GeekSugar

Would You Pay $35k For a Tour of Bill Gates's Home?

GeekSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:15:00 -0800

As part of Microsoft's charitable giving campaign, founder Bill Gates is again auctioning off a tour of his Medina, WA, home. Last year the tour sold for $8,600, but this year the bidding has already reached $35,000. You have to be a Microsoft employee to bid in the auction (which reportedly also includes "the world's best bologna sandwich," selling for $500), with all the proceeds benefiting charity.

When you're Bill Gates, the sky is the limit when it comes to designing your home. See if you can guess the answers to a few questions about his pricey pad.

Take the quiz

Bill Gates Gets Overwhelmed by Facebook

GeekSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 01:45:25 -0700

Well wouldn't you know. . . On Saturday, Microsoft's co-founder Bill Gates told an audience in New Delhi that he became bombarded with friend requests on Facebook and was having trouble figuring out if he really knew them. He said:

"It was just way too much trouble so I gave it up."

So just how many friends were trying to befriend one of the kings of tech? Approximately 10,000, which became unmanageable for Gates. During the event in India which was honoring his charity work, he also revealed that he's not that into text messaging and isn't a 24-hour-a-day tech person.

Two things I take from this: Gotta love the guy for admitting that he not only maintained his FB page himself (rather than having a lackey do it) and I also love his honesty about his tech habits. He may be a geek, but who says he needs to be updating his FB profile 24/7 or that he must become a Twitter member? It's OK Bill, we understand.

Daily Tech: Microsoft Retail Stores Coming This Fall

GeekSugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:11:00 -0700

Microsoft plans on opening the doors to its new retail stores in the next few months - Engadget
Ironically, Wired's Chris Anderson's book Free is available for free on the Kindle - TechCrunch
If you downloaded iTunes 8.2.1, here's how you can still put tunes on your Palm Pre - Gizmodo
TripAdvisor is warning travelers of fake reviews to lure visitors to their hotel - Switched
Bill Gates makes physics lessons available for free from the Microsoft Research website - Bill Gates

Daily Tech: Technology in the Year 1994

GeekSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:42:44 -0700

"It's very hip to be on the Internet right now," said Bill Gates back in '94. - CrunchGear
The Amazon Kindle 2 could be better with these improvements. - CNET Crave
AT&T will offer MMS at no extra cost to customers who get a text messaging bundle. - PC World
Virgin Media has just launched a music download subscription service in the UK. - USA Today
Check out Switched's list of gadget gear for dads.- Switched
iPhone 3G S preorders have started shipping. - Engadget
President Obama lists video games as health concern in a speech to the American Medical Association. - Kotaku

Daily Tech: Bill Gates Sr. Talks About Raising a Tech Mogul

GeekSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:01:43 -0700

Bill Gates Sr., who acts as cochair of the the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, sat down to chat with the Wall Street Journal about his life and discusses the trials and tribulations of raising Microsoft's cofounder Bill Gates Jr.. - The Wall Street Journal
Firefox 3.5 beta is now available for download and offers better performance and stability as well as improved private data tools like Private Browsing Mode. - Gizmodo
These simple yet effective keyboard shortcuts are guaranteed to save you so much time. - Switched
Get to know MySpace's new CEO Owen van Natta, who will replace former CEO, Chris DeWolfe. - The Silicon Alley Insider
Belkin's new CushDesk for your laptop may not be worth the $30. - Engadget

Source

iPods and iPhones Are Not Allowed in the Gates Household

GeekSugar — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 06:02:16 -0800

This month's Vogue has a great interview with Mrs. Bill Gates, the lovely philanthropist Melinda Gates. The interview focuses on the Microsoft founder's better half, but there's a fun Apple rivalry moment in the piece, when the subject of the couples' kids is brought up.

She says: "There are very few things that are on the banned list in our household. But iPods and iPhones are two things we don't get for our kids."

Gates does admit to being swayed - a little- by Apple's smartphone, though: "Every now and then I look at my friends and say 'Ooh, I wouldn't mind having that iPhone'."

Source

The New and Improved (?) Microsofts Ads

GeekSugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:11:52 -0700

Now that Seinfeld is out and the new "I'm a PC" commercials are in, most of you feel the same way that I do about them - they are totally copying Apple's "Get a Mac" ads! The first installment with Seinfeld was at least somewhat original, but waay too long to be used as commercials. These ones? Catchy, but lack originality. Microsoft, you had my attention with Seinfeld, and lost me at "I'm a PC."

To see the other two Microsoft commercials, just read more.

Daily Tech: Second Seinfeld/Gates Ad, Much Funnier Than the First

GeekSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:00:27 -0700

Within the next couple of days, the second installment of the Bill/Gates Jerry Seinfeld Microsoft Ad will debut, and I must admit, it's pretty darn funny. - ZDnet
The verdict is in on the thin iPod Touch 2G, and it sounds like it's totally worth splurging for. - CrunchGear
Barack Obama's campaign released an ad today that showcases John McCain's technological ineptness. - Valleywag
It may not be the hottest gadget out there, but the Backup Pal will easily backup your cell phone through a connection to your PC. - Unplggd
Forty percent of teens would rather have a cell phone over a land line; now why doesn't that surprise me? - USA Today
It's giveaway time! Be sure to log in to your TeamSugar account for your chances to win geek-chic beach gadgets and accessories! - geeksugar

Daily Tech: First Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates Vista Ad Debuts

GeekSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:50:38 -0700

Microsoft has kicked off its first commercial featuring Jerry Seinfeld alongside Bill Gates, and the verdict is in: It's a whole lotta randomness! Not exactly the simplistic Microsoft vs. Apple ad I was hoping for. - Gizmodo
Going back to school? Here are some helpful tips for prepping your gadgets for the new school year. - CrunchGear
Palm is getting ready to unveil new Centro models in green and rose hues, which are said to become available next month. - Gadgetell
Some people are having way too much fun with Google Chrome. - Unplggd
The Xbox 360 has just become the lowest-priced gaming console in the US! - Engadget
Michael Moore's Slacker Nation, a new documentary about trying to get younger generations to vote, will be distributed online for free via Blip.tv. - Valleywag

Geek Love: Tech Giants and Their Ladies

GeekSugar — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:13:34 -0700

Last week I asked if you like young Bill or young Steve more (71 percent of you are like me and think Steve is the bigger catch), and it got me thinking about tech giants and the love in their lives. We all know about Bill and his wife Melinda Gates because of their Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, but who do the other big men in tech snuggle up to at night? Check out my slideshow to find out! Source

View Slideshow ›