I made the call to get my kid a smartphone — here’s how it’s going, and why it makes me kind of sad Quick, take a picture of me — you’re looking at the hero of Christmas! Better yet, let’s have my 6th-grade… Read More
How do I delay getting my kid a smartphone? Doctor behind ‘Screenagers’ films offers advice I’m lucky to be here writing this. If it’s possible to be eye-rolled off the planet, I nearly suffered that… Read More
With new AI sidekick ‘Genie,’ startup vets aim to create a safer online experience for kids In the debate over devices, screen time, online safety, and the appropriate age for young people to be online, Darius… Read More
This wearable toddler tracker, invented by a mom, aims to put parents’ minds at ease A new tracking device will let parents know when their kids run away from a caregiver at the playground, where… Read More
Amazon Glow makes video calls more immersive, with projected and interactive space for kids Anyone who has struggled to keep kids engaged with distant relatives via traditional screen interactions has certainly felt that strain… Read More
Report: Amazon is namely to blame as parents stop naming kids Alexa “Alexa, STOP!” How many times have you shouted that after unintentionally waking a voice-enabled Amazon device? Now imagine being the… Read More
Russell Wilson and Spencer Rascoff back MOJO, an app to help parent coaches find fun in youth sports A search on YouTube for “youth sports drills” returns an endless scroll of every type of practice workout you could… Read More
Back to the ‘Future Innovators’: 5 years later, kids adjust to an evolving and turbulent world Five years ago, budding 11-year-old Seattle scientist Rebecca Yeung was launching a homemade spacecraft high above Earth. The exploits with… Read More
That’s smart, and cute: Friends create stuffed animals to dress up Amazon and Google speakers That smart speaker in your home could serve as the base for another smart — and adorable — idea if… Read More
Amazon lets developers build premium Alexa content for kids with new in-skill purchasing feature Amazon will let developers build premium Alexa content directed at kids with an expansion of its in-skill purchasing feature. The… Read More
Amazon adds $250K to fund it created for Seattle students, increasing access to summer programs Several months after announcing a $2 million grant to aid Seattle school students with the creation of the “Right Now… Read More
What makes kids see technology as ‘creepy’? Fear not, a Univ. of Washington study seeks answers It’s one thing to be scared, as parents, about some of the technology our kids are using. Distracting a child… Read More
LEGO Lassies, a team of girls from Seattle suburb, ride robotics success to world championships The LEGO Lassies, a team of sixth-grade girls from Kirkland, Wash., just keep racking up wins in FIRST Washington robotics… Read More
Native American robotics team from rural reservation chases tech dreams at GeekWire Bash The town of Nespelem, Wash., located on the Colville Tribal Reservation about 4 1/2 hours northeast of Seattle, is home… Read More
Little girl tries repeatedly to get Alexa to play song, before mom launches cute ‘Baby Shark’ attack One of these days, cute Alexa videos will probably jump the proverbial shark. We’re not there yet, because we need… Read More
Stormy Daniels, Santa and marijuana: Amazon cleans up Alexa’s answers to certain kid questions We know kids have always said the darndest things, but in 2018, with the growing ubiquity of voice assistants in… Read More
Put down your devices and be a kid while you still can: Advice for graduating 5th graders, and all of us My 11-year-old son’s transition from elementary school to middle school will bring with it plenty of big changes. There will be… Read More
Teen entrepreneurs find Zigantic success and will pitch their business plan in global competition Forget big success. Zigantic success seems like a cooler measurement. Zigantic is the name of a company started by three… Read More
New research finds 95% of teens have access to a smartphone; 45% online ‘almost constantly’ Our kids are growing up behind the screens of their smartphones. What they’re looking at and how often is the… Read More
Amazon’s Alexa is everywhere — but the name is dropping in popularity for actual human babies Don’t ask Alexa about recent trends around the most popular baby names in the United States — Amazon’s virtual assistant… Read More
Google picks Seattle third grader’s doodle as Washington state winner in annual contest A Seattle third grader’s colorful doodle has been recognized by Google as Washington state’s finalist in a competition looking for… Read More
Will this 8-year-old girl stick with coding? Fun project with dad attracts gifts from tech community Catherine Rabasa was already a cool tech kid thanks to her love for coding at such an early age. But… Read More
Amazon to release new Alexa options for families and kids, including ‘magic word’ feature that gives positive reinforcement for saying ‘please’ Amazon plans to release a slate of new Alexa features for parents and children, plus a new $79.99 version of… Read More
TLDR: Twitter suspends 1.2M accounts, Amazon Spheres open to the public, tips for using VR [Editor’s Note: TLDR is GeekWire’s daily news rundown, hosted by Starla Sampaco. Watch today’s update above, subscribe to GeekWire on YouTube for every… Read More
Hey, sad internet, use your imagination! If Toys R Us goes bust, pick a smaller box to shop in Commentary: Reports suggesting that Toys R Us and its 800 remaining stores may not be long for this retail world… Read More
Homework would be bus work in Microsoft’s plan to bring internet access to kids in rural areas School kids in rural Michigan who have less-than-adequate internet connections at home could get some homework done on the bus… Read More
Better tattoo ink? A workout on the bus to work? Teens test startup ideas at Innovate ’17 bootcamp REDMOND, Wash. — People are spending hours each week commuting to work, often via bus, so why not turn that… Read More
Steve Ballmer’s passion for basketball detailed in story about his days coaching third graders Steve Ballmer has established himself as a man who is as passionate about basketball today as he was about software… Read More
Here are 10 business ideas from inspiring young entrepreneurs pitching products in a parking lot A weekly farmers market at the Crossroads shopping center in Bellevue, Wash., attracted a bunch of extra vendors on Tuesday… Read More
Seattle Mariners pitcher and Moose mascot stand up against internet bullies in new kids book Not content with just battling opponents on the baseball field, the Seattle Mariners are taking on internet bullies, too, with… Read More
