GeekWire

Amazon surprised everyone Thursday morning when it announced it is looking to build a second headquarters in a city in North America. The news has big implications for Seattle, Amazon’s home, as well as cities around the country that are already lining up to woo the tech giant. We break down the news, what it means for Seattle and where we think Amazon will go next on this episode. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: The University of Washington Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more: www.hcde.washington.edu; and Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more: hughesmarino.com

Amazon made a surprise announcement Thursday morning: The tech giant is seeking a new city to build a second headquarters that will cost roughly $5 billion and employ 50,000 people. GeekWire editor John Cook joined KIRO's Seattle Morning News to discuss the announcement, what it means for Seattle and where the second headquarters could go. We'll do an in-depth analysis of the news on our Week In Geek podcast on Friday, and also read our coverage of the news at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: The University of Washington Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more: www.hcde.washington.edu; and Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more: hughesmarino.com

Ina Fried is a veteran tech journalist, having served stints at outlets including Re/code, CNET and All Things Digital. She's now the chief technology correspondent for a new news organization, Axios. On this episode of the GeekWire podcast, we sit down with Ina to discuss the future of tech, the divide between Seattle and Silicon Valley and how journalism is adapting to a new digital landscape. Follow all our coverage and analysis of the tech world at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: The University of Washington Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more: www.hcde.washington.edu; and Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more: hughesmarino.com  

When we think of old-school science fiction, novels about aliens and ray guns are top of mind. But these days, what counts as SciFi is rapidly changing. From more diverse creators to mediums including video games, there's more SciFi around now than ever before. On this episode of our special SciFi and arts series, we hear from noted author and president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Cat Rambo about the state of science fiction. Follow all our coverage and see more on geek culture at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: The University of Washington's Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more: www.hcde.washington.edu; and Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more: hughesmarino.com

Amazon and Microsoft announced a surprise partnership this week: their smart assistants Alexa and Cortana are now buddies and can call on each other to do tasks. Plus, we test out Alexa’s latest trick: multi-room audio. We also hear the sordid tale of Kanoa earbuds and the unwitting role Andru played in the fallout of the company closing. Follow all our tech 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: The University of Washington Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more: www.hcde.washington.edu; and Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more: hughesmarino.com

Surprise! Uber's new CEO is none other than GeekWire regular Dara Khosrowshahi. He's well known in Seattle as the longtime CEO of Expedia, and on this episode we talk about how he'll fit in at the embattled ride-hailing company he now leads. Plus, major steps in the fight against cancer, an inspiring bike ride and the mess of Seattle's sloppy intersections. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: The University of Washington Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more: www.hcde.washington.edu; and Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more: hughesmarino.com

It’s official: Amazon closed its acquisition of Whole Foods Monday and immediately rolled out big price cuts at the traditionally pricy grocery retailer. We tell you what we saw in Whole Foods stores Monday and just how much the changes will impact your wallet on this special episode of the GeekWire Podcast. Follow all our coverage of Amazon and other tech at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: The University of Washington Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more: www.hcde.washington.edu; and Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more: hughesmarino.com

Microsoft changed its vision statement this week to focus on artificial intelligence. It’s a big strategic shift for the tech giant -- will it pay off? Plus, scientists discover a cell that causes allergies and the tech community reacts to proposed cuts to legal immigration. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: The University of Washington’s Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more about them at: www.hcde.washington.edu/ Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more about them at: hughesmarino.com

Smart home tech is giving us more control than ever over the places we live, from AI-fueled thermostats to voice-controlled lighting. In this special episode of Geared Up, we get into some of the cool gadgets and platforms making it all happen, and give you tips for building your smart home from the ground up. Follow all our tech 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: The University of Washington’s Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more about them at: www.hcde.washington.edu/ Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more about them at: hughesmarino.com

Michael Royzen and Atul Ajoy may still be in high school, but these two developers and entrepreneurs are already well-versed in the tech industry, with strong opinions about Apple, Microsoft and the future of technology. On this episode, we hear from these teen entrepreneurs about their journey into tech and get their take on what's next. Follow all of our coverage at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: The University of Washington’s Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more: www.hcde.washington.edu/ Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more: hughesmarino.com

Tech-powered real estate brokerage Redfin made its initial public offering Friday morning, becoming the first Seattle-area company to IPO this year. On this special episode of the GeekWire Podcast, we analyze Redfin as a public company and talk about its prospects in the years ahead.  Thank you to this week's sponsors: The University of Washington's Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more: www.hcde.washington.edu. And Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more: hughesmarino.com 

Tired of the dating scene? Exclusive dating app League is hoping so, and it’s bringing its Uber of dating to Seattle. Plus, a ride-along with Seattle Police as they enforce the new Washington state distracted driving law and what truck drivers think of startup Convoy and the emergence of automated vehicles. Follow all our coverage and read the stories we talked about this week at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week's sponsors: The University of Washington's Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more: www.hcde.washington.edu. And Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more: hughesmarino.com 

It was a strange news week. Two smartphones came back from the virtual graveyard: the Galaxy Note and the Nokia smartphone. Plus, Microsoft announced it would discontinue MS Paint, before quickly resurrecting the program. We talk through it all on this ghoulish episode of Geared Up. Follow all our tech 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: The University of Washington’s Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more about them at: www.hcde.washington.edu/ Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more about them at: hughesmarino.com

The Facebook Platform fuels all sorts of technology, from the “like” button on news stories to storing your Candy Crush score. Ten years after it was launched, we sit down with Facebook's VP of Platform and Marketplace, Deb Liu, to talk about how the platform has evolved along with our digital lives. We also take a look at what's on the horizon for the next few years. Follow all our coverage at GeekWire.com Thank you to this week’s sponsors: The University of Washington’s Human Centered Design and Engineering department. Learn more about them at: www.hcde.washington.edu/ Hughes Marino, the commercial real estate company now expanding to Seattle. Learn more about them at: hughesmarino.com

The smartphone is king of the world these days, and how we interact with our phones is something that thousands of mobile marketers are constantly trying to understand. On this episode of the GeekWire podcast, we bring you two interviews from mobile marketing conference Postback, put on every year by Seattle company Tune. First, we speak with Tune CEO Peter Hamilton about the state of mobile marketing and how his background as an opera singer has helped him succeed in the startup world. Then we speak with the CMO of connected device company Belkin, Kieran Hannon, about the future of e-commerce and the smart home. Special thanks to Tune for sponsoring this episode of the GeekWire podcast.