Correct! Many times, the winning technology standard is demonstrably weaker than competing standards.

Correct! Because technology reporters have specialized knowledge and many sources on technological change, they are often asked by editors to report on social and cultural trends arising from those changes.

Correct! For example, the telephone was conceived by its inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, as a way to broadcast music and news – as a kind of radio. He never imagined that the technology’s chief use would be for two individuals to talk to each other over a single line.

Correct! Many technological challenges of today, especially in business, can be at least partly illuminated by quickly looking at past experiences.

Correct! PR representatives can have good information for you, but it’s important to be aware. One way to defend yourself against the PR spin is to go to the PR rep from a rival company or a promoter of a competing technology. The PR rival often has plenty of reasons why their rival will fail.

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Correct! Often there isn’t time to learn the history of a field, so avoid such grand claims. It always helps to learn the key milestones of your technology beat so you can always have that background knowledge to draw from in these situations.

Correct! These are all common business models for technology companies.

Correct! Because of the tendency for new technologies to destroy the value of their existing products and business lines, tech companies need to constantly innovate.

Correct! For Personal Technologies stories, think smartphones, tablets, computers, speakers, and anything wearable, like a smartwatch. A common approach to covering personal technology is to report on how well new gadgets work while emphasizing what’s new or improved.