Harry McCracken

Harry McCracken is an editor at large at TIME, where he writes about personal technology for the magazine and TIME.com. He’s been a gadget nerd since the late 1970s and is the founder of Technologizer and the former editor in chief at PC World magazine. He's talked tech on everything from the History Channel to Dateline NBC to NPR's Science Friday. Contact him at harry_mccracken@timemagazine.com.

Articles from Contributor

TechnologizerGoogle

No, Google Didn’t Buy ICOA

By Harry McCracken Nov. 26, 2012

When I woke up this morning, the big breaking technology news on the web was that Google had plunked down $400 million to buy ICOA, a builder of public Wi-Fi networks.

TechnologizerFacebook

Facebook Asks Staffers to Dump Their iPhones and Use Android

By Harry McCracken Nov. 25, 2012

The social-networking giant plants posters around its campus urging employees to go Android.

TechnologizerHistory

Behold, Some of the First Apple Computer Photos Ever

By Harry McCracken Nov. 22, 2012

Apple’s first dealer shares his 1976 photos of the Apple-1, the company’s first product.

TechnologizerMicrosoft

Windows 1.0: The Windows 8 of Its Time

By Harry McCracken Nov. 20, 2012

The Verge takes a look back at Microsoft’s first graphical interface, and draws some parallels to its new one.

TechnologizerApps & Software

Lotus: Farewell to a Once-Great Tech Brand

By Harry McCracken Nov. 20, 2012

The company which brought us 1-2-3 in the 1980s has been a part of IBM since 1995. And now Big Blue appears to be ready to retire the brand.

TechnologizerMicrosoft

The Case Against the Windows 8 Interface(s)

By Harry McCracken Nov. 19, 2012

Noted usability expert Jakob Nielsen has written about Windows 8 and its dual interface, drawing on the reactions of twelve users who tried Windows 8 PCs and Surface.

TechnologizerMicrosoft

Windows 8: The Seven Roads Not Taken

By Harry McCracken Nov. 19, 2012

How should Microsoft have retooled itself for the era of tablets and touch interfaces? A few alternate-reality scenarios.

TechnologizerMicrosoft

It’s Too Early to Judge Early Windows 8 Sales

By Harry McCracken Nov. 17, 2012

Windows blogger Paul Thurrott is reporting that Microsoft is disappointed by Windows 8 sales to date. It shouldn’t obsess over them.

TechnologizerVideo Games

Nintendo TVii: The Next Big Thing Isn’t Here Yet

By Harry McCracken Nov. 16, 2012

The Wii U’s ambitious TV service won’t show up when the console hits stores this weekend.

TechnologizerGadgets

Lytro Adds Perspective Shift and Filters

By Harry McCracken Nov. 15, 2012

Light-field photography adds new special effects which go beyond after-the-fact refocusing.

TechnologizerApps & Software

Now Flipboard Helps You Find Books

By Harry McCracken Nov. 15, 2012

The “social magazine” has given its iOS apps new sections which let you browse for books in Apple’s iBookstore.

TechnologizerApps & Web

Nokia’s Here: Maps, Everywhere

By Harry McCracken Nov. 13, 2012

The smartphone maker wants to be a major mapping provider on all sorts of devices, including ones from its competitors.