the stories and get expert analysis from GeekWire reporters. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code geekwire35 at checkout, godaddy.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google, Alexa, Cortana, oh my! It’s been a week full of competing smart assistant news from Google, Amazon and even Microsoft. We break it all down, including who’s coming out ahead, on this episode of Geared Up. Plus, we try out the fidget gadgets taking over the internet and look at the latest leaks on the upcoming iPhone 8. Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive. Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flying Fish Venture Partners has a bold plan: completely change the game for entrepreneurs in Seattle. We sit down with Heather Redman, one of the fund's co-founders, to hear her vision for the fund and how she plans to shake up Seattle's startup ecosystem. Follow all our coverage, including more about Pacific Northwest startups, at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft’s Build conference just wrapped up, and GeekWire's editors have been busy covering all the announcements of new products and services, from the new Azure Cosmos DB to the Windows Fall Creators Update. On this episode of the GeekWire podcast, new Cloud & Enterprise editor Tom Krazit joins Todd Bishop to explain what’s going on at the tech giant and what it means for developers, enterprise customers and Windows users. Follow all our coverage, including special coverage of Build, at GeekWire.com Thanks to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ad placed on Seattle’s bus lines has caused an uproar on the web, and a fierce debate in the GeekWire offices. The ad was for Code Fellows, a Seattle-based coding school, and made what some saw as insensitive comments about Seattle’s housing crisis. We unpack the ad and the issues behind it in this lively, debate-style episode of the GeekWire Podcast. Follow all our coverage, including our story on the ad, at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alexa, Amazon’s artificial intelligence personal assistant, can now make phone calls -- so, of course, we try it out live on this episode of the Week in Geek. Plus, hear about Microsoft’s bold new strategy and the surprise guest that showed up at the Amazon Spheres this week. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s episode of Geared Up is all about electric transportation. Join Todd and GeekWire contributor Tim Ellis as they take a ride in Tim’s brand new Chevy Bolt, one of the all-electric cars making a buzz in the automotive world. We also check out Tim’s collection of electric-powered skateboards. Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes videos on GearLive. Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been 15 years since Reid Hoffman co-founded LinkedIn. The company was acquired by Microsoft last year for $2.6 billion and Hoffman now sits on Microsoft’s board, but he’s still very much an entrepreneur. On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, we share Hoffman’s full talk at the recent Technology Alliance Luncheon in downtown Seattle, where he shares thoughts on how to drive entrepreneurship, the success of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and, of course, Settlers of Catan. Follow all our coverage, including more on Hoffman's talk, at GeekWire.com. Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lots of news from the tech world this week: Microsoft takes on Apple and Google with a striking new laptop, Bill Gates and Roger Federer put on an epic tennis match and we consider what our lives would be like without Apple, Amazon, Facebook or Google. All that and more on this episode of the Week in Geek. Follow all our coverage, including all the stories we discuss in this episode, on GeekWire.com. Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple’s automated investing platform. GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five years ago, GeekWire co-founder Todd Bishop shared his experience about deciding to drop his unlimited AT&T data plan. Things have changed dramatically in the past five years, with new services and devices pushing change in the wireless industry. This week on Geared Up, we take a fresh look at unlimited data plans and ask: did Todd make the right decision? Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes video on at youtube.com/gearlive. Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — GeekWire listeners pay no management fees for a year when they invest up to $15,000 on Wealthsimple's automated investing platform. Wealthsimple.com/geekwire GoDaddy — who is offering GeekWire listeners 35 percent off their purchase of a GoDaddy domain. Just use offer code gearedup35 at checkout.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s earnings season, and GeekWire reporters have been busy diving into the quarterly financial reports put out by tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Nintendo and more. The reports cut through all the flashy marketing to give a glimpse into how these companies are really doing, and what products and departments are succeeding or struggling. On this episode of the Week in Geek we share a big-picture view of what all these numbers tell us about the tech giants in Seattle and around the country. Follow all our coverage, including detailed looks at the recent earning reports, at GeekWire.com. Thank you to this week’s sponsors: Wealthsimple — an automated investing service, on a mission to simplify investing to help everyone (including you!) become an expert investor. GoDaddy — whose mission is to radically shift the global economy toward life-fulfilling independent ventures and helping their customers kick ass by giving them the tools, insights and people to transform their ideas into success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

E-commerce powerhouse Amazon has drastically changed the retail landscape, threatening traditional retailers left and right with their new model of selling things. A few years ago, Best Buy was a victim of that changing market and on the verge of collapse. But the company has clawed its way out of the hole thanks to a new emphasis on multi-channel commerce, in-store and online. Today we’re sitting down with Best Buy Chief Digital Officer Bala Subramanian to hear how the retailer has integrated digital and online commerce to turn its business around. See more stories about Best Buy here and follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com. Thank you to this week's sponsors: Wealthsimple — an automated investing service, on a mission to simplify investing to help everyone (including you!) become an expert investor. GoDaddy — whose mission is to radically shift the global economy toward life-fulfilling independent ventures and helping their customers kick ass by giving them the tools, insights and people to transform their ideas into success. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon unveiled a puzzling new device this week: The Echo Look, an Alexa-powered speaker that comes with a camera and lighting. It's marketed as a fashion device, but Todd and Andru aren't buying it — in more ways than one. Plus, equally puzzling news about new projects from Twitter and Apple, and we finally get a hands-on look at the new Samsung Galaxy S8. Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com and subscribe to our live behind-the-scenes video on GearLive. Thanks to our sponsors: Wealthsimple — an automated investing service, on a mission to simplify investing to help everyone (including you!) become an expert investor. GoDaddy — whose mission is to radically shift the global economy toward life-fulfilling independent ventures and help their customers kick ass by giving them the tools, insights and people to transform their ideas into success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In ominous sci-fi future news this week, Facebook is working on a program that could let people type with their brain and hear with their skin. Is it a revolutionary idea or a Pandora's Box that could go wildly wrong? Plus, we hear about the world of Amazon's secretive horticultural program and bring back one of our favorite segments: The Random Channel. See links and details in this week's show notes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new iPhone is months away from being released, but some insiders are already getting chatty about its design. On this episode of Geared Up, we take a look at the rumors and speculations about what Apple will do with the next edition of its most popular product. Meanwhile, Nintendo cut production of the popular NES classic edition — could it be gearing up for a classic edition of the SNES? Plus, Todd isn't wowed by Pandora Premium, and Andru has some harsh words for Facebook's new VR chat feature.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The average person is born with 60 genetic mutations. Some are harmful, some are helpful and many don't mean anything at all — but for a parent, any variation in genetics can seem like a health disaster waiting to happen. Author Bonnie Rochman joins us on this episode of the GeekWire Podcast to delve into the world of genetics and parenting, including why and when we should think about testing kids' genes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is a numbers guy. He's taking that data-focused mindset to a new project: USAFacts, a project that's bringing together mountains of data to build financial reports on U.S. government operations, like a 10-K for business leaders. GeekWire editor Todd Bishop sat down with Ballmer to get all the details on his new project, and we're sharing the full interview on this special episode of the GeekWire Podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The GeekWire Awards are just around the corner, and on this episode of the GeekWire podcast, we take a look at our finalists. They represent the best of the best in the northwest tech community and they speak volumes about where things are headed in the coming years. Winners will be chosen by public voting and announced at our Awards on May 4 at MoPop. Check out all the finalists and vote for your favorites on our Awards Page, where you can also get tickets to the Awards.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Xbox spring games sale started this week with some pretty sweet deals on some of the biggest games of the past few years. Plus, Apple made a rare move: an apology. The company admitted they had made a big mistake in the design of the 2013 Mac Pro and promised a new version is on its way, but not until next year. We also dive into some of our favorite games of the moment including some fun surprises on the Switch, some addicting PC games and even board and pen-and-paper games. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Uber won a small victory in its legal battle with the City of Seattle this week, but the fight is far from over. In more promising news, Seattle's giant tunnel boring machine, Bertha, finally reached the finishing line of the nearly two-mile tunnel she's been creating under the city. We get first-hand accounts of both events from GeekWire reporters on this episode of the Week in Geek, and also take a look at some interesting shifts in the startup funding landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just in case Xfinity doesn't offer enough services, the cable and internet providor is making the leap into another industry: wireless phone service. Plus, YouTube launches its TV feature, giving subscribers live streams of local stations and limitless DVR storage, and we go hands-on with Apple's mobile photo and video editor, Clips. All that and more on this week's episode of GearedUp. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It may seem like something out of your favorite sci fi novel, but Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos wants to make space tourism a reality. He spoke about Blue Origin's plans for commercial space flight at the 33rd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, where GeekWire reporter Alan Boyle has been covering all the action. We're sharing a recording of that talk and his Q&A with reporters on this episode of the GeekWire podcast, so buckle up and hold on tight!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nine years ago, almost to the day, Seattle's NBA team, the SuperSonics, was officially relocated to Oklahoma City. And even though the city has changed by leaps and bounds since then, there's a growing movement to revive the Sonics in the city. Jeff Shulman has been documenting that movement, and the possible impacts to Seattle's tech community, on the Seattle Growth Podcast. On this episode, we talk with Jeff about how tech has changed the city since the team left, and what impact it would have on tech and beyond if it returned. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The speculation is over! After months of anticipation, Samsung has revealed their next smartphone: the S8. Andru got his hands on one at the launch event in New York City this week, and says it's unlike any other smartphone he's seen. On this episode of GearedUp, we take a look at what makes the S8 special, and whether it stands up to Samsung's claim that it's the biggest thing to ever happen in the smartphone market. Plus, Todd shares his takeaways from the Windows 10 creators edition update, and we take a look at Andru's brand new Product Red iPhone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was a busy news week in Seattle. Rover announced it is acquiring its biggest competition; the Bezos family made a record-breaking donation to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; and the University of Washington released a heartwarming study on the effects of Pokemon Go on family bonding. Catch it all on this episode of the Week in Geek. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few weeks ago, Henry turned 10. That's when a new friend named Alexa entered his life. Henry's dad, GeekWire reporter Kurt Schlosser, says welcoming Amazon's AI assistant into their home has been an enlightening, and at times difficult, transition. This week on the podcast, we sit down with Henry, Kurt and Alexa to hear about Henry's new friendship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Starbucks and Amazon, two of Seattle's iconic businesses, started off very different from each other. But they're slowly and steadily moving towards the same goal: a hybrid of tech-driven and in-person retail. Today on the Week in Geek we ask, what does that mean for the businesses, and what would it look like if they eventually merged? Plus, we introduce a new segment: The Random Channel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trying to keep up with news from Apple this week was a challenge. New iPads, a new Product Red iPhone, a Snapchat-like app, and changes to Apple Watches were all in the headlines today. On this episode of GearedUp we review the news (or lack thereof) in all the announcements, plus Andru goes over some tips and tricks for getting better speeds on the Xbox One.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Theories about the future of tech are a dime a dozen, but this week's guest has a tried-and-true method to peek into the tech ecosystem: follow the money. Greg Beams is a partner at global professional services firm EY and heads up the Entrepreneur of the Year program in the Pacific Northwest. He takes us on an in-depth study of the numbers and figures behind Seattle's tech scene, and what they say about where the industry is going. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After months of anticipation, GeekWire learned the name of Amazon's secretive grocery pickup service: Amazon Fresh Pickup. On this episode of the Week in Geek, the GeekWire team has a hot debate over the actual usefulness of being able to order groceries ahead for pickup. Plus, we get an update on the case against the Trump administration's travel ban, and some of us bemoan a world without Uber. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a busy week in the gadget world. The Nintendo Switch set sales records, Pandora announced a new premium service, and McDonalds of all places is introducing a high-tech ordering system. Get caught up on all the electronics news with this week's episode of GearedUp with hosts Andru Edwards and Todd Bishop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.