Chatting about the Internet and the 2008 Elections

Guardian Blogs Editor Kevin Anderson dropped by our office a few weeks before the election to interview me about the role played by the Internet in the 2008 Presidential campaign for the Guardian’s Tech Weekly podcast . You can listen to the podcast here.  Andy Carvin from NPR and Garrett Graff from Washingtonian Magazine also share their thoughts....

Top Search Chef

I'm not a fanatic of Bravo's competition show Top Chef, but my colleagues Chuck and J.W. who both sit next to me are big fans of the show.  So, in honor of the show's fifth season premiere tomorrow and the likely endless commentary that I'll overhear at work for the next few months,...

Did Anyone Use the Obama iPhone Application?

I think the iPhone application developed by the Obama campaign was fantastic.  I’m on the record.  I’m also on the record that iPhone applications are a luxury item most organizations should skip, given the still relatively small user base of the device.

Since playing around with the tool,...

Ubiquitous Usernames

I'll be the first to admit that when it comes to online user accounts, I am rather protective of my favorite usernames. I prefer my aliases to be free of numbers and clutter. When other people on various websites see my online identity, I want them to be in awe of the sheer minimalism and genius of the moniker I chose....

Battle of the Voting Place Tools

In past election cycles, the Republicans and Democrats have developed their own custom applications to help citizens find out where they can go vote.  This year, Google did everyone a service by developing a gadget that lets everyone embed a gadget that lets site visitors find out where they can go vote. ...