Snapshots from my tech encounters
Among the huge changes the smartphone has brought in the way we live, which I describe in Always On, is in photography. Having a decent camera with you at all times - and increasingly a device superior to the bespoke cameras we used to take on holiday or to special occasions - means we take far more pictures of every aspect of our lives.
In my work as a technology journalist having a phone with a decent camera meant I became accustomed to taking pictures of just about every person I met. In a nostalgic mood as I prepare to leave the BBC, I’ve been going through some of those photos. Here’s a selection with the stories behind them.
JONY IVE
I’ve met the man who played a major part in the smartphone revolution a couple of times but Apple has never let me interview Sir Jony Ive, the designer of the iPhone.
When I ran into him in 2009 at the Royal College of Art where he was being interviewed in stage his minders were not amused when I asked a question, claiming it was a private event. Afterwards, he agreed reluctantly to a quick snap with my iPhone - and as you can see the clumsy photographer hasn’t even got him in focus - but he said he’d be in deep trouble if he spoke to me on the record.
JEFF BEZOS
In recent years, Amazon’s founder has been almost as inaccessible to journalists as an Apple executive, but that wasn’t always the case. When he came to London in 2012 to plug the latest Kindle he was happy to pose with it for my phone. We also got a taste of the famous Bezos booming laugh, which threatened to crack the windows.
SHERYL SANDBERG
Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg is now under siege along with her boss Mark Zuckerberg as thousands of internal documents appear to paint a picture of a company which puts profits before the safety of users.
But in 2013, soon after the publication of her book Lean In, she was widely seen as a role model for women in the tech industry. When I met her up on the roof of Facebook’s London headquarters she seemed confident and relaxed.
EILEEN BURBIDGE ON TECH TENT
In January 2014 we launched a new radio programme called Tech Tent on the BBC World Service. On the first programme, the London venture capitalist Eileen Burbidge was a guest and as ever provided great insights on the latest tech news. She is pictured here just two minutes before we went on air, checking what looks like a Blackberry. It became my habit to take pictures of each week’s Tech Tent cast.
BILL NIGHY BY NOKIA 1020
In 2013, Nokia took journalists on a trip around London to show off their latest phone, the Nokia 1020. As Apple quickly stole just about all the profits in the mobile industry, the Finnish giant which had been the market leader foundered. First it ditched its Symbian operating system in favour of Windows Phone, then it was sold to Microsoft, and finally it just…evaporated.
But throughout, its phones stood out for their excellent cameras. The press trip involved a boat trip down the Thames, ending in a reception at a restaurant. Somehow, the actor Bill Nighy was there - I’m still not sure whether that was by accident or design. Anyway, when I asked if I could take a photo he was happy to oblige. The result was far better than anything I had shot with the iPhone 5S which was my normal phone back then. But we know how that battle panned out….
NOTE:
Now that I’m going to have more spare time, I’m thinking of devoting more time to this newsletter and changing it into a platform for my wider thoughts on tech news and trends. I have various ideas - it could for instance have a focus on tech and healthcare which is a special interest of mine. But I’d welcome your views - let me know what you would like from the Always On substack.