Andrew Robulack

Cellphones are shackles at Bell Prison

If you're a Bell customer, the company will make you its prisoner next month when it turns your mobile phone into the equivalent of an ankle bracelet that tracks your every move.

We can’t trust NorthwesTel

Everybody has at least one "NorthwesTel Sucks" story. A couple of weeks back we all got a new one.

On penis swords and parental responsibility

Recently, a 12-year-old girl explained to me how her 10-year-old brother got a dildo gun and penis sword in Saints Row IV, a video game that was released last month.

A value Telus brings to the Yukon

As of last Friday you can subscribe to Telus in Whitehorse. The company will sell you a new mobile number in the 867 area code, or move a number you already have to their service.

Parody Twitter accounts of the Yukon

Twitter has a rich tradition of spoof accounts that are used to parody public figures, organizations, and fictional characters. And Yukon is no stranger to the trend, naturally boasting a colourful collection of online lampooners.

Hot summer tech for a shoestring budget

The (I-wish-it-were-actually) hot days of summer are upon us and it's time to look at some exciting technologies that suit both the season and our vacation-influenced shoestring budgets.

The Internet’s spying eyes are of our own making

We're under assault! Our rights are being taken away! Our privacy is being invaded! Somebody do something! We learned last week that several western governments are collecting information about what we're doing on the internet. The U.S.

Replacing central bankers with video game players

As we turned off the Xbox the other day, my son turned to me and said, "I wish we could use all the money we make in video games in real life." We'd just pillaged a Skyrim dungeon for a dragon's weight in gold and were feeling pretty rich with ourselves.

Microsoft’s rudderless boat is unfortunately anchored by Windows

Microsoft was the pre-eminent name in computers for a long time, with its seemingly unbeatable tag team of the Windows operating system and Office suite.

NorthwesTel’s Internet monopoly is slipping away

Over the years I've written dozens of columns about NorthwesTel. Seriously. Dozens. Some have been kind. Others… well, let’s just say I’m fortunate not to have been lynched long ago.

Drones: Coming soon to a sky near you

Drones are "unmanned aerial vehicles," or UAVs. Drones come in all shapes and sizes, each being designed for one of two purposes: surveillance or warfare. The two best-known drone models are at the extreme ends of the scale.

where are social medias seatbelts

In 2011, 15-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons was allegedly raped by four teenaged boys who were never charged or prosecuted for the crime. One of those teenaged boys shared a photo of the incident with friends online.

finding a comfortable seat for the future

A couple of years ago, Benjamin Caldwell of BRC Designs introduced us to his Binary Chairs.

as computers disappear new challenges come into view

Sometime this year, Google will usher in a new technological era when the company releases its first "wearable computer." It's called Glass. Glass is basically half a pair of eyeglasses with a camera that you wear, wirelessly connected to a smartphone.

Why Android is the new Windows and Windows is the new next thing

So, I recently spent a week using a Nexus 4, a smartphone that Google built with LG to demonstrate the ideal mobile computing experience. The experience ended up being significantly less than ideal.

internet in the north is broken

The "cloud" has become central to the way we use the Internet. We now put as much information online as we draw down, if not more. Whether it's sharing photos on Facebook or storing files on Dropbox, the contemporary Internet is a two-way street.

its time to ditch 867

The heavily-regulated 867 area code that almost every northerner has a phone number in is a relic from a bygone telephone era.

Local phone competition arrives and it’s about freaking time

It was a year ago, almost to the day, that I welcomed an early Christmas gift to the North from Canada's telephone regulator, the CRTC: the end of NorthwesTel's telephone monopoly.

A tale of three tech giants

A few days ago, I had the opportunity for direct consumer interaction with three of the technology world's biggest companies - Google, Microsoft, and Apple. These were an oddly symbolic series of experiences.

its all about giving

Before December disappears into an eggnog-induced haze, Yukonomist has a mission for you: find your chequebook and make a donation to the Whitehorse Food Bank.