Brian Shrader

Raleigh antenna-maker allowing more cable customers to cut the cord

Posted by Brian Shrader | Nov 24, 2014

If you’re paying a cable or satellite company to watch your favorite television shows, Mark Buff, president of Raleigh-based Mohu, wants you to reconsider your options. Recently named by the Triangle Business Journal as one of the area’s fastest growing companies, Mohu offers a new kind of digital TV antenna that, for as little as $25, picks up high-definition TV signal without the need for a cable box. “Most of the top 100 shows are available over the air,” Buff said Monday. “Most people do not know that.” The technology came about in 2009, when local broadcasters switched to...

Career changers take the leap at Durham code school

Posted by Brian Shrader | Sep 24, 2014

The computer skills in high demand in today’s job market go way beyond email and Microsoft Word. Programming skills can open a whole set of job listings, with salaries starting at an average of $60,000, according to salary survey site Glassdoor.com. In Durham, students immerse themselves in programming, training for an intense three months at The Iron Yard Academy, a boot-camp style code school. Mae Beale was working at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health when she learned about Iron Yard. “Becoming a programmer and doing software development is something I’ve been interested in for many...

Need a parking space? Raleigh’s North Hills has an app for that

Posted by Brian Shrader | Jun 19, 2014

Smartphone apps can help users with a wide variety of things, and now one can help North Hills shoppers find the best parking space, remember where they parked and provide walking directions around the shopping area. “We want to make sure people understand that when they park their car, they can park for the day and get up and walk around,” said Bonner Gaylord, North Hills general manager and Raleigh city councilman. The idea behind the app started last year at NC DataPalooza, an event where people like software developer Eric Majewicz create ways to make freely-available data accessible...

American Underground opens third workspace in Raleigh

Posted by Brian Shrader | Mar 6, 2014

A new American Underground workspace in Raleigh may make it easier for Triangle entrepreneurs to get their businesses started. The workspace recently opened at 213 Fayetteville St. The new space will house more than 25 businesses, including Bandwith Labs, according to the company’s website. American Underground provides workspaces for new companies, allowing entrepreneurs to bounce ideas off each other. The company also has two campuses in Durham. “What it allows companies to do is have an early, easy start,” said Adam Klein, the company’s chief strategist. Jesse Flores co-founded Photofy, an app allowing users to add pre-designed graphics to...

Test driving Chevy’s hybrid Volt – It’s a real car, but …

Posted by Brian Shrader | Jul 20, 2011

Editor’s note: Brian Shrader is a reporter for WRAL TV. Among his beats are morning traffic and technology. On Monday, he test drove a Chevy Volt at the Plug-In 2011 conference in Raleigh. WRAL Tech Wire asked Brian to share his impressions about the hybrid car. RALEIGH, N.C. – I’ll start by answering the question everyone seemed to have when they heard Progress Energy had loaned me a Chevy Volt to test drive over the weekend: It goes as fast as you need it to go. Everyone wanted to know how fast it went. They assumed the plug-in hybrid...