Andy Jordan's Tech Diary: Recent Episodes
Andy Jordan
Wall Street Journal Online reporter Andy Jordan chronicles the (often odd) stories that can be found when people and technology come together.
Its getting tougher to tell the difference between a joke and a real app in Silicon Valley. Some apps which begin as spoofs, like "Jotly", are getting serious attention, as WSJ's Andy Jordan finds out.
Supporters of a "dislike" button, which Facebook does not have, say the culture of Facebook has become too nice. WSJ's Andy Jordan reports from San Francisco on what some creative contrarions are doing to game the Facebook system to "get" a dislike button.
Amateur drone makers are sending their do-it-yourself creations up into the skies of Silicon Valley. WSJ's Andy Jordan reports from San Francisco on the stunning footage they're capturing.
More people are using telepresence robots that allow humans to be right there -- even when they're far away. WSJ's Andy Jordan checks out one San Francisco space with a regular office mate in Brussels.
AT&T is pushing a three year old division that connects devices other than phones, including GPS trackers, cars and gadgets that talk to each other. WSJ's Andy Jordan looks at some of the devices.
Klout gives users of Facebook, Twitter and other social networks a score based on their online influence. WSJ's Andy Jordan looks at how the score is calculated, what it means for getting freebies, and why the score is so valuable to advertisers.
Data show Apple has been losing younger iPhone users and attracting older users. WSJ's Andy Jordan examines the "Android Factor" and other reasons why the iPhone may not be "cool" anymore.
Common workspaces are spurring innovation and providing start-ups with the collaborative atmosphere one might find in academic settings, but with more opportunity for venture capital. WSJ's Andy Jordan reports from New York's "General Assembly".
A New York startup called Quirky is using social media to make the invention process accessible to everyone. WSJ's Andy Jordan looks at the company and its new star, a 22 year old who's flexible power strip made him $30,000 in just one month.
Video mashup artists are creating wholly original pieces of music and art, often using content that's already been published on YouTube. WSJ's Andy Jordan takes a look at the genre, and how studios are responding.
Futurist Ray Kurzweil says technology merging humans and computers is advancing on many levels to enhance both body and mind. He talks with WSJ's Andy Jordan about what he envisions for the year 2029 and beyond, why he thinks humans will one day live forever, and even what post-"singularity" sex will be like. (Originally published June 27, 2011)
The jetpack has been a common theme in movies and even among pranksters on You Tube. But now more commercially viable options are making it not just a fixture in science fiction. WSJ's Andy Jordan has this brief history of the jetpack.
A pilot virtual senior center program in New York City is allowing homebound seniors to use social technology to battle isolation and depression. WSJ's Andy Jordan visits the home of one participant who says he was waiting around to die until a computer gave him a new lease on life.
Thousands of mobile-phone users are playing games in physical space, using their phones, to get free stuff. WSJ's Andy Jordan profiles one company that is helping companies create a new model for mobile advertising: "expressions" versus "impressions" and looks at how even the military is using "game mechanics" to solve problems.
Kohler has created what it hopes to be a best-in-class toilet that costs $6400. WSJ's Andy Jordan gives the smart-toilet a whirl.
Smug Hipster puppies, auto-corrected texts of Dads who say "divorce" when they mean "Disney" (oops) , and Asian moms who steal napkins from Chipotle. The world of user-generated blogs is full of random time-wasters, but also lucrative book deals. In his latest Tech Diary, WSJ's Andy Jordan examines the current market for blog-to-book deals and looks at the pesky question of profiting from user-generated content.
A new gadget called "Chord Buddy" is allowing seniors afflicted with arthritis to play the guitar. WSJ's Andy Jordan got some residents at a senior living community to rock out with it.
The Internet has become a vital tool for self-promotion. But as it's removed some of the distance between performer and fan, it's made it harder to thwart unwanted attention. In his video Tech Diary, Journal reporter Andy Jordan speaks with a couple of popular web personalities and the people who pursue them, often in unfavorable ways.
It's something all men (and some women) have to deal with as they age: pesky nose and ear hair. In his latest "Tech Diary", WSJ's Andy Jordan takes a look at the cultural role nose hair trimmers play, and tests out a few of them on some good sports. (Warning: Some images may be disturbing.)
The maker of a designer chair put a couple dozen of its chairs out in the streets of New York, free for the taking. The only catch? GPS was hidden on the chairs, and a film crew would videotape the swipe and monitor where the chairs ended up. WSJ's Andy Jordan surveys the results of the "Real Good Experiment".