NYC's Chief Digital Officer Rachel Haot on borough hopping with Google Maps and the Macintosh II
Every week, a new and interesting human being tackles our decidedly geeky take on the Proustian Q&A. This is the Engadget Questionnaire.
This week's edition of our regular session on inquiry chats with the nation's first Chief Digital Officer, Rachel Haot. NYC's CDO discusses navigating the five boroughs with Google Maps and her filtered photo obsession. Head on past the jump for the full set of responses.
What gadget do you depend on most?
My iPhone.
Which do you look back upon most fondly?
Macintosh II. I remember playing with Paint and a kids' adventure game called The Manhole.
Which company does the most to push the industry?
Right now, Google. From Glass to cars, they are pioneers creating new categories.
What is your operating system of choice?
iOS.
What are your favorite gadget names?
MakerBot, Raspberry Pi, Flux Capacitor.
What are your least favorite?
TI-89.
Which app do you depend on most?
Google Maps. Gets me everywhere in the five boroughs of NYC and I love the experience and interface. Especially when I search for directions on my desktop and when I turn on my smartphone outside, it's queued up.
What traits do you most deplore in a smartphone?
Short battery life, bad web-browsing experience.
Which do you most admire?
Great camera. I love taking photos and Instagram is my secret obsession.
What is your idea of the perfect device?
Something beautiful that makes life easier and brings me closer to other people.
"I remember playing with Paint and a kids' adventure game called The Manhole."
What is your earliest gadget memory?
Playing Duck Hunt on Nintendo with my friends at 7 years old.
What technological advancement do you most admire?
Electricity.
Which do you most despise?
Partially hydrogenated soybean oil.
What fault are you most tolerant of in a gadget?
Bad keyboards.
Which are you most intolerant of?
Bad cameras.
When has your smartphone been of the most help?
Creating a WiFi hotspot when I have none.
What device do you covet most?
Google Glass.
If you could change one thing about your phone what would it be?
A keyboard that types what I want to write.
What does being connected mean to you?
Feeling human.
When are you least likely to reply to an email?
When there is no response required.
When did you last disconnect?
My honeymoon - last July.
[Photograph courtesy of NYC Mayor's Office]
