#newtechcity

[excrapolation-blog]

New Tech City Bored & Brilliant Challenge Day 4 Digital detox for the day. Leave an "out-of-office" message on all your social networks and then don't go near them again. This happened yesterday. I sorta failed this one. I logged on to Facebook and posted a link and then at the end of the day posted a pic of my food...but after that I was able to avoid most social networking in between.

[excrapolation-blog]

New Tech City Bored & Brilliant Day 3

#NTCDelete

Delete an app that affects you negatively

I started out by deleting Alien Blue, Reddit’s app. I love that app too much. It’s a huge time waster and data hog. I’ve gotten the “You have used 75% of your data” message from AT&T every month since downloading it. My morning felt free so far—until I thought I should check Instagram.

So I deleted that one, too

And then I went on a deleting spree and deleted 8 games (including Two Dots), 2 news apps, and 2 photo sharing ones.

Let’s see how this day goes.

[excrapolation-blog]

New Tech City Bored & Brilliant Day 2

#NTCNoPhoto

Do not take any photos with your phone today

This one seemed easy enough…until, that is, I decided to try out the Geocache app that I recently downloaded to find a geocache near my work during lunch. I couldn’t resist taking a pic of it, even though the cache itself was boring.

I had spent 15 minutes tromping through dead brush and a passing cargo train to find it, so felt a little accomplished.

Pictured above, my contribution to the geocache, and the reason for cheating on my assignment today.

[excrapolation-blog]

New Tech City's Bored & Brilliant Challenge Day 1

#NTCpocket

Keep your phone out of view while going about your day.

If you hadn’t already guessed, I’ve decided to do this challenge because I’m addicted to my phone. I have tendinitis in my hands, inflamed thumbs, and I’m no more or less popular than I was when I picked up the phone to tweet or Instagram. Sigh.

This was a hard one because I take the bus the work. It’s a long and boring 45 minute ride…but I’m proud to say I did this one.

In doing this task, I did suddenly notice 1) how quiet the bus is 2) how all of my fellow passengers are on their phones 3) how robotic we all must look staring at rectangular devices And 4) that I’m in my 30s and have a dead-end job with an oppressive boss. Also why don’t I have a car yet? Why does this bus stop at every stop even though there aren’t any people? WTF was I thinking moving out of San Francisco for Minnesota?! I should really win the lottery..

Creepy.

[notetoselfradio]

A #BAB question for you: Describe the app that you have a love/hate relationship with. Have you ever been downright addicted to an app? Which one? How did it feel?  

[engagelive]

[theradiofile-blog]

WNYC's Manoush Zomorodi talks women in radio, podcasting, and why she loves neurotic hosts.

By Hilary Brueck

Here at the Radiofile, we're big New Tech City fans. Maybe that's because (full disclosure) Matt's also an intern at WNYC, but I'd like to think it's more because every week they bring us funky new tech stories.

A recent favorite of mine was this segment about why more women are gravitating to computer science (and how that's great for the economy).

New Tech Host Manoush Zomorodi has a very upbeat, cinematic (and unmistakable) radio voice. So when Manoush agreed to sit down and chat, I couldn't wait to ask about the changing role of women's voices on the radio.

I was delighted when our candid conversation also steered to the virtues of "weird, strange and unusual" podcasting, being a neurotic host, and, last but not least, why being called a bitch in your comments section should sometimes be considered a badge of honor.

[nycedc]

New Tech City

Learn more about how NYCEDC is helping to shape the City's tech ecosystem at nycedc.com/tech.