Some of the world’s most famous sports stars are putting their support behind computer science education. Top athletes like Kobe Bryant, Neymar Jr., Serena Williams, and a handful of others appear in a new video for Code.org, which is helping put on the annual “Hour of Code” campaign this week. They encourage students to study computer science and provide some positive reinforcement about the learning process. Code.org co-founder Hadi Partovi told GeekWire that the athletes are role models for students around the world. “The reason all these athletes are supporting the campaign is because they recognize that computer science and coding… Read More
Paul Allen uses a Lenovo ThinkPad — while watching Seahawks games, at least. During the second quarter of the nationally-televised Carolina vs. Seattle game on Sunday Night Football, NBC aired a live clip of the Microsoft co-founder sitting in his suite at CenturyLink Field. NBC play-by-play veteran Al Michaels introduced Allen as the owner of both the Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers, noting that he “made his fortune at Microsoft with Bill Gates.” “Shockingly, with a computer in front of him,” quipped color commentator Cris Collinsworth. That “computer” looks to be like a Lenovo ThinkPad. I noticed Allen using a ThinkPad two weeks ago while… Read More
Ex-Seahawks star running back Marshawn Lynch was at CenturyLink Field in Seattle today, but this time he was there to drive Amazon’s Treasure Truck and hand out Beast Mode-skinned Amazon Echo devices and Beast Mode hats. That was the surprise promotion from Amazon’s Treasure Truck, the Seattle-based company’s rolling “deals on wheels” that periodically hits the streets of Seattle. Marshawn was clearly enjoying himself, sticking around until every customer got an autograph this afternoon. He drove in on the Treasure Truck wearing the blaze orange parka that the Amazon employees wear, and came out with a boom box blaring hip-hop tunes… Read More
The Treasure Truck is going Beast Mode. Amazon’s deals-on-wheels truck has a cool offering for customers today with an extra special guest: former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch. Lynch, who spent six seasons in Seattle and helped the team win a Super Bowl in 2014, drove the Treasure Truck to CenturylinkLink Field today with throngs of Hawks fans looking on. With hip-hop music blaring from his boom box and donning the blaze orange Amazon Treasure Truck parka, Lynch was signing autographs and handing out a Beast Mode-skinned Amazon Echo and Beast Mode Hat for $139.99. That’s $40 off the sticker price for Amazon’s popular voice-activated… Read More
It feels like a warm front just blew in over your favorite ski destination. REI has quietly shut down its Snow Report app, a popular mobile information source for winter sports enthusiasts. The app, which provided weather information and snow depths for various resorts, was turned off this fall before skiers and snowboarders had a chance to get excited about the new season. “We retired the REI Snow Report on Oct. 24,” a spokesperson for the outdoor retailer told GeekWire. “With the rise of resort-specific snow apps, we’ve decided to focus on apps for backcountry skiing (Powder Project), hiking, climbing, national parks and… Read More
