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The Geeks We Love V-Day Round Up!

geeksugar — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:02:29 -0800

This week in honor of Valentine's Day, we decided to show some love to four fabulous geeks we truly admire in the tech world. In case you missed one of their enlightening and fun-filled interviews, click on "start slideshow" to check out the entire list!

Geeks We Love: Adam Frucci of Gizmodo

geeksugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:21:27 -0800

For the last installment of the Geeks We Love V-Day series, I would like to introduce you to the multi-talented, fascinating Adam Frucci. Adam's home base is in Brooklyn and he currently works as a contributing editor for Gizmodo. Why do we love Adam you ask? Well he doesn't exactly fit the "guy in the tech industry" average mold. Adam doesn't own an iPhone, would be the first to admit that digital photo frames are tacky pieces of garbage, and actually discusses the environmental impact of packaging from crappy gadget knock-offs and useless accessories—We're in love! And that's just the beginning (trust me). . . Keep reading to check out the full interview with Adam below and be sure to stay tuned tomorrow for a round-up of all our Geeks We Love interviews!

GS: You write for various websites and do improv comedy performances. How do you manage to squeeze so many things into your busy schedule and what other "hidden talents" can you share with us?
AF: Since I work from home, it's really important for me to get out of the house most nights, otherwise I'd go completely crazy. Improv is great because it keeps me busy two to five nights a week and lets me be creative in a way that's completely different than my writing, which is important to me. As for other talents, I'm not sure. I really love writing fiction, but it's tough to sit down and write for pleasure after writing nine hours for work, so I haven't dedicated as much time to that lately as I would like. It's something I always tell myself I'm going to get back into, but haven't yet found the time or energy to dive full-on into it as I'd like.

GS: What are some gadgets you can't seem to live without and why?
AF: I'm actually not a huge collector of gadgets. Since I deal with them all day for work they don't give me a huge rush in my free time — I think I'm the only Gizmodo editor without an iPhone and I don't have cable. But I would go completely crazy on the subway without my iPod and obviously no one can survive without a cell phone these days. So that's my really boring and predictable answer: My iPod and my cell phone.

To learn more about the infamous Mr.Frucci,

Geeks We Love: Cat Schwartz of eBay and HiTechMommy

geeksugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 03:40:40 -0800

As much as I love the fellas that have been featured in our Geeks We Love V-Day showdown, I can't help but give some love to one of the coolest "Cats" in the industry. This versatile gadget guru gal is not only eBay's Gadget and Toy Director, but she is also the founder of HiTechMommy, a site which caters to all things tech for gadget-loving parents. The woman I am referring to is the fabulous Cat Schwartz! Cat is most commonly known for her appearances on shows like Live With Regis and Kelly, MSNBC's Hot List and The Today Show, and can be found making fun videos like eBay's Granny gadget makeover holiday video. With a resume that's so long and diverse, you can't help but admire how she's paving the way for the rest of us in this otherwise male-dominated field. To learn more about Cat, check out our interview below!

GS: If someone were to describe a typical day in the life of Cat Schwartz, what would they say?
CS: First off they would say, baby Jack needs to sleep in his own bed and not in mamma's because to start off the day with footprints all over your back is no way to live. Also, not eating until noon is bad for your health, and working from your couch with the TV and radio on can't be very productive.

GS: Who is someone in the tech industry you admire, and why?
CS: I'd say my fellow chick tech reporters like yourself, Veronica Belmont from Engadget and Mahalo, Kara Rowland from The Washington Times and Natali Del Conte of CNET. I'm really happy to see all of us busting out great content and being kind to each other along the way. Rock on, ladies.

To continue reading Cat's fun-filled interview,

Geeks We Love: Boy Genius of The Boy Genius Report

geeksugar — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 05:45:17 -0800

Day two of our Geeks We Love Valentine's series showcases someone who is certainly no stranger in the tech world (OK, well maybe he is somewhat of a stranger). You see, he is so "in the know" when it comes to industry info related to all things tech, that he runs a website under an assumed identity, Boy Genius. Boy Genius created The Boy Genius Report after becoming a crowd favorite within the circles of online mobile communities. His website is like a secret society for geeks. . . full of exclusives, tid-bits and "swirling new rumors." He was first to catch a glimpse of the Valentine's Day promo poster from AT&T, was first on the scene to reveal the BlackBerry 8xxx from RIM, and on December 25, his "music industry spy," Just Blaze (shown below), found out that Apple would be announcing a new laptop at MacWorld. Although we're wracking our brains trying to figure out who this person is, you can't help but love a person who is just — that good! Keep reading to find out more about this mystery man!

GS: I'd love to know how The Boy Genius Report all got started:
BG: It was something I did for fun. I had some great contacts who would send me devices and phones long before anyone had even heard of them, and as soon as I saw people's reactions, I knew I had to start sharing this. Engadget gave me a great avenue and it got so popular that I had to start something that I had complete control over.

GS: Of all the gadget/tech blogs I read on a daily basis, The Boy Genius Report seems to have the most "insider info" than anyone else (especially when it comes to cell phones). What is your secret and where do you get all your insider tips from?!
BG: A lot of our sources are close friends of ours who trust us with the information they give us, and that goes a long way when you're in something for the long term and are all about building relationships. Everyone is passionate about what we're doing, and hey, what's better than dropping some serious scoops?! You always got to keep corporate on their toes!

To read the rest of the interview, and to see what luxury gadgets the BG owns (drool at your own risk),

Geeks We Love: Devin Coldewey of CrunchGear

geeksugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 06:01:32 -0800

What better way to countdown to Valentine's Day than by showcasing fun interviews with some very special Geeks We Love. Without further adieu (cause I know you want to know who the hottie is in the pic below), I bring to you today's geeky guy — The geekalicious Devin Coldewey, a Seattle-based freelance tech writer who works as an associate editor for CrunchGear—one of my fave tech blogs. You can't help but love a guy with a great sense of humor, who watches nature documentaries, knows a ton about gadgets, and was once . . . a preschool teacher. . . (all together now, awww!) Keep reading to learn more about Devin, and find out why he thinks the MacBook Air is a "sexy lemon!"
GS: Tell my few readers that haven’t heard of you a little about yourself:
DC: Well, I used to be a preschool teacher, but now I do this ridiculous gig. Writing about cool stuff all day, kind of awesome. My life isn't too exciting. . . I spend my days and nights hanging out at bars and cafes writing, reading, and seeing friends. I really love obscure music, nature documentaries, and old-school video games.

GS: When we chit-chatted at CES, you mentioned that you don't read a ton of blogs each day. Is this true? And if so, how do you get all your info for stories?
DC: Well, what I write on isn't always what I keep tabs on. I love looking up stuff like new camera gear, Indie gaming news, and PC hardware. . . But for random cool gadgets like that bad breath detector you guys had, I feel there is so much out there, that I have to leave it the guys who are naturally inclined that way. We edit each other and say "dude, is this cool or not?" all the time, and trade posts when we know the other guy would have loved to have found it.

To check out the rest of the interview, and to see what Devin describes as the ultimate geeky Valentine's Day date (trust me it's realllly good),

Geeks We Love: Peter Ha of CrunchGear

geeksugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:00:15 -0800

In my daily online tech travels, there are always sites that I visit not once, not twice but multiple times a day. One of the sites in this daily line-up includes CrunchGear, a chic tech blog filled with gadgets, geek gear and up-to-the minute news stories. I particularly enjoy reading posts by freelance writer Peter Ha, who dishes about everything from his wild Seoul trip adventures to his first experience on a Virgin America flight. Peter incorporates honesty (Sony I don't understand your commercials), wit, and insight into all of his articles, making them fun and enjoyable to read. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Peter and getting to know all his geeky quirks and favorites. Let's just say that after I learned he contributes to Surfing magazine and men.style.com, I was even more of a fan... talk about the ultimate geek chic package!To learn more about Peter and check out the entire interview,

Geeky Girl We Love: Peggy of BuzzFeed

geeksugar — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:35:58 -0700

As much as I like to think I know what the buzz is on the net everyday, it's virtually impossible to always know what's hot and what's not. That's why I rely on BuzzFeed, a NY-based site that posts 10 "Buzz Detected" topics per day, so you don't get bombarded with content.

With a clean, fresh layout and categories ranging from science and celebrity to food and tech, you're guaranteed to find the most talked about stories on the net at any given moment. Have you read up on the Stephen Colbert Backlash, did you know James Lipton used to be a pimp and have you ever considered adding scrabble fashion to your wardrobe? Buzzfeed claims they use "technology and human editors to find the hottest buzz" on hot topics and they aren't kidding.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing one of the site's "professional trend detectors," senior editor Peggy Wang. Peggy has been working in the tech industry for the past five years is the total tech-savvy geek chic package so I had to put her on the spot and test out her geek cred. To check out the full interview,

Andrea Owens of ThinkGeek: Geeky Girl We Love

geeksugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 07:00:01 -0700

ThinkGeek has long been a go-to destination for geek shoppers online, so when I was introduced to one of their Merchandising Assistants and she immediately divulged she is a geeksugar fan, I realized we were a match made in heaven.

Andrea Owens, who describes herself as "laid back, high strung, random, a little bit crazy, fun, and a little bit of an organizing control freak," had always been a fan of Thinkgeek and had joked it would be so awesome to work there. After moving to Virginia, she checked the website to look at a gift for her husband noticed they were hiring. Needless to say, that was a match made in heaven.

These days Andrea's job consists of monitoring ThinkGeek's stock of current products, ordering stock, researching (can you imagine how much fun that is?), and the best part, product testing. What's the seemingly perfect geek job really like and what makes Andrea so geek chic? Check out my interview with her!

Geeky Girl We Love: Kate of Apartment Therapy

geeksugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 09:00:04 -0700

CasaSugar and I share an appreciation for Apartment Therapy, a network of sites that's all about making small spaces more livable, hip and beautiful. In the past few months, I’ve fallen in love with the network’s Home Tech section, which features great tips, tricks and gizmos that will enhance your tech life without costing you a bundle or taking up too much space (we don’t all live in homes that can fit giant home theaters, right!).

Home Tech’s editor, Kate Mulinix, is just as lovable as the site. She claims she has appreciated good design in small spaces ever since the Barbie bus of her childhood. From her appreciation and understanding of good design, as well as the ability to articulate why it was so, came work in the advertising business when she was six-years-old, writing copy and designing the ads. Technology and the newest tools to increase productivity must run in her blood, as her father had one of the first portable computers that eventually became her first computer, one of the first cell phones (heavy enough to be a boat anchor), and GPS long before it became mainstream.

Kate has been the editor on Apartment Therapy's Home Tech site since it launched in March. I recently tracked her down to interview her about all things geeky. To check out the full interview,

Geeky Girl We Love: 14 of Gallery of the Absurd

geeksugar — Tue, 08 May 2007 09:00:56 -0700

There are hundreds of bloggers I admire for their tenacity, drive, humor and innovative ideas, but very few who embody the combination of artistry, sarcasm and wit that 14, the founder of Gallery of the Absurd does.

14, who is an artist first and a blogger second, has wowed the web with what the New York Post called "Portraits of Shame" - as in satirical paintings and drawings of tabloid favorites like Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin. While gossip blogs talked about the Hollywood Skeleton Girls, 14 painted them - as skeletons. When Star Jones got canned from The View following her shameless quest for wedding freebies and the denial and controversy surrounding her dramatic weight loss, 14 painted her as a fish about to sink her teeth into a giant and shiny bite of "free" bait. No matter what the scandal, 14's hauntingly hilarious images seem to begin where tabloids end and her collection, which is archived on Gallery of the Absurd is an addiction in its own right. I recently found out she resides in San Francisco and that she's a major geek. She was gracious enough to let me pick at her brain. For the full interview,

Geeky Girl We Love: Gina Hughes

geeksugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 23:30:09 -0700

Words like "geek," "techie" and "diva" can drum up some nasty stereotypes, but Gina Hughes, the Chief Editor and Founder of TechieDiva, seems to embody only the sugar-sweet aspects of each and her site is anything but diva-driven. Like geeksugar, TechieDiva showcases fun gadgets, iPods, cell phones as well as practical services and killer applications. We fell for Gina because of her inherent ability to merge technology and style and her aptitude for keeping us entertained and coming back for more everyday. Turns out she's a karaoke fan (big props here!) and she thinks Gizmodo's Jason Chen is a dead sexy geek...following her hubby of course. For the full interview,

Geeky Girl We Love: Jean Aw of Notcot

geeksugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 09:01:13 -0700

Jean Aw is the co-founder of Notcot and Notcot.org, a network of informative and collaborative websites that doubles as a design consultancy. It's tagged as a "visual filtration of ideas+aesthetics+amusement," which translates to a beautiful mix of all the things Jean and the community love. At 24, the designer, trendspotter and entrepreneur has already made a mark in the blog world and seems to be leading the pack with an innovative, creative site that celebrates design, imagery and curation. I dare you not to fall in love with it - or her for that matter. For the full interview

Geeky Girl We Love: Nandini Maheshwari

geeksugar — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 23:30:00 -0800

Last month we featured some of the cutest geeky couples and bachelors in the blogoshere, which left many of you wondering - what about the women? Fear not my fine friends, we were just saving the best for last. March is women's history month so I figured there was no better way to celebrate than to highlight some of the smartest, most creative and successful women on the internet. First up, Nandini Maheshwari, editor of Born Rich, a site that makes the stuff of MTV's Cribs look like Salvation Army rejects, and co-founder of the Instablogs Network in India. While Nandini spends her days exposing the glamorous gadgets and accessories of the insanely wealthy, she's a smart, down-to-earth commerce graduate that's championing the geeky girls online movement. Her pick for sexiest geek in the world? Her hubby of course!

Love 2.0: Anil Dash and Alaina Browne

geeksugar — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 10:10:19 -0800

As part of our Geeks We Love series, I caught up with a few couples that, through the beauty of the internet and technology have influenced both our lives and each other.

There are plenty of couples that both blog, but Anil Dash and Alaina Browne are in an elite club of longtime bloggers that have been around the blogosphere for years, but are still humble about their success, influence and accomplishments. Anil, is Vice President at Six Apart, a blogging software used by millions of people across the world, but he describes his occupation by saying "I help people start blogging." Alaina is the general manager at Serious Eats, a website filled with video, blogs, photos and feature stories all geared toward the foods people love. What geeky things do these two love about life online and each other?

Love 2.0: Lauren Smith and Derek Fagerstrom

geeksugar — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 12:00:51 -0800

As part of our Geeks We Love series, I caught up with a few couples that, through the beauty of the internet and technology have influenced both our lives and each other.

It seems a bit of geekiness comes with the territory of owning your own online business, no matter what your background. If this is true, Lauren Smith and Derek Fagerstrom, who happen to be the owners of hip online store Curiosity Shoppe, wear it well. The couple abandoned their “kinda crazy lives in New York City” and came home to the San Francisco Bay Area to start up the Shoppe for the simple reason that they are obsessed with beautiful things. What makes them so geek chic?

Love 2.0: Peter Rojas and Jill Fehrenbacher

geeksugar — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 10:00:47 -0800

As part of our Geeks We Love series, I caught up with a few couples that, through the beauty of the internet and technology have influenced both our lives and each other.

If there was an award for cutest hipster bloggers with actual street cred, Peter Rojas and Jill Fehrenbacher would take the cake. He is the cofounder and editor-in-chief of Engadget, a heavily trafficked tech blog about gadgets and consumer electronics, and the cofounder of Joystiq, which covers the world of video games. She is the founder of Inhabitat, a sensible and chic blog that looks at the future of design, tracking innovations in technology and practices and materials that are pushing architecture and home design toward a smarter future. Though they describe themselves as "art school geeks" rather than your "average geeks," the newly-engaged couple stands out in the Love 2.0 generation for using technology to spread their passion for life and their work. What do they love about their jobs and each other?

Love 2.0: Pete Mortensen and Kimra McPherson

geeksugar — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 10:00:59 -0800

As part of our Geeks We Love series, I caught up with a few couples that, through the beauty of the internet and technology have influenced both our lives and each other.

If loving the internet, pop culture and Macs is wrong, Pete Mortensen and Kimra McPherson don’t want to be right. He’s an innovation strategy consultant, and renowned Cult of Mac blogger and she is an editor on the world famous BuzzSugar team. When the couple isn’t playing Wii sports or hiking Half Dome they can be found in their San Francisco apartment making messes while learning to cook, building up their netflix queue and keeping their two cats off their keyboards. And of course blogging, lots and lots of blogging. What geeky things do these two love about each other and life?

Love 2.0: Heather Champ and Derek Powazek

geeksugar — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:00:40 -0800

If we’re to believe pop culture, a Beauty and a Geek can fall in love in six episodes, teach each other to dress and balance their checkbooks and combine to make the perfect pair. It may not be that easy in the real world, but there are plenty of beautifully geeky couples that continue to inspire us with their innovative ideas and contributions to the technology and resources we use everyday. As part of our Geeks We Love series, I caught up with a few couples that, through the beauty of the internet and technology have influenced both our lives and each other in a wonderful way.

Heather Champ is the Community Manager at flickr and co-founder of JPG Magazine. Her husband, Derek Powazek is the founder and CCO of 8020 Publishing and Editor-in-Chief of JPG Magazine. A life-long camera junkie, Heather never leaves home without a camera, hoping to capture the small moments that catch her eye. Derek was an early blogger - even though he never liked calling it that. He also used to run fray.com, the original digital storytelling magazine, which Heather calls a “wonderful gift to the web in a time when self-publishing wasn't as ubiquitous as it is today.” What geeky things do these two love about each other and life?

Geeks We Love: Jason Chen of Gizmodo

geeksugar — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 10:04:54 -0800

Shows like Beauty and the Geek give male geeks a bad rep. I have news for you folks, not all geeks think pocket-protectors and worn corduroy pants are trendy. In fact, I know plenty of fellas that showcase the very best of geekiness: smarts, passion, chic clothing, success in their field and the ability to program your TiVo, computer or Blackberry when you’re not in the mood. In an effort to celebrate this month of love, I have put together a series of interviews with some of the most interesting geeky guys out there to prove that geeks are just as lovable as A-list actors.

When it comes to guy gadget sites, Gizmodo.com has earned a reputation as a go-to source for all things geeky - combining breaking news, gadget reviews and a saucy grown-up nerd attitude you can’t help but love. The site’s cool content and buzz is created by a team of geeks that are dedicated to keeping the rest of the world updated on the inner-workings of the gizmo world around the clock and not afraid to admit how many hours they spend playing Xbox or cruising the internet. Among these fearless techie leaders is Jason "JC" Chen, a technology writer/associate editor for the site, who is known to make a "Wii in my pants" joke now and again. While Jason is happily attached, he agreed to share some of his secrets with us. So what makes Jason such an alluring geek?

Geeks We Love: Om Malik of GigaOM

geeksugar — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 10:08:28 -0800

Shows like Beauty and the Geek give male geeks a bad rep. I have news for you folks, not all geeks think pocket-protectors and worn corduroy pants are trendy. In fact, I know plenty of eligible geeky bachelors that showcase the very best of geekiness: smarts, passion, chic clothing, success in their field and the ability to program your TiVo, computer or Blackberry when you’re not in the mood. In an effort to celebrate this month of love, I have put together a series of interviews with some of the most interesting geeky bachelors I know.

Om Malik, who is the founder of GigaOmniMedia, Inc. and executive editor of GigaOM.com, a popular tech blog that offers news, analysis and opinions on topics ranging from broadband to online games and Web 2.0, is the epitome of geek chic. He just happens to love clothes as much as he does gadgets – and has an awe-inspiring gadget collection and closet to prove it! For the full interview with Om,