GeekWire

The HTC U11 is the first phone to offer the ability to invoke Amazon's Alexa smart assistant voice assistant without the need to manually open the Alexa app. Users can just say "Alexa" at any time. We test the phone out, with mixed results, on this episode of Geared Up. Plus, the status of the impending new iPhone and we geek out over the newly announced Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge amusement park. Follow all our tech 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:

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.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dana Lewis has Type 1 diabetes, which means her pancreas doesn't make the insulin she needs to survive. So she built a new one. Dana is the founder of the Open Source Artificial Pancreas System, a computer system that hundreds of diabetes patients now use to automatically manage their condition. We tell Dana's story on this episode of the GeekWire Health Tech Podcast. Read more about our health and technology coverage at GeekWire.com.

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.

It looks like Amazon is getting into the real estate services market, setting it up to compete with real estate tech companeis Zillow and Redfin. We discuss what the new venture could mean, and if the company will find success, on this episode of the Week In Geek. Plus, tech’s diversity problems have been on full display this week with a new initiative to make startup boards more diverse and a high-profile resignation over allegations of sexual harassment. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week 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.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Day has become the biggest single sale on the internet, but are the savings really worth the hype? Andru runs down all the deals he found, but Todd is still skeptical. Plus, we have a lot of fun with Microsoft’s new Seeing AI app that identifies people and reads text, and share some fun summer tech support stories. All that and more on this episode of Geared UP. Follow all our tech 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:

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.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Microsoft confirmed rumors this week that it will lay off thousands of employees in a reorganization of its sales group. The goal: Support the company's Azure cloud computing group better. Plus, Redfin announces it will file for an IPO, possibly becoming the first Pacific Northwest company to go public in 2017. Plus, Seattle okays a new bike sharing program, so hold onto your helmets. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week 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.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2017 is halfway done, and this week on Geared Up we’re counting down our favorite gadgets and services from the first half of the year. Find out how to keep your kids safe on the internet, create a virtual phone and make grocery shopping a breeze. Plus, we take a look at the new tech we’re looking forward to for the remainder of the year, including the iPhone 8 and the Xbox One X. Follow all our tech 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:

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.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Seattle Mariners aren’t known for being a top baseball team, but the team’s new General Manager Jerry Dipoto is aiming to turn that around. Dipoto spoke with Root Sports reporter Jen Mueller about how the team is using the latest in sports tech and science to give them an edge at the recent GeekWire Sports Tech Summit, and we’re sharing their full conversation on this episode of the GeekWire podcast. See more from the Sports Tech Summit and 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.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You don’t see — or hear — many supersonic jets these days. That’s because they’ve been banned in most cases for over 40 years, but this week, NASA Oked a plan for a super-quiet supersonic jet. Plus, it was a dramatic week for Zillow as it took on popular architecture blog McMansion Hell over its use of copyrighted images. All that and more on this episode of the Week In Geek. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week 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.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amazon is making yet another foray into the smart home with the Echo Show, its first touch-screen Alexa device. We get our hands on one of the first Shows to ship and try it out on this episode of Geared Up. Plus, Todd’s impressions after using the new Microsoft Surface Laptop for a week and a few hacks to make the most of your MacBook Pro. Follow all our tech 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:

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.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apps can be addictive — but can they also help us kick harmful addictions? On this episode of GeekWire’s Health Tech podcast, we talk to two psychologists who are developing apps to help people quit smoking. Their journey from medical school to the tech world shows how technologies can push the boundaries of health. Follow all our coverage of health and healthcare technology at GeekWire.com 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.