Extended bio

April 29 2012

That’s me on the left. Pic by Brenda Veltman.

THERE’S A LOT OF STUFF I NEED TO UPDATE IN HERE. LIKE THE FACT I’M NO LONGER FREELANCE AND NOW LIVE AND WORK IN JOHANNESBURG. YOU KNOW, MINOR STUFF LIKE THAT.

I’m a journalist who writes about technology, whatever that actually means. To be a little more specific, I cover consumer electronics, PC hardware, tablets, international development, environmental issues, telecoms, open data, big data, data privacy, on and offline gaming, Africa and… that’s not much more specific, is it?

I love things like city camps, hack days and Linux. I want to be better at data journalism than I am. I do photos and – sometimes – videos too.

I edit the hardware section of PC Gamer, contribute regularly to Stuff, and will be writing the technology column of The Journalist as of next issue. I’ve also written for The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The Ecologist, Green Futures, Wired.co.uk, Comms Dealer, PC Format. I’ve also written for many other titles including PC Plus, PC Answers, Digital Photographer and, a little more randomly, the Musician’s Union magazine.

Before I became a freelance, I edited PC Format and the now defunct Digital Camera Shopper. One of my first journalism jobs was on a long forgotten children’s technology magazine called Planet PC for which I got to dress up in an Elvis costume,  write about volcanoes, interview astronauts and visit the building site that became the Eden Project.

Not all at the same time, I hasten to add.

In 2009, I was a finalist in the Guardian International Development Journalism Competition. I have a degree in English and Drama, which was my way of trying to avoid getting too involved with computers and technology. That worked out well.

I occasionally undertake corporate writing assignments where there is no obvious conflict of interest, and have worked for clients including Opal Telecom, UK:Telco, PC World, Bluebell Telecom, Microsoft and Asus. I’ve also edited reports for the African Child Policy Forum and written for the Arts & Humanities Research Council.

I work through a limited liability company called AOE Media Ltd. Wherever possible I use a Creative Commons licence for my work.

You can hire me for reporting, feature writing, reviews, investigative work and research by clicking through to the contacts page. Work samples will be uploaded to this site as soon as I can find time, until then mail me for requests.