GeekWire

NASA and SpaceX are keeping a close eye on the weather in Florida and beyond as they get set for a second attempt to launch two NASA astronauts in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule this weekend. Read more on GeekWire.  What’s the significance of this launch? What does it mean for the commercial space race and the future of space exploration? On this special episode of the GeekWire Podcast, we’ll do a deep this historic mission with GeekWire photographer Kevin Lisota on the scene in Florida, and aerospace and science editor, Alan Boyle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Virtual-Classes Trend Alarms Professors." That was the headline on a 1998 New York Times story about an open letter to then-Gov. Gary Locke from University of Washington professors “worried about the enthusiasm he and one of his advisers are showing for instruction via CD-ROM's and the Internet.” More than 20 years later, with the pandemic making distance education an unavoidable reality, we revisit the topic with Locke and one of those professors on this special episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. Word leaked out this week that Uber is considering buying food-delivery service Grubhub, and it turns out there are many Seattle connections behind the possible deal, including links to Expedia and several other companies. Food delivery is a tough market to make a buck in, for companies and their drivers, so what's in the deal for Uber? Uber Eats is #2 and Grubhub is #3 in food delivery services, behind leader DoorDash. DoorDash grew its market share 42% in March while Grubhub stayed flat. Uber Eats grew 20% (it has a Starbucks contract). Seattle connections: Brian McAndrews, Grubhub board chair, is the former CEO of aQuantive and also served as a managing director at Seattle venture capital firm Madrona Venture Group. Zillow Group co-founder Lloyd Frink is also on Grubhub’s board. Frink had executive roles at Expedia where Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi cut his teeth. Australian hedge fund Caledonia Investments owns 16% of Grubhub and has large ownership in Zillow. Thousands of Jump ride-share bicycles vanished from Seattle streets recently in the latest shakeup in the troubled mobility service field. The pandemic isn't making it easy for bike- and scooter-share companies. Will their rides return to Seattle once the pandemic is over? Thousands of brightly colored ride-share bikes have disappeared from Seattle streets as companies post losses and lay off staff. Not sure when they’ll be back but industry will look very different on other side of COVID-19 crisis: Industry will become more consolidated. Not clear if demand will return to pre-pandemic levels. Micro-mobility companies will focus on profitability. There were more than 2.2 million bike-share rides in Seattle last year, averaging more than 6,000 per day, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation. Last week, Uber invested $170 million in Lime and said it would hand its bike-share program off to Lime. Before the pandemic, Uber, Lyft, Lime, Spin, Bird, Ojo, and a handful of other companies were interested in launching electric scooter services in Seattle and elsewhere but now those plans are in limbo. Amazon unveiled a virus-zapping robot on "60 Minutes" last Sunday, but it's possible they were just trying to distract from the rest of the report, which focused on working conditions in the company's warehouses during the pandemic. We get our first look at Microsoft's new $199 Surface Earbuds and their appearance provokes some interesting reactions. Did someone say "Frankenstein's bolts?" Plus, we raise a toast to Seattle allowing restaurants to sell takeout cocktails during the pandemic. With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop, Monica Nickelsburg, Taylor Soper and John Cook. Produced by Curt Milton. Theme music by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COVID-19 has upended the tech startup hiring market: There used to be more jobs than talent, but the situation has flipped in the face of business challenges from COVID-19. Tech giants and startups who are hiring now find they can pick from the cream of the crop. We've been looking into who's hiring, and what it's like to hire and onboard new employees remotely. Plus, how Silicon Valley's cutbacks could impact the Seattle tech market. They’re almost here! The much-anticipated Microsoft Surface Earbuds have a release date. Were they worth the wait? Someone on our podcast is hoping the $199 earbuds will be a game changer. Microsoft has a very good reason for making flashy new hardware like the earbuds. Mark Suzman, the new Gates Foundation CEO, discusses the foundation’s efforts to fight COVID-19, whether we’ll see a vaccine and when. In a highlight from his exclusive conversation with GeekWire members this week, he talks about how the quest for a COVID-19 vaccine compares to HIV/AIDS and the challenges the Gates Foundation faces in dealing with the virus. Read more. GeekWire’s next members-only virtual event, focusing on the future of the workplace, is scheduled for May 14. For more information about the exclusive event and other benefits and perks, sign up for a pass via GeekWire’s membership webpage. With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop and John Cook. Our podcast producer is Curt Milton. Our theme music is by Daniel L.K. Caldwell. Follow @geekwire for updates. Send us a news tip. Share our newsletter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast: Amazon's sales rose 26% in the first quarter as the COVID-19 crisis made the online retailer an even bigger part of many lives, but profits were down 30% due to expenses from dealing with the virus. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos gave a clear message to shareholders, saying they "may want to take a seat," because there are big challenges ahead and they won't be easy or cheap to overcome. The company says it will spend $4 billion this quarter on initiatives related to the pandemic. With Amazon bigger and more powerful than ever, federal lawmakers want Bezos himself to testify before Congress. Pressure is mounting from Amazon warehouse workers who fear for their safety and are unhappy with how the retailer is responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Protecting workers from COVID-19 will be one of the biggest challenges for Bezos and Amazon in the months and year ahead. People will eventually return to their offices to work, but how will they do that safely? Madrona Venture Group compiled a "toolkit" with input from 15 major employers in the Seattle region, including Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks. One big finding: Communication is key to making employees feel safe at work. Meanwhile, funding for startups in the Pacific Northwest is taking a hit from the COVID-19 crisis, which may be bad news for young companies that don't have money in the bank.  With GeekWire's Todd Bishop, Monica Nickelsburg and John Cook. Our podcast producer is Curt Milton. Our theme music is by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's what we're talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. “Picture restaurants that only seat people at every other table, and airplanes where every middle seat is empty.” That is what the “semi-normal” next phase of the pandemic will look like, Bill Gates says, offering a starkly pragmatic take that contrasts with predictions from President Trump that the economy will come “roaring back.” But Gates also points to the potential for a new wave of innovation the likes of which hasn’t been seen since World War II. “If there’s life, there’s travel,” says Expedia chairman Barry Diller, expressing optimism about the future even as the Seattle-based online travel giant makes a series of dramatic moves to shake up and shore up its business amid the economic crisis. Speaking of shaking things up, GeekWire co-founder John Cook returns to the show and offers his own Richter Scale to help understand how the pandemic is stirring some companies to greatness, and shaking others to their core. Pivoting During a Pandemic: In our final segment, we share highlights from our members-only webinar on "Pivoting in a Pandemic," with two experienced Seattle CEOs who are in the thick of it right now: Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman, who is leading the tech-powered real estate brokerage through a period of unprecedented economic turmoil; and Tokki CEO Jane Park, the former Julep CEO, who quickly pivoted her eco-friendly gift wrap startup Tokki to adjust to the realities of the pandemic shortly after launching earlier this year. We’ll be hosting these types of discussions regularly with newsmakers and leaders in business, science, technology and startups, and our members get to tune in and participate live. Go to geekwire.com/memberships to learn more. Our podcast producer is Curt Milton. Our theme music is by Daniel L.K. Caldwell. Follow @geekwire for updates. Send us a news tip. Share our newsletter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For startup leaders accustomed to building their businesses in boom times, the economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic goes beyond mere setback, into the realm of complete shock. But even in these unprecedented times, there are lessons to be learned from past downturns, and from the steps other startups are taking to navigate the current crisis. "We have a whole generation of people who never went through anything that looked like a dislocation or a downturn," says Dan Rosen, chair of the Alliance of Angels, an investor, biophysicist and veteran tech executive who has been through multiple economic cycles. "This is a change in mindset from, 'I need to grow my business as quickly as possible' to 'I need to survive'." Rosen, who authored a widely read column on the topic, joined entrepreneur Xiao Wang, President and CEO of Boundless Immigration, on a recent webinar from the University of Washington’s CoMotion innovation hub in Seattle, part of its “Fundamentals for Startups” series. The webinar, recorded on April 10, was moderated by Seattle-area tech and business leader Ken Myer, interim executive and UW lecturer and commercialization advisor, who urged startup leaders to see the crisis as an opportunity to grow. "This is a phenomenal development experience for you as a leader," Myer said. "Crucible moments in our lives are what shape leadership moments. If you can see it as a learning opportunity, you're going to come out of this thing a much more effective leader today and down the road." The discussion, on "Negotiating Startup Life through a Crisis," was full of specific guidance and long-term perspective for startups and their leaders. We at GeekWire learned a lot from the conversation, and we asked if we could share edited highlights on a special episode of the GeekWire Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here's what we're talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast: As numbers on COVID-19 improve, the debate begins over when and how Seattle, Washington state and the country will return to normal life. Gov. Jay Inslee and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos have some thoughts. Washington’s attorney general sues Facebook for violating the state’s law on political ads. Microsoft says Amazon has only itself to blame for losing the Defense Departments JEDI cloud contract. And the return of our Random Channel! We’ll talk about the finale of Lego Masters (spoiler alert) and see what else is ringing our bell this week. As Washington state COVID cases keep falling, here’s the data driving the ongoing ‘stay home’ order Washington state had its lowest daily total of new cases in a month on Wednesday, 89, but has since seen cases rise again. If we relax social distancing now, projections show new cases could jump to 300 daily by mid-May, Inslee says. Deaths could also jump. The projections are from the two Seattle-area groups: the Institute for Disease Modeling and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, or IHME, which has come under criticism for its approach. We need more testing before we can begin to gradually reopen, Inslee says. He says it’s “unknowable” if he’ll be able to lift the stay-at-home order on May 4. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos calls for regular COVID-19 testing ‘on a global scale across all industries’ In his annual investor letter, Bezos says that regular testing of everyone globally (not just at Amazon) is the key to returning to normal. He pointed to Amazon’s efforts to build its own testing capability and other efforts to protect workers’ safety. First known COVID-19 death among Amazon’s workforce took place two weeks ago, company announced Tuesday. Amazon's stock hit an all-time high this week, reflecting increased demand for its products and services. Can Amazon keep its huge and growing workforce safe? Gates Foundation’s CEO worries about pandemic politics — and says ‘we have nothing to hide’ Gates Foundation is allotting $150 million more to fight the pandemic, $250 million total. Critics claim the foundation is stoking fears and pushing vaccines as part of a “Big Pharma” agenda. Bill Gates decried Trump’s stated intention this week to stop U.S. funding of the WHO, saying blocking funds right now would be “as dangerous as it sounds.” In other news ...  Washington AG sues Facebook for violating state political ad law Amazon ‘bid high and lost’ on JEDI, Microsoft says after release of DoD watchdog report As coronavirus consumes world, Microsoft unveils biodiversity initiative to address challenges that will outlast COVID-19 Amazon fires two employees who called for climate change reform and better warehouse conditions And in our Random Channel discussion ...  Oh, baby, ‘LEGO Masters’ finale lands like a brick on outraged fans who dispute choice of winner Goat 2 Meeting Nature Is Bouncing Back During the Coronavirus Crisis—but for How Long? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. Bill Gates talks about how work will change after the coronavirus ... and how school shouldn't. A Seattle startup that is trying to make a safer football helmet gets a new lease on life. And Lego and Nintendo bring Super Mario into the physical world in a surprising way. We have a lot of tech news to discuss on this week's episode: Vicis assets sold for $2.85M to Schutt investor, promising to revive failed startup’s helmet tech No Neo in 2020: Microsoft pauses work on dual-screen device running Windows 10X The quest for a better blockchain: Former Microsoft AI chief invests in Seattle startup Asensys Ray Ozzie’s latest project: Former Microsoft exec raises $11M for IoT startup Blues Wireless News about the COVID-19 pandemic: COVID-19 crisis sparks ‘inflection point’ for online grocery — and huge revenue for Amazon Startup stimulus? How logjams and ethics are impacting federal loans for tech companies Internet should be an ‘essential utility,’ WA schools chief says as state pulls plug on rest of term Microsoft says its Teams collaboration software hit another record in usage, but the number isn't quite what it seems: Microsoft reports new spike in Teams usage as work habits change around the world Bill Gates talks about how some forms of work will never go back to "normal" after the virus, and why he thinks school shouldn't change too much: Bill Gates says coronavirus will forever alter work, but face-to-face school is ‘totally irreplaceable’ A Seattle startup is selling games for Slack but ... isn't that what ruined Facebook? Games on Slack: Seattle startup Polly looks to unite remote teams with shared interactive activities Super Mario moves out of your game system and into the real world of Lego and it's kind of cool: Pre-orders start for LEGO and Nintendo ‘Super Mario’ set that interacts with the physical world And how a rant about reheating a fancy Seattle takeout meal turned into a viral force for good: Seattle restaurant delivery complaint in ‘reply all’ email turns into $10K donation to food charity With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop, Monica Nickelsburg, Kurt Schlosser and Taylor Soper. Our podcast producer is Curt Milton. Our theme music is by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. Amazon is under pressure as workers in dozens of its warehouses test positive for the coronavirus, and an Amazon exec makes a major blunder in employee relations. Amid the gloomy COVID-19 news, there are some stories that fill us with hope. And it was never a dull moment with John Legere as CEO of T-Mobile. As the company merges with Sprint and he departs, we remember a leader who is as colorful as his wardrobe. Among this week's events: There are encouraging signs that social distancing is helping to flatten the virus curve in Washington. Governor Jay Inslee says the state will get tough with businesses that don't honor his stay-at-home order. And Bill Gates outlines three steps he thinks the U.S. must take to control this outbreak. Amazon's power and resilience could leave it in a dominant position once the coronavirus outbreak is over. But can it keep its workers safe? Amazon faces unprecedented challenges as dozens of its warehouses grapple with COVID-19 outbreaks Follow our live blog for up-to-date news: Coronavirus Live Updates: The latest COVID-19 developments in Seattle and the world of tech More from the podcast: Even in these grim times, there are stories that give us hope. Here are a few. With high school’s 3D printers in his house, student runs mask production line for Seattle-area hospitals Maker Mask launches in Seattle using 3D-printing technology to produce protective gear Whale experts launch free, virtual marine biology camp to entertain and inform kids High school student near Seattle builds website to serve as a leading place for coronavirus information John Legere has departed as CEO of T-Mobile. We look back at his colorful career with an epic highlight from his 2014 appearance at the GeekWire Summit. T-Mobile completes $26.5B Sprint merger, capping two-year struggle to create new wireless giant With GeekWire’s Todd Bishop, Taylor Soper, Monica Nickelsburg and Kurt Schlosser. Our podcast producer is Curt Milton. Our theme music is by Daniel L.K. Caldwell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.