GeekWire

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.