Questions With Lance Ulanoff

    Hello, this is TheTechBoy with an exclusive interview of American tech Journalist Lance Ulanoff. Lance Ulanoff is a tech journalist who writes for TechRadar and has his own website. He has been in the profession for over 35 years. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity. Enjoy! 

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Questions With Lance Ulanoff

1. How and when did you get interested in technology?

      - Answer: I’ve probably been interested for almost my whole life. I was learning BASIC as a teen (though I never became a programmer) and was using the original Mac in 1986. 

2.  What devices are you personally using? Smart home, smartphone. Etc. 

• Answer: Surface Pro 7, iPhone 13 Pro, Apple TV, Roku, HomePod mini, Apple Watch, iPad Air, Nest Thermostats, Echos, Facebook Portal. The list is way too big to cover here.

3. In your article about retrieving photos from a Blackberry Torch, you mention having a drawer of old technology. What are your favorite devices from that drawer? Which ones were your least favorite?

• Answer: My favorite might be the iPhone 3GS. It still has that original, iconic design. My least favorite might be the Barnes and Noble Nook, but mainly for the missed opportunity (they could not keep up with Amazon and the Kindle).

4. For new tech journalists looking to start their own website or vlog, what would be the best way to get into the profession?

      -    Answer: Write. Don’t wait for someone to give you an assignment. Launch a blog on Medium and start writing essays. Start reporting on what interests you. Hone your craft.

5. It is noted that you appreciate drawing, how did you get into it, and what are your favorite drawing programs for IOS and Android?

      -    Answer: I’ve been drawing since I was a kid and graduated to digital art in the late 80s. I now almost exclusively draw on the iPad with an Apple Pencil and Procreate. On Android, I’ve used Sketchbook

6. Could you use your favorite tablet (Surface, iPad, Galaxy Tab, Chrome OS, Linux)  with a keyboard and complete your day's work? Why or why not?

      -    Answer: iPad Pro 11-inch. Perfect size and great performance and is fantastic for art, content consumption, and some productivity with the Magic Keyboard. However, for productivity, it’s the Surface Pro with the Type Cover keyboard. That’s my everyday device.

7. What is the favorite phone you have ever tested?

      -    Answer: That’s tough. I’ve tested so many. I think the iPhone 4 (Verizon) might’ve been the most exciting one. It was a big deal at the time.

8. Android, IOS, or something else?

      -    Answer: iOS but Android is so-close to being just as good. I use it a lot but remain an iOS fan (and devoted to it because of the ecosystem).

9. Favorite Desktop OS.

      -    Answer: Windows 11

10. Favorite Browser.

      -    Answer: Microsoft Edge

11. Favorite tech-related thing to do for fun?

      -    Answer: Drawing and photography. I take pictures of birds with my Sony A6000 and a 200MM lens, then I transfer them to my iPhone, edit and post them on Instagram.

12. What is the key to your success? 

      -    Answer: I never give less than my all to everything I do. I work as hard now as I did when I was 22. The only difference is, perhaps, now I work smarter and, I hope, I produce better results.

13. Sorry for this extra question, but what are the best tech toys under 50 dollars?

 -    Answer: iPhone cases, cables, Pop-Sockets, chargers. There are also a bunch of affordable audio products like speakers, earbuds, etc.

    Thank you to Lance Ulanoff for agreeing to this interview, you can contact him at lanceulanoff.com, and if you want to send us old tech, or get interviewed contact us at contact@thetechboy.org.

    Disclaimer: The views in the opinions expressed in this interview are not necessarily expressed by TheTechBoy, and is not a promotion of any of the products or websites mentioned in the interview.

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