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When I started working in TechTV Labs, there were four LabRats. Our job was simply to test, write, and show the latest technologies - good or bad. Andrew Hawn led the team that included Robert Heron, James Kim, and myself. Lawson Wong would eventually join the team as a technician, but eventually received full LabRat status. Over the years we grew, then slowly shrunk back to the core group. When G4 Media bought TechTV there were only three members left and by the end of the week there won’t be any at all. Andrew Hawn and Lawson Wong leave for greener pastures and I move to Attack of the Show to bring an end to the LabRat era. For me, it’s been almost five years with the LabRat badge and it has truly been an honor.
The history of the LabRat starts well before my time. Patrick Norton and Phil Alingham were the first LabRats back in ZDTV days. They went off to bigger and better things before I started at TechTV. Patrick Norton received the LabRat Emeritus title through his tenure at TechTV. During my time there were many faces that joined the club: Andrew Hawn – The head LabRat walks the Earth, much like David Carradine, in search of the next big thing.
Robert Heron – works for PC Magazine in their HDTV Lab.
James Kim – is the senior editor CNET’s digital audio section.
Brett Larson – covers technology for WCBS in New York.
Mick Lockey - Whereabouts unknown.
Gil Loyola - Whereabouts unknown.
Roy Santos - Whereabouts unknown.
Jason Toates - Whereabouts unknown.
John Walsh – continues for work at G4 on the show Filter.
Ray Weigel - Whereabouts unknown.
Lawson Wong – is currently seeking new opportunities. Got one?. Over the years, the LabRats received support from the ‘Technicians’. They had to setup product demonstrations and do all the boring benchmarking for notebooks, graphics cards, and computer systems. Here’s to you guys: Michael Thelin – ended up somewhere in the nations capital last I heard.
Don Rottiers – works for a small gaming peripheral developer. Then there are the product peeps that worked tirelessly to convince companies to send us their products and made sure we sent it back in one piece. And when we slammed a product, they got the earful. The LabRats couldn’t have done it without them. Thanks a bunch: Grace Soriano-Smith – decided to redesign her house after a decade heading up heading up product acquisitions.
Caroline Diaz - is currently at home being a new mom, but should be back at G4 soon to keep our product appetite fulfilled.
Frank Chan – works for a tech company somewhere in Northern California.
Bruce Greene - continues for work at G4 on the show Filter.
Glenn Hara – now keeps the streets of Oakland safe from crime. He’s not a super hero, but a member of the Oakland Police Department.
Stephen Jang – makes wedding videos, freelances for independent films, and is nursing a dislocated elbow (ouch!).
Iliana Tandler – Whereabouts unkown.
Charyln Villegas – is a producer for Intel’s in-house production group. To all of you, it’s been a real pleasure working with you over the years. We may not always agreed with each other, but that’s what really made the group special. Thanks to everyone for the memories. LabRat out!
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