Dean “the Machine” Takahashi joins VentureBeat

February 7, 2008 | Matt Marshall | Comments | |

dean2.jpgI’m delighted to report that Dean Takahashi, a veteran tech writer from the San Jose Mercury News, is joining VentureBeat.

Dean is one of the most prolific writers I know. He has written about chips, servers, computers, gadgets and particularly, games, which is his real passion. He wrote the book Opening the Xbox: Inside Microsoft’s Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution (2002), and then The Xbox 360 Uncloaked (2006). Lately, he has increasingly written about start-ups. He wrote more than 70 posts while covering DEMO last week. He knows his stuff, and this is going to be great for VentureBeat readers.

I got to know Dean while working at the Mercury News (I worked there until late 2006, when I left to start VentureBeat). When you meet Dean, he is understated. However, he’s ferocious: He wrote two blogs at the Merc, in addition to his two or so columns a week for the Merc’s print edition. That’s how he earned the nickname “Dean the Machine.” Dean also worked for the WSJ in the late 1990s.

The Mercury News announced Dean’s departure internally this morning; he’ll be starting at VentureBeat in about three weeks. VentureBeat has formalized several other positions lately (as suggested by the bylines), and I’ll be introducing the rest of the team shortly.

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About the Author, Matt Marshall

Matt Marshall is editor and CEO of VentureBeat. Follow him on Twitter at @mmarshall, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.

  • Congrats to Dean and the entire VB family!
  • rloughery
    Congrats!
  • conker
    Will Dean continue to focus primarily on the games industry?
  • Congrats Dean. It's been a great, long ride since the WSJ and chips to SJMN and, well, everything after a while.

    Good luck at VB, and have fun!
  • Awesome addition to the VB team! Congrats Matt and welcome Dean!

    Mike
  • Yes, Dean will be doing games. But he'll be doing lots of other fun stuff too. This guy is a maniac; you can't confine him to games.
  • Velkom Dean! Pozhaluista!
  • Glad to see you have found a new home, Deano!! Great selection, Mr. Marshall!
  • hey is that photo property of the Mercury News?
  • no name VC
    dean is one of the very few writer I have respected since I started working in the valley. one more reason to go to venturebeat first thing in the morning and one less reason to go pick up the paper outside (SJMercury).

    welcome !
  • Congrats Dean. The only blogger with two dueling laptops at DEMO!