For 20 years, from 1995 to 2015, I wrote a column about the internet, new media, and personal technology for the Star-Ledger, New Jersey’s largest daily newspaper—the longest-running daily newspaper column about the online world. The column also appeared in other newspapers, including The San Diego Tribune, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, The New Orleans Times-Picayune, The Birmingham News, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Seattle Times, and many others.
2015
A technology wish list for 2016, December 26, 2015
Time-saving tech tips for holidays, December 18, 2015
Photography gifts for kids, December 11, 2015
Streaming media players, December 4, 2015
Phone cases as wallets, November 27, 2015
Buying a phone is like buying a dashboard for your life, November 13, 2015
Augmented reality aims to redefine computing, October 30, 2015
Email blasts should be brief, October 23, 2015
Mind mapping helps you map your ideas, October 16, 2015
Learning about fake Instagrams, or finstas, October 9, 2015
Invites beyond the Evite, October 2, 2015
Instagram turns 5, September 25, 2015
Hand-drawn animation with VideoScribe, September 18, 2015
Back-to-school: Time to hit the reset button on kids’ tech, September 4, 2015
Want to know the future of TV? Just ask a 9-year-old, August 21, 2015
Forget the laptop: Your thumb drive is your computer, August 7, 2015
Save money with a black-and-white laser printer, July 24, 2015
A data caravan is driving your decisions, July 17, 2015
Use an arrow, not a sentence: Skitch lets you annotate images, July 3, 2015
Reduce connectivity on vacations, June 26, 2015
Duolingo for language learning, June 19, 2015
Minecraft books are a key to the game’s appeal, June 12, 2015
Need a graphic? Canva will help, June 5, 2015
Add-ons for Gmail, May 29, 2015
Apple Photos makes your images available at any time, May 22, 2015
Mobile-friendly books with Blinkist, May 8, 2015
Welcome to the era of Notification Overload, May 1, 2015
Apple steps out of post-Jobs shadow to promote Apple Watch, April 10, 2015
Is video livestreaming the next big thing?, April 3, 2015
The Grid aims to take hassle out of building a website, March 27, 2015
The next must-have phone accessory? A tripod, March 20, 2015
Don’t even try avoiding Apple Watch frenzy, March 13, 2015
The stylus gets complicated, March 6, 2015
YouTube Kids doesn’t offer much, February 27, 2015
The limitations of Microsoft Office, February 20, 2015
Vine celebrities, February 13, 2015
Trailers being used to promote more than movies, February 6, 2015
Bandsintown, Songkick, and other concert websites, January 30, 2015
Is Apple the new Microsoft?, January 16, 2015
What tech acquisitions tell us about the coming year in tech, January 9, 2015
5 predictions about the Apple Watch, January 2, 2015
2014
Phones may be at the center of internet-connected homes, December 19, 2014
Prezi as an online presentation too, December 12, 2014
Internet-connected toys, December 5, 2014
Amazon Echo, November 21, 2014
Time-lapse video, November 14, 2014
Crowdsourcing beyond Kickstarter, November 7, 2014
Instant gratification economy is here, but is it here to stay?, October 31, 2014
Reddit redefines the news with viral ephemera, October 24, 2014
Digital designers, remember the rule: Don’t make me think, October 17, 2014
Take control of your security with passwords and passcodes, October 3, 2014
Kids know Apple and Google, but Microsoft? Not quite, September 26, 2014
How YouTube is your kid’s new after-school tutor, September 17, 2014
Minecraft is a video game hit and a cultural sensation, August 22, 2014
Tips for writing emails your readers won’t ignore, August 15, 2014
Art form of the 21st century? It’s the app, August 8, 2014
New favorite gadget? It’s an internet router, August 1, 2014
High-speed internet is the norm, and we’re lost without it, July 25, 2014
Shooting video with your phone? Don’t hold it vertically, July 18, 2014
Trello organizes your work (and life) with cards, July 11, 2014
Chromebook for your kid? Beware the limited parental controls, June 27, 2014
Do-it-yourself online tools let you create complex infographics, June 20, 2014
Panorama apps open up a world of photographic possibility, June 13, 2014
Google is reinventing driving with maps and self-driving vehicles, June 6, 2014
Mustbin app helps you keep vital information private and secure, May 30, 2014
Markdown is a useful tool for online writing, May 23, 2014
Amazon Prime becoming the standard for convenience in shopping, May 16, 2014
Apps and websites let you create your own memes, May 9, 2014
Can videogames foster empathy and save the world?, May 2, 2014
Computer users may learn they can’t access old documents, April 25, 2014
From TeamSnap to SignUpGenius, online tools assist in organizing kids’ activities, April 18, 2014
Amazon Dash scanner points to future of digital gadgets for the home, April 11, 2014
Professional creative programs aren’t out of your league, April 4, 2014
YouTube is redefining television for millennials, March 28, 2014
Google Drive price cut signals a new era for computer storage, March 21, 2014
Backing up a computer is easier than ever: Just do it, March 14, 2014
Beyond the 4-by-6: Photo printing, from mosaic posters to mini-stickers, March 7, 2014
Computers 101: What really matters when buying a new computer, February 24, 2014
Inexpensive apps let you retouch your photos, February 14, 2014
Facebook’s new app, for people tired of Facebook, February 7, 2014
For millions, the Super Bowl action will be on Twitter, January 31, 2014
The weirdest company ever? It’s Google, January 24, 2014
The Windows 8 debacle and the coming ‘XPocalypse,’ January 17, 2014
The future of tech? Examine the startup acquisitions, January 10, 2014
8 substitutes for the tech manual you didn’t get with your gadget, January 3, 2014
2013
A top 10 of technology from 2013, December 27, 2013
Internet critics foresee a world of screen-crazed automatons, December 20, 2013
Beyond the slideshow: online tools for creating photographic montages and narratives, December 13, 2013
Smartcameras, mirrorless compacts, and other options for camera buyers, December 6, 2013
6-second stop-motion clips go viral with the Vine app, November 22, 2013
Under-the-radar apps worth using, from backups to personal finance, November 15, 2013
For tweens, Instagram may be the gateway to Facebook, November 8, 2013
Password managers aren’t always simple, but they are secure, November 1, 2013
8 internet perils highlighted by The Circle, October 25, 2013
Like it or not, your face will appear in online ads, October 18, 2013
Apps inspired by Uber aim to simplify tasks, October 11, 2013
Stand out in the in-box: tips for email subject lines, October 4, 2013
Expect “interface overload” with frequent updates to phones and tablets, September 27, 2013
Home automation is coming to your house via the “internet of things,” September 20, 2013
Whisper app lets you share secrets, September 13, 2013
Teaching your kids the lost art of using reference books, September 6, 2013
Subscription shopping, from black beans to bizarre socks, August 16, 2013
Google wants your brain, August 9, 2013 [PDF version]
Track your online presence with these analytics tools, August 2, 2013
Should a self-published book be your next business card?, July 26, 2013
What’s the right age (and the rules) for kids and email, July 19, 2013
Personal archiving for the online era, July 12, 2013
Foodies thrive in the online world, July 5, 2013
Cloud computing is convenient — and confusing, June 28, 2013
Action movie effects with your phone camera, June 21, 2013
Productivity and the distractions of email, June 14, 2013
Useful concepts (and jargon) from the world of startups, June 7, 2013
Deciding what you should use (Twitter? website?) for your online presence, May 31, 2013
Rugged cameras, hard drives, and other gadgets, May 24, 2013
Why I like to pay: Don’t rush to grab those free apps and other freebies, May 17, 2013
The ingredients of a great profile pic, May 10, 2013 [PDF version]
Google Glass and etiquette, May 3, 2013
How to build a media empire with Flipboard and other online tools, April 26, 2013
Use your phone to relax (really), with meditation apps, April 19, 2013
Is it possible to use apps as a substitute for your monthly mobile phone plan?, April 5, 2013
Angry Birds: Cartoons today, then theme parks and movies tomorrow, March 28, 2013
Skype, Tumblr, and other tools to stay in touch with a faraway friend/relative, March 22, 2013
The Samsung Galaxy Camera and apps on cameras, March 15, 2013
New wave of wireless stereos, March 8, 2013
This may be the year of the wearable computer and Google Glass, March 1, 2013
Making movies with your phone, February 22, 2013
Smartwatches and an Apple iWatch, February 15, 2013
The phenomenon of Apple fandom, February 8, 2013
Micro-communication and micro-style, February 1, 2013
Snapchat and a new era of photo sharing, January 25, 2013
Using a smartphone instead of a PC, January 18, 2013
Standing desks are all the rage, January 11, 2013
2012
My wish list for the technology of 2013, December 28, 2012
Toy companies lure kids with digital add-ons to traditional toys, December 21, 2012
Subcompact publishing and a new era for magazines, December 14, 2012
The end of the handwritten thank-you note, December 7, 2012
An alternative to internet-connected devices for kids’ tech gifts, November 30, 2012
Printing books to preserve memories, November 23, 2012
Confusion (and lots of choices) for computer buyers, November 16, 2012
Smartphones and social media during Hurricane Sandy, November 9, 2012
Hurricane Sandy and the fear of digital isolation, November 2, 2012
The crazy mess of Facebook’s account controls, October 26, 2012
Amazon, Netflix, and the new producers of TV, October 19, 2012
How to stop annoying Facebook notifications and other Facebook tips, October 12, 2012
Happiness (and positive psychology), via the smartphone, October 5, 2012
My kids’ tutor is an iPad, and they don’t even know it, September 28, 2012
Social television will transform how we watch TV, September 21, 2012
Learning a computer language with Codecademy, September 14, 2012
Spots for (legitimate) free music, images, e-books, and more, August 24, 2012
The Curator’s Code and giving credit for links, August 17, 2012
Apple buys Tumblr, Evernote buys Day One, and other fanciful acquisitions, August 10, 2012
Is Facebook headed for the has-been file alongside AOL, August 3, 2012
Will smartphones replace cash and credit cards?, July 27, 2012
You don’t need to appify every part of your life, July 20, 2012
The fascinating world of legal blogs, July 13, 2012
Balancing the books with web-based accounting tools, July 6, 2012
Do-it-yourself tools for creating mobile apps, June 29, 2012
Today’s challenge: whether to get in touch by email, text, Facebook, or another tool, June 22, 2012
Animated GIFs and nostalgia for recent digital technologies, June 15, 2012
BookExpo America, BlogWorld, and the meeting of books and blogs, June 8, 2012
Delicious, Pinboard, and a cautionary tale about Internet acquisitions, June 1, 2012
Socialcam, Viddy, and other video-sharing apps, May 25, 2012
Why big-company websites often fail us, May 18, 2012
Digital apps the future of Moleskine notebooks, May 11, 2012
“Social reading” and how it’s trying to reinvent the reading experience, May 4, 2012
Flipboard, Google Currents, and other apps to reinvent the reading experience, April 27, 2012
Pair and other micro-social networks, April 20, 2012
Acquired startups may soon disappear or fade from view, April 13, 2012
Accessories for our mobile devices, from pillows to blood-pressure monitors, March 30, 2012
Apps a new “board” for games like Monopoly and Life, March 23, 2012
Compared to smartphones, single-use gadgets look ancient, March 16, 2012
Dropbox more than a convenience: cloud storage service a sign of the times, March 9, 2012
Pinning your photos with Pinterest, March 2, 2012
Please, don’t give your 8-year-old an iPod touch, Feb. 24, 2012 [PDF version]
Rooting for the underdog—Microsoft, Feb. 17, 2012
Evaluating the Facebook Timeline, Feb. 10, 2012
Specialized writing tools, like Day One, for screenplays, journals, and more, Feb. 3, 2012
“Smart cameras” with apps may be the future of photography, Jan. 27, 2012
A tale of an Apple failure, so far: iCloud, Jan 20, 2012
Watching television shouldn’t be such a challenge, or require so many remotes, Jan. 13, 2012
20 tech battles to watch in 2012, Jan. 6, 2012
2011
Rounding up interesting predictions for 2012, Dec. 30, 2011
Are “smart” tools, autocorrect, and other “smart” technologies making us stupid?, Dec. 23, 2011
The Amazing Typewriter and other apps/tools summoning technologies of the past, Dec. 16, 2011
Are customers getting lost in Google’s rush to bring out services and tools?, Dec. 9, 2011
Kickstarter helps creative types fund their ideas, Dec. 2, 2011
Time-saving tools for the holidays, from comparison shopping to e-cards, Nov. 25, 2011
Kindle Fire offers great tablet computing for the masses, Nov. 18, 2011 [PDF version]
Time to retire the term “vanity press” as self-publishing hits the mainstream, Nov. 11, 2011
Gestures, voice commands, and a revolution in interfaces, Nov. 4, 2011
Other companies edging into Apple’s terrain, Oct. 28, 2011
You can create videos with tools like Animoto and iMovie trailers, Oct. 21, 2011
A Google store could be coming to a mall near you, Oct. 14, 2011
Steve Jobs: hero on the level of Springsteen, Oct. 7, 2011
Playing music with apps rather than instruments, Sept. 30, 2011
Yelp can learn a thing or two from Zagat guides (now owned by Google), Sept. 23, 2011
“Smart technologies” getting better, from face recognition to autocomplete, Sept. 16, 2011
The “filter bubble,” Hurricane Irene, and missing the “big picture” in the news, Sept. 9, 2011
Mobile phone cameras come in handy for everything from grocery shopping to web searches, Aug. 26, 2011
Rethinking (and streamlining) word-processing tools, with simplicity, Aug. 19, 2011
Quitting email: Noble experiment, but not a real solution, Aug. 12, 2011
Is Google+ just another step in conversation (and social networking) overload?, Aug. 5, 2011
Preserve your digital photos for posterity (and avoid losing them), July 29, 2011
YouTube is now a terrific resource for video tutorials, July 22, 2011
The self-tracking movement, with gizmos like Fitbit, July 15, 2011
Using Zapd to build a website in 60 seconds, July 8, 2011
Guess what? Google isn’t the only way to search the web, July 1, 2011
Expect smartphone apps right in your car’s dashboard, June 24, 2011
Apple, iCloud, and the shortcomings of cloud computing, June 17, 2011
Internet history is vanishing into thin air, June 10, 2011
Going on a trip? Don’t leave home without a smartphone, June 3, 2011
Reinventing the book, one uncertain step at a time, May 27, 2011
Why I never wrote a column with the headline “100 reasons why I don’t have a blog,” May 20, 2011
Creativity and innovation at startup accelerators and incubators, May 13, 2011
Group messaging with Beluga, GroupMe, and others, May 6, 2011
Building an app with Podio, April 29, 2011
Storify and the art of the tweet, April 22, 2011
All about gadget lust, April 15, 2011 [PDF version]
Facebook is a must-have for marketing, April 8, 2011
Bevy of online profiles can be tough to manage, April 1, 2011
Gaming isn’t just for gamers on the Internet, March 25, 2011
First on to-do list: respect low-tech to-do lists, March 18, 2011
Quora vies for hot new startup status, March 11, 2011
Revolution and reliability collide in Libya, March 4, 2011
App issue? Drop a line to the developer, February 25, 2011
Discover your inner auteur, February 18, 2011
Remote controls out of control, February 11, 2011
Online photos have owners, too, February 4, 2011
New devices require new backups, January 28, 2011
YouTube is much more than viral video, January 21, 2011
Free online tools a boon to startups, January 14, 2011
Tips to go paperless, January 7, 2011
2010
2010 was the year we learned what personal computing should really be like, December 31, 2010
Quick ways to donate your money, from SMS to Facebook apps, December 24, 2010
Flipboard and other apps let friends choose the news for you, December 17, 2010
Why I love Tumblr for blogging, December 10, 2010
New alternatives for holiday greeting cards, December 3, 2010
Smartphone apps bring holiday savings, November 25, 2010
For better or worse, you’ve still got mail, November 19, 2010
Why buy when you can “mesh”: ownership vs. sharing?, November 12, 2010
Social networking is not an unvarnished evil, November 5, 2010
iPad, netbooks, and other devices make computer-buying decisions harder, October 29, 2010
On Facebook, privacy is Mission Impossible, October 22, 2010
Before you try to publish, know the ABCs of e-books, October 15, 2010
QR codes bring ‘quick response’ links using smartphone barcode apps, October 8, 2010
Trouble with iPad is having just one, October 1, 2010
Designer duds for gadgets show your style, September 24, 2010
Convergence is here—really, September 17, 2010
Internet TV may have a place in your home, September 10, 2010
Reading is getting too complicated (and distracting), August 27, 2010
Research that won’t leave you Google-eyed, August 20, 2010
Singing a new tune on web music services, August 13, 2010
If the internet controls your brain, take a break, August 6, 2010
Quick advice for creating your own iPhone app, July 30, 2010
Photo booth strips, stickers, and other interesting ways to print photos, July 23, 2010
Google on the brain, July 17, 2010
9 gripes (and 3 fixes) for web site problems, July 8, 2010
Spreadsheets go beyond number-crunching, July 1, 2010
Are your kids ready for tech gadgets?, June 24, 2010
Eventbrite, SignUpGenius.com, Sched, and other tools for event planning, June 17, 2010
Internet Week NY, with the city as the center of tech culture, June 10, 2010
Advances in technology, but often a decline in the quality of phone calls, video, and sound, June 3, 2010
What’s a book, what’s an author, and other up-for-grab questions in publishing, May 27, 2010
The wallet-less future and using your phone for cash, May 20, 2010
Digital sensors and the internet of things, May 13, 2010
Easy blogging tools, May 6, 2010
Going geek when you go outdoors, April 23, 2010
Video chatting is going mainstream, April 15, 2010
The iPad is a great device, but still a work in progress, April 7, 2010
Test-driving the iPad, April 3, 2010
Why you should buy a cheap computer, April 1, 2010
An iPhone camera addict is born, March 26, 2010
Journalism’s new story, March 19, 2010
The litl offers something new in family computers, March 4, 2010
The long view on URL shorteners, Feb. 25, 2010
Searching for the real Google, Feb. 18, 2010
Digital world extends books’ shelf life, Feb. 11, 2010
Apple iPad mania will grow as release nears, Feb. 4, 2010
Apple iPad is an iOpener, Jan. 28, 2010 [PDF version]
Finding the key to free old files, Jan. 21, 2010
Lost in the Twitterverse? Here are a few guides, Jan. 14, 2010
Apple tablet rumors garner anticipation, Jan. 7, 2010
2009
Predictions and wishes for the new year, Dec. 31, 2009
Last-minute gifts are just a click away, Dec. 24, 2009
New phones could send computers to the trash, Dec. 17, 2009
An augmented reality: Shop until your phone drops, Dec. 10, 2009
Even with cloud computing, it’s important to back up your data, Dec. 3, 2009
The world of web startups—an alternate reality, Nov. 28, 2009
Web 2.0 Expo and “The Power of Less,” November 19, 2009
Publishing free e-books as marketing or promotional tools, November 12, 2009
Distracted living: You know it when you see it, November 5, 2009
What is an e-book, and how do you read one?, October 29, 2009
Social networking beyond Facebook and Twitter, October 22, 2009
The latest tech industry battle: Facebook vs. Twitter, October 15, 2009
Location-based and GPS tech for phones (via Yelp, Loopt, and other apps), October 8, 2009
The rise of crowdsourcing, October 1, 2009
Mega-zooms, HD video, and other advances in digital cameras, Sept. 24, 2009
Some web diversions, like Twistori and Wordle, can be productive, Sept. 17, 2009
Lean startups + startup incubators = lots of startups, Sept. 10, 2009
Apple rumors roundup, Sept. 3, 2009
Learning via YouTube video tutorials, Aug. 27, 2009
Using Twitter without tweeting, Aug. 20, 2009
Usability testing to improve websites, Aug. 13, 2009
Surfing the web for inspiration, Aug. 6, 2009
7 tips for making the most of LinkedIn, July 30, 2009
The end of the business card and what might replace it, July 16, 2009
Posterous, drop.io, and other very (very!) simple websites, July 9, 2009
Forms, simplicity, and other reasons I’ve come to rely on Google Docs, July 2, 2009
Anyvite and other competitors to Evite for e-invitations, June 25, 2009
The ups and downs of the lifestreaming trend, June 18, 2009
Aviary, Snipshot, and other web-based photo editors, June 11, 2009
The book industry embraces technology at BookExpo America, May 28, 2009
Customer-relationship management (CRM) software, like BatchBook and Highrise, May 21, 2009
Frugality blogs, May 14, 2009
Box.net, Dropbox, and drop.io and cloud computing storage, May 7, 2009
Facebook Connect and a universal log-in for the web, April 30, 2009
Shazam, Songza, and other services for discovering new music, April 23, 2009
The term API actually means something, and it matters, April 16, 2009
An hour-long crash course in learning Twitter, April 9, 2009
Options for monetizing a website, April 2, 2009
Google Voice, GrandCentral, and reinventing phone service, March 26, 2009
Using video tutorials to learn how to use software, March 19, 2009
Managing your money with Mint, Wesabe, and other financial tools, March 12, 2009
My wife’s hard drive woes—and the need to have a backup plan, March 3, 2009
AOL and its niche websites, Feb. 24, 2009
Art being created with the small screen and touch interface of the iPhone, Feb. 17, 2009
Sophisticated and powerful tools for email lists and e-newsletters, Feb. 10, 2009
Facebook is changing the face of friendship, Feb. 3, 2009
Twitter is spawning a fun and wild mix of offshoots and services, Jan. 27, 2009
This will be the year Microsoft becomes irrelevant (sort of), Jan. 21, 2009
The e-reading and e-books experience, with “Call of the Wild” and an iPhone, Jan. 13, 2009
Seven startups to watch in 2009, from Animoto to Yammer, Jan. 7, 2009
2008 (and even earlier)
I don’t have links to columns from earlier than 2008, but I do have a somewhat “raw” list of those columns: Star-Ledgers columns (2008 and earlier).
ALLAN HOFFMAN 