I’ve been a reporter and writer for much of my career, and along the way I’ve tackled a variety of creative projects, including books, videos, websites, social media, and thousands of newspaper and magazine stories. If you like, you can check out a brief bio.
Articles/Essays
I wrote a cover story for the Winter 2014 issue of Rutgers Magazine about the actor Jimmy Palumbo. I went to a commercial audition with Jimmy at Telsey and Company, stopped by his agent’s office, and hung out with him in New York City. Jimmy is a talented, hard-working character actor, and my story aims to convey the life of a typical working actor.
Other topics I’ve tackled in the past few years include taking my iPhone into the ocean (even body-surfing with it), the future of friendship in the age of Facebook, and the Chinese concept of guanxi.
Check out other articles/essays.
Books
My book about iPhone photography, Create Great iPhone Photos: Apps, Tips, Tricks, and Effects, was published by No Starch Press. I wrote the book (and took the photographs for it) before iPhone photography, Instagram, and selfies hit the mainstream, and also created a blog, What I See Now, to write about a trend that’s reshaping photography.
I also wrote one of the earliest books about the internet for a non-techie audience, 50 Fun Ways to Internet (yes, a sort of crazy title). The book is a how-to guide, with tips on using the web and long-forgotten services, such as Gopher. Check it out for a blast from the past.
Column
My column for the Star-Ledger is the longest-running newspaper column about the internet and online culture. I’ve got a list of the hundreds of columns I’ve written, with links to many of them.
Video
I’ve experimented with video in a number of ways, including this video to promote my iPhone photography book. For Rutgers University, I produced a short film, Our Revolutionary Spirit, for the university’s 250th anniversary, writing and editing the scripts and securing the participation of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (and traveling to the Supreme Court for filming).
Speaking and Presentations
I’ve given presentations on a variety of technology-related topics.
ALLAN HOFFMAN 