Archive for Month: August 2016
Consumer Advocacy
Photo Credit: Keith Barry
Since 2012, I’ve led home appliance coverage for Reviewed.com, a consumer advocacy website that’s part of the USA Today Network. I lead a team of reviewers who test refrigerators, dishwashers, laundry, cooking, and small appliances at the Reviewed.com labs in Cambridge, MA. It’s my responsibility to discover and report the latest industry trends, and ensure that our tests accurately represent consumer use cases. I work closely with our director of science and testing to create test protocols, and ensure that our reviewers adhere to them.
As a consumer advocate, I’ve been featured in USA Today and other Gannett-owned newspapers, and interviewed as an expert by Wirecutter, NPR, Fox News, and many local radio, print, and TV outlets. My contributions to Reviewed.com’s “Ask the Experts” column have been syndicated across the USA Today Network.
Selected Work:
- Ask the Experts: Who Makes Kenmore?
- Meet Beko, America’s New Home Appliance Brand
- Ask the Experts: Why don’t new home appliances last?
- From Italy, a Stylish New Suite of Kitchen Appliances
- Ask the Experts: Why do microwaves open right to left?
- How to buy a grill: Whether it’s charcoal or gas, here’s everything you need to know
- Every 2016 IKEA appliance, reviewed
- The Ultimate Guide to IKEA Kitchen Appliances
- 10 vintage appliances that stood the test of time
- Ask the Experts: Why won’t my washer fill to the top?
- Ask the Experts: Are downdraft ranges all hot air?
- Ask the Experts: Is it worth it to be brand loyal?
Trade Shows
Photo Credit: Keith Barry
From car shows to home shows, special events to CES, I’ve covered it all. Whether I’m offering real-time coverage on social media or banking a longer story for later, my trade show coverage is the next-best thing to being there.
2016 CES — Las Vegas, NV
2016 Architectural Digest Home Show, New York, NY (USA Today Network)
2016 Design and Construction Week — Las Vegas, NV (USA Today Network)
- We Take Electrolux’s New Nest-Like Washer For a Spin
- Design and Construction Week Previews 2016 Design Trends
- From a 333-Year-Old German Company, New Cooking Tech
- Hands-On With AGA’s Mercury Range
2016 and 2014 Salone del Mobile/Design Week — Milan, Italy (USA Today Network)
- Dolce & Gabbana’s $34,000 “Art Fridges” Wow Partygoers
- Samsung’s Serif is a Brand New Midcentury Modern TV
- From La Cornue, an Oven as Art
- The Mocaki Kitty-Friendly Kitchen is Purr-Fect for Cat Owners
- A Radical New Toaster Changes Breakfast Forever
2015 Frankfurt Auto Show — Frankfurt, Germany (USA Today Network)
- Nissan Gripz crossover concept is for rally and road
- The Q30 is Infiniti’s Take on the Premium Compact
- Electric cars and pure luxury rule at Frankfurt auto show
2015 IFA — Berlin, Germany (USA Today Network)
- For New Electronics Trade Show, IFA Chooses Shenzhen
- Whirlpool Reveals Plans for World Domination
- This App Shows You What’s In Your Fridge
2012 New York International Auto Show — New York, NY (Wired)
Car Reviews
Since 2011, I have reviewed cars for Wired, Reviewed.com, and the USA Today Network. For Reviewed.com, I’m usually on camera while I’m behind the wheel, and behind the camera when I’m not.
As a member of the New England Motor Press Association, I’m also a judge in the official Winter Vehicle of New England awards. I put cars to the test on the crowded, snowy roads of Boston, which means I have a soft spot for collision avoidance, all-wheel drive, and heated seats.
Selected Reviews:
- Ford F-150: Working, Class (USA Today)
- BMW 228i will give you a lift when you’ve gone flat (USA Today)
- How to Hack-Proof a Hellcat (Video—Reviewed.com)
- Acura’s 2015 TLX barely needs a driver (USA Today)
- Review: Last chance to catch Mitsubishi Lancer Evo (USA Today)
- Which to buy? New Hyundai Elantra or Honda Civic (USA Today)
- Toyota Camry Hybrid: The Pleasant Populist (Wired)
- Honda CR-V: What to Drive if You Can’t Take a Day Off (Wired)
- Subaru Impreza: The Hipster Corolla (Wired)
- Mazda5: The Smallest of Vans Stands Alone (Wired)
- Lexus GS 350: Wheels for the Well-Heeled (Wired)
- Nissan Juke: Looks Only a Driver Could Love (Wired)
Transportation Journalism
Since 2008, I’ve covered transportation access and equity, automotive technology, and city planning. I have contributed to Wired, CityLab, and Car and Driver.
Selected Work:
CityLab — July 2016
A trip aboard South Korea’s tourist train to the border. Text and photos by Keith Barry.
Why Boston’s Cash-Strapped Transit System Is Piloting Lower Fares for Students
CityLab — March 2015
The MBTA’s forthcoming Youth and University passes are the result of years of activism.
The Traffic Lights of Tomorrow Will Actively Manage Congestion
CityLab — September 2014
The humble traffic signal is gaining some new responsibilities.
What I Learned Riding One of Those New Private City Buses
CityLab — July 2014
Bridj won’t compete with Boston public transit, but it could get some commuters of out their cars.
Will High-Tech Mass Transit Fares Leave Too Many Riders Behind?
CityLab — March 2014
Equity concerns surround a new ticket and schedule app coming to Long Island.
Car and Driver — August 2011 Issue
How hackers and carmakers are battling for control of your ride.
When Active Safety Systems Fail, Who Pays?
Wired.com — June 28, 2011
The Future Of In-Car Technology
Car and Driver — May 2010 issue
Your dashboard may soon become as versatile as your laptop.
Zero-Emission Vehicle Regulations Get Tougher for 2012
Car and Driver — December 2010 issue
California Dreaming: The New CARB Diet
15 Awesome Supercars The Feds Won’t Seize
Wired.com — March 10, 2011
A gallery of exotic cars that were never sold in the US but that can be legally imported thanks to the “Show and Display” clause
High-Tech Car Allows The Blind To Drive
Wired.com — February 15, 2011
An in-depth look at the Blind Driver Challenge, and why it’s important to put a blind man behind the wheel of a car.