GeekWire

“I don't know when it's going to be announced. But the day there's a vaccine announced that people really believe in will be our highest booking day in history.” That was Peter Kern, the CEO of Expedia Group, the Seattle-based online travel giant, speaking this week at the GeekWire Summit. On this episode of the GeekWire Podcast, we’re featuring highlights from our conversation with Kern about the future of travel. Expedia Group includes major travel brands such as vrbo, Orbitz, Hotwire, Trivago, Hotels.com, and Egencia in addition to the flagship Expedia.com. But we started with the big news of the day, the U.S. government’s antitrust complaint against Google. The case spotlights the difficult position Expedia and many other companies find themselves, competing with Google while simultaneously relying on and paying the search giant to direct customers to their services. Our full conversation and other GeekWire Summit sessions are available on-demand exclusively to attendees of the virtual event, which runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Oct. 29. Register here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's GeekWire Podcast features highlights from the first week of the virtual GeekWire Summit, including what's next in the quest for a COVID-19 vaccine, a conversation with Panos Panay, Microsoft's chief product officer, and Bill Gates' comments on what's keeping him optimistic in these tumultuous times. Full GeekWire Summit sessions are available on-demand exclusively to attendees of the virtual event, which runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays through Oct. 29. Learn more and register here. Race to a COVID-19 Vaccine: We spoke with Dr. Deborah Fuller, professor of microbiology at the University of Washington; Dr. Lynda Stuart, deputy director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Dr. Melanie Ivarsson, chief development officer at Moderna, one of the major biopharmaceutical companies with a COVID-19 vaccine candidate in Phase 3 tests. Panos Panay rose to prominence in the tech industry as the leader of Microsoft’s Surface hardware business. Now, in his expanded role as the company’s chief product officer, he’s leading the unified Windows software and hardware teams just as the pandemic renews the relevance of desktop and laptop computers in our lives. One of our topics this week at the GeekWire Summit was Microsoft’s dual-screen Surface Duo device. Where do dual-screen devices fit in the evolution of computing? And finally, we were fortunate to talk with Bill Gates about the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis, and his thoughts on the tech industry's current antitrust challenges. Toward the end of our conversation, we asked him for some big-picture takeaways, including what keeps him optimistic in these tumultuous times. Listen to the final segment for his answer. Produced by Curt Milton. Music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what we’re talking about on the GeekWire Podcast this week: A long-awaited report from a U.S. House antitrust subcommittee landed this week, and it slammed Amazon, Facebook, Google and Apple for their alleged monopolistic practices in the online marketplaces they operate. Amazon responded with a scathing blog post that said the report featured “flawed thinking.” House antitrust probe says Amazon has ‘monopoly power’ over sellers, company slams ‘fringe’ findings 20 years after Microsoft’s antitrust fight, Steve Ballmer betting that Big Tech won’t be broken up Amazon says internal investigation into WSJ report on third-party sales data finds no policy violations Read the complete U.S. House subcommittee report Lots of tech people are working from home due to the pandemic, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has some tips on how to do it and maintain your health and well-being. Schedule some short meetings, he says, and don't forget your transition times. Some related, late-breaking news: Microsoft’s new ‘hybrid workplace’ policy will make working from home a permanent part of the mix A new story from the Medium business publication Marker paints an extraordinary portrait of the life of one of the richest women in the world, MacKenzie Scott, which is all the more remarkable because she hasn’t given any interviews about her split from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos or her philanthropic pursuits since their divorce. And the GeekWire Summit is going virtual this year, with sessions from Oct. 13-29, and special guests, including Bill Gates. Most sessions will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Check out the event site to register and get a sneak peek at who will be appearing. With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop and Taylor Soper. Produced by Curt Milton. Theme music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our signature technology conference, the GeekWire Summit, kicks off next week. Now in its ninth year, this annual event is known for offering a glimpse of the future through the eyes of leaders in technology, science and business, and in these challenging and uncertain times, this annual tradition has never been more important. You may have seen the news that Bill Gates has joined the lineup for an hour-long interview on Oct. 15. But the Microsoft co-founder and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation co-chair is just one part of a larger lineup. In this special episode of the GeekWire Podcast, GeekWire's John Cook and Todd Bishop offer a sneak preview of what’s in store. The GeekWire Summit will be held virtually over three weeks, from Oct. 13 to 29, with sessions taking place twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from late morning to early afternoon. The full content can be accessed live and on-demand, exclusive to event attendees. Our event platform will offer attendees a chance to connect, network, and engage in the conversation. See the full lineup and register here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what we’re talking about on the GeekWire Podcast this week: The results are in from the first-ever GeekWire 200 CEO Insights survey and they may surprise you. Startup CEOs in Seattle are generally optimistic about the state of the economy for the next 18 months. And they have some thoughts on who should be president. Amazon's latest offering is virtual tourism through its new Amazon Explore service. GeekWire's Todd Bishop went for a walk around Quebec City with a local guide and took a cooking lesson in Buenos Aires, all without leaving the office. Ex-Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff jumps back into real estate, but this time with a new service called Pacaso that helps people buy shares in a second home. We look at how it pencils out. And the GeekWire Summit is going virtual this year, with events — and special guests — from Oct. 13-29. Most events will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Check out our link to register and get a sneak peek at who will be appearing. With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop, John Cook and Taylor Soper. Produced by Curt Milton. Theme music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Angiulo worked at Microsoft for 25 years as an engineering manager and vice president for products including Windows PCs, Microsoft Outlook, Xbox, Surface, and cloud and artificial intelligence technologies. But it was actually not the work Angiulo originally envisioned doing. He had planned to be a lawyer, delaying those plans after he started at Microsoft in his early 20s. Now, at age 47, nearly three decades later, he’s circling back to his original plan -- going back to school and preparing for a second career, as a lawyer focused on some of the most interesting and difficult questions facing the same types of technologies that he helped to create for so many years. "I am a big believer that just the prevalence of big data, the speed of the cloud platforms, the modernity of the algorithms, combine to the point where every single business is going to be relying on deep data insights, probably to some automated extent," he says. "And increasingly, people won't be able to explain how they work." And that raises all sorts of interesting questions about the future of technology and the law, as we learn on this special episode of the GeekWire Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ring, the Amazon-owned smart doorbell and security company, unveiled a flying indoor camera on Thursday morning. Sure, it's cool technology that may make your home safer, but what about the privacy implications?  There was big news in the gaming industry from Amazon and Microsoft this week. Amazon will try again to make its mark in games, this time with a new cloud-based gaming service called Luna. And Microsoft is spending $7.5 billion to buy the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, maker of popular games such as The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, and DOOM. Analysis: Amazon makes another bid for relevance in the games industry with Luna streaming service Analysis: Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda is a massive disruption for the video game industry And Microsoft's Teams collaboration software will add a much-desired capability next month: the ability to create ad hoc breakout rooms. Plus, they're adding something we didn't know we were missing, a "virtual commute" feature, in partnership with meditation app Headspace. With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop and Taylor Soper. Produced by Curt Milton. Theme music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what we’re talking about on the GeekWire Podcast this week: Snowflake, the data warehousing company, came out with a bang this week in its public debut, raising $3.4 billion in the largest software IPO ever. It reignited a debate over the the IPO process and inequality in the allocation of shares when a company goes public. Snowflake's IPO was also a successful outcome for Seattle's Madrona Venture Group, resulting from a departure from its normal investing strategy. We'll explain what happened, and what it could mean for the future. When Bill Gates Sr. died this week at age 94, he was mourned in Seattle and around the globe, not just because he was the dad of the Microsoft co-founder, but because of his profound impact on his community. Microsoft, the Gates Foundation and many other institutions wouldn't be what they are without him. He always said the three most important things in his life were family, friends and public service ... in that order. Bill Gates Sr., 1925-2020: Microsoft co-founder’s father made his own mark on Seattle and the world Bill Gates Sr. at 90: A giant impact on technology, philanthropy and the Seattle region [2015 GeekWire profile] How Bill Gates Sr., late father of the Microsoft co-founder, helped Howard Schultz buy Starbucks The new Apple Watch Series 6 will be able to check your blood oxygen level while you wear it. Apple and University of Washington researchers plan to launch a study later this year to determine if the device can detect early signs of acute respiratory infection such as the flu or COVID-19. With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop and John Cook. Produced by Curt Milton. Theme music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what we’re talking about on the GeekWire Podcast this week: The new Microsoft dual-screen Surface Duo device has arrived and we have our first impressions. We're intrigued, but it's pricey (starting at $1,399) and it needs more work. And do we really need yet another device? Microsoft is becoming the de-facto virtual fan experience enabler for sports leagues. First they deployed Teams to the NBA  and now they're sending it to help the NFL. But the experience between the two sports isn't the same, and we tell you which one is best. The West Coast is being choked in a blanket of wildfire smoke and Seattle is getting hit hard. Why are wildfires becoming so bad, and how can you stay safe from the smoke? With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop and Taylor Soper. Produced by Curt Milton. Theme music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Athira Pharma filed with the Nasdaq for a possible initial public offering, led by CEO Leen Kawas, it got us thinking: How many other women have headed Northwest companies that went for an IPO? Sadly, the answer wasn't surprising and it highlights a glaring shortcoming in the Seattle tech scene. This 35-year-old female CEO is about to crack the glass ceiling, shattering a dismal IPO track record Commentary: Why are there so few women-led IPOs? The numbers are stacked against us Jeff Wilke, the flannel-wearing CEO of Amazon's consumer business who recently announced that he plans to retire, was widely assumed to be heir-apparent to Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of the company. Now that Wilke is effectively out of the running, who is likely to succeed Bezos? President Trump reiterated this week that the U.S. Treasury needs to get a cut out of any potential deal to buy TikTok, the hit social video app. Microsoft, Walmart and Oracle are all angling for the company. What will happen before the Sept. 15 deadline? With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop and John Cook. Produced by Curt Milton. Theme music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.