Chris Compendio

Experience

Chris Compendio has been writing about technology, media, and entertainment since middle school. After graduating from college in 2016, Chris moved on from personal blogs and student newspapers and began formally writing for professional publications.

Chris's early days in journalist and professional writing kicked off with an editorial internship at Paste Magazine, where they wrote about popular culture, politics, entertainment, and technology. Their main focus was on video game news, reviews, and editorials. This eventually led to a staff writer position at video games publication DualShockers, where Chris attended tech and gaming industry events such as PAX East and E3, wrote technical guides, and published software reviews.

In addition to a staff writer role, Chris also published articles as a freelancer to mainstream publications including The Philadelphia Inquirer, ScreenRant, Destructoid, Unwinnable, Escapist Magazine, and Fanbyte. Chris is also a freelance writer for The Stacker, where they write lists based on research about politics, the environment, entertainment, and consumer technology. These articles are syndicated in websites including MSN and countless local news websites.

Most recently, Chris completed a contract role with indie games outlet Uppercut as a Public Relations Coordinator. Currently, Chris has a senior staff role at Gamepur as their Weekend Editor, taking pitches from writers and editing technical guides and reviews.

My Gear

Coming from a family that prefers Apple products, I primarily use a 2017 MacBook Pro. My main setup also includes an iPad Pro and an iPhone 8 Plus. I own an old Amazon Kindle with a keyboard, two Philips Hue light bulbs, a Nintendo 3DS, and a Google Home Mini. My entertainment system includes a Vizio Smartcast TV with Chromecast built-in, a Sony PlayStation 4, a Microsoft Xbox One S, a Wii U, a homebrewed Wii, and a Nintendo Switch.

My home includes a Ring doorbell, a Nest Protect on each floor, two more Google Home devices, four Apple TV players (2nd gen, 3rd gen, HD, and 4K), a PlayStation 3, a TCL 4K Roku television, a Raspberry Pi, and an Amazon Echo Dot.

Education

Chris graduated from the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University in 2016, earning a dual major in Information Systems and Creative Writing.

Through the Information Systems program, Chris studied project management, information technology, web security, and basic programming in languages including Ruby, Python, and Rails. Through Creative Writing, Chris also studied technical writing, professional writing, and literary journalism.

A Message from Chris Compendio

As someone who grew up wired into the internet and spoiled by what seemed like an unlimited number of technological devices and consumer products, I'm obsessed with the idea of connecting all of these boxes and components into a system. The inner workings of hardware and software fascinate me, and I want to create an efficient and optimized lifestyle that is enhanced by technology. Instructing people on how to navigate complicated menus and UIs, whether it is through a written online guide or verbally to a family confused by their tablet, is fulfilling—I strive to help people get the most potential out of their devices.

Lifewire and Dotdash Meredith

Lifewire, a Dotdash Meredith brand, is a Top 10 technology information website, as rated by Comscore, a leading internet measurement company. We provide trusted, clear, and actionable answers to your most pressing technology questions vetted by certified experts, as well as trustworthy product recommendations so you can make the most informed purchasing decisions. Learn more about us and our editorial process.