Wall Street Journal Technology Editor ambushed at IoT13

Write up of our IoT 13 Forum last week by our junior reporting team from the Newnham Croft Tech Club…

As well as taking in some of the talks, they walked the show floor and bumped into Ben Rooney, Technology Editor of the Wall Street Journal, so they asked for some career advice. Ben was typically patient and helpful.

This is their guest blog…

Thank you to Newnham Croft Tech Club’s Ace Reporters – Violet, Arthur, Isabel, Ruby & Sadie.

Reporter’s notes. BUSINESSES  WE MET.

MAKE SPACE: technology workshop which allows you to start and finish your own technology projects. it also shows people how to build technical things like robots, mechanical cranes etc. The community’s inventing shed-a place in Cambridgeshire where you can meet,learn and build (almost) anything. meet. learn. build. play.

GOOD NIGHT LAMP: a lamp shaped as a house. as you turn yours on your friend or family will turn on letting them know you are ready to connect or go somewhere. you can get more than two and gave just one person one you can buy multiple family’s that will keep growing and growing as you find more and more friends.A family of internet-connected lamps.

REDTAIL: a company hat produce trackers for peoples cars to let you know how safe you drive the majority that buy this are young adults 18-21. this is quite practical if you have just passed your driving test and want to convince someone you deserve a car for yourself. telematics.

ELECTRIC IMP: a company that makes various items that can connect to the internet and react to it. a gumball machine that can connect to the internet then you can select whether you would like small, medium or large, your chosen portion of confectionery will pour out into your container. also there is an outdoor light which will turn on if something happens like your team wins or something else you have set it to react at. (a bit like the scripts of a scratch sprite).there are some fairy lights that you can program to turn a certain colour they can even predict the weather! they do this by going on a website to see the weather forecast it will then save it then for sun it would be yellow, rain would be blue etc.

PEOPLE WE MET

BEN ROONEY: a technology editor for the wall street journal who advised us to not become journalists. thanks for the advice our second question ‘are you related to Wayne Rooney? ‘ we think it was top reporter stuff (they just laughed)

DOUGLAS ORR: he created and app for women to allow them to connect and give each other advise on what to wear, were to go out, should i by these types of questions and answers. it used to be for men but then he realised men don’t like shopping and if they do, well that is one weird man.