Where Everything is Just One Big Haselton

One of the several, very-nice people in that group I attend the annual IFA tech trade show in Berlin with is a fellow named Todd Haselton.  Todd is a major expert in mobile technology, but just an all-around knowledgeable tech guy, period.  (And stealthy -- I wrote him a couple months back that I was sorry he didn't make it to last year's show in September, but I hoped to see him this year.  He wrote back to say that, in fact, he was there!  But for five days, even though we were staying at the same hotel, I didn't have a clue -- he went in, out and around on his own, completely under the wire, didn't go to the showgrounds on the group shuttle bus, or take part in the group press events and press dinners.  He had his Todd Itinerary and got around Berlin mysteriously on his own. I told him that if he ever decided to get out of tech and into the CIA, we would all be a safer nation for it.  Though less-informed about technology.)

One year at the show, I had a big problem with my mobile phone.  I didn't know what to do -- there I was, in the middle of Berlin, and my text messaging wasn't working.  Then I realized...hey, I'm at a major worldwide technology show and, look, right over there is Ed Bott, a leading tech columnist on ZDNet who has written 25 books with Microsoft Press on how to use Microsoft products (including, last year, the official Microsoft book on how to use Windows 10) and, wait!, right there is Todd Haselton who is one of the country's experts on mobile phones.  Let me tell you:  if you're ever going to have a problem with your mobile phone...those are the conditions you want it to happen in!

Todd recently started a new job writing about technology for CNBC as their Technology Products Editor -- at the moment on their website, though who knows if he'll make it on the air.  You can read his articles here.  His pieces are high-tech, but very accessible -- this is CNBC, after all, not Advanced Mobile Technology Systems Today. 

In fact, even better (especially for those who don't like to read, except perhaps this site), here is a video Todd did for CNBC this week about four top tablet alternatives to the iPad.  It's informative, breezy and, as a bonus, you get to see that he is, indeed, a very personable guy.