Brad Spirrison

When Johnny Carson stepped down from hosting The Tonight Show 20 years ago this week, Apple was pushing a rudimentary tablet computer called the Messagepad, and analog televisions were the primary delivery system for electronic media, news and entertainment.

Back then, most of us lived on a handful...

As the four major broadcast television networks this week showcase upcoming programming lineups in their annual upfront pitches to advertisers, there continues to be a lot of handwringing over how DVRs and online video consumption are making mainstream entertainment and the old fashioned notion of "appointment viewing" obsolete.

As David...

As some of the smartest people in technology continue to debate whether we are living in an app-driven bubble, it might be tempting for somebody like GrubHub co-founder Mike Evans to oversell the impact mobile media has on his company.

Founded in 2004, Chicago-based GrubHub is the leader...

When pre-revenue startups with less than 15 employees, such as Instagram, have 10-figure exits in less than two years, it's reasonable to ponder how today's app economy compares to the dot-comedy of the late '90s.

One of the first people I recently asked was Matt Murphy,...

Wall Street analysts who foolishly downgraded Apple before another monstrous earnings report last week are not the only ones who should eat a little crow.

It may seem surreal to think about now, but it wasn't too long ago when some of the smartest tech industry commentators and...

With any emerging medium, the real fun begins when companies that are less than two years old and have little-to-no revenue exit at 10-figure valuations.

So, rather than debate whether or not Instagram sold out its users by being absorbed by Facebook, let's look ahead and...

With Groupon in SEC purgatory, it may come time sooner rather than later to anoint a new poster child for Chicago's growing but still somewhat fledgling tech community.

Who's the best candidate? You might find the answer by speaking into your iPhone.

Dag Kittlaus, who founded Siri Inc....

The idea of splitting the meal bill at a restaurant by handing a server two or multiple credit cards could be a thing of a past. That is, if the developers of the iconic Bump app have anything to do with it.

Powered with merchant processing technology from...

Opening Day for Major League Baseball is just around the corner. If you can't make it to the ballpark or in front of a television screen for any game you want to watch this season, know that there are dozens of grand slam apps you can call up to dial...

Although there are more than one million apps available to download for Apple, Google, and Microsoft-powered smartphones and tablets, only a very sweet few ever become household names.

Like Angry Birds and Instagram, Draw Something by OMGPOP will make the crossover from hot mobile app...

Rather than running from the negative press associated with how it formerly handled user contact information, Path today announced a new update that among other things lets runners share their times with friends via Nike+ integration.

The Nike+ feature also lets you see "cheers" from friends while you...

The fourth installment of the Angry Birds franchise will be landing on iOS and Android devices on March 22. There is no better place than outer space for the greatest physics game in the universe. Check out an early preview below, and stay tuned for reviews and video coverage.

Watch...

Regardless of how much attention you pay to college basketball during the regular season, the NCAA Tournament annually provides must-see sports entertainment. So whether you are looking for ways to take in all the action wherever you travel, need some help putting together your pool bracket, or want your boss...

One of the world's most accomplished mobile media innovators just left Apple. Why? Among other reasons, he wants to explore some "entrepreneurial ideas" in Chicago. Siri co-founder and CEO Dag Kittlaus will have a lot of local talent to tap into.

From Siri to Chi-Town

Over the last month...

All things must pass.

Decades from now, many of us will share our stories of where we were and what we were doing when we learned Steve Jobs passed away.

Here's mine.

An hour ago I was wrapping up dinner with my wife and 19-month old son. One of the...

Earlier this month, Chicago-based GrubHub gorged on another $50 million in venture capital financing. While the seven-year-old startup success story will use much of that money to acquire a competitor, GrubHub will no doubt leave some room on its plate for mobile application development.

GrubHub's apps for the

After more than eight months in hibernation, the Chicago Bears return to Soldier Field this Sunday for a game that finally matters. Television, newspapers and the web are not the only ways to keep up with the Monsters of the Midway. You can now track the team's I Formation on...

After a nice summer break, class is again in session. And when it comes to developing educational apps for elementary, high school and college students alike, there are a few local developers who are schooling the competition.

Test well with BenchPrep
Whether it be the SAT, ACT, LSAT...

Smartphones are basically personal computers that can be carried around in our pockets. This means we don't have to be inside and chained to a desk to enjoy their benefits. Explore Chicago's outdoor destinations with these great iPhone apps.

Dialing up destinations on the cheap

We...

Chicago sports fans are living in the worst of times. The White Sox are underachieving while the Cubs are historically bad. Who knows how the Bears will look after a long layoff and if there will even be a Bulls season this year.

Now there is a new iPhone...