MetaFilter posts tagged with Wired

"An Epidemic of Fear." Wired takes on the anti-vax movement

zarq — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:48:51 -0800

Wired profiles pediatrician Paul Offit, co-creator of the RotaTeq rotavirus vaccine and a primary target of the anti-vacci nation movement. Dr. Offit published a book,“Autism’s False Prophets” in 2008 but didn't tour, because he had received too many death threats. The profile by Amy Wallace*, is part of a collection of articles on vaccinations, including "The Misinformants: Prominent Voices in the Anti-Vaccine Crusade", "How To Win An Argument About Vaccines", and "A Short History of Vaccine Panic". *Wallace is receiving hate mail for it. She's been twitting about that here. (Vaccines: Previously on MeFi)

Long Long Ago, before Google AdWords...

Lutoslawski — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:48:52 -0800

Happy Birthday, Digital Advertising! 15 years ago today, the first banner ads appeared on HotWired.com - and had a 78% click-through rate.

Good enough or just cheap crap?

Harald74 — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:01:57 -0800

Robert Capps, Wired senior editor, has an article up called The Good Enough Revolution: When Cheap and Simple Is Just Fine. It explores what happens when an established product meets a competitor that has most of the features at fraction of the price. Think hi-fi vs MP3s, A-10 bombers vs Predator drones or landline vs Skype. From the article:

"To some, it looks like the crapification of everything. But it's really an improvement. And businesses need to get used to it, because the Good Enough revolution has only just begun."

Cutthroat Capitalism

gman — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:35:28 -0800

WIRED contributing editor Scott Carney interviewed an ocean-going hijacker for his story on the economics of Somali piracy. Cutthroat Capitalism: The Game

Free nicks words from Wikipedia. Lots of them.

Diablevert — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:06:07 -0800

Waldo Jaquith of The Virginia Quarterly has discovered considerable evidence of plagiarism in Chris Anderson's new book, Free. Anderson, editor of Wired magazine and writer of The Long Tail, has a new book coming out, called Free. In a lengthy article previewing the book in Wired, Anderson argues that as the costs of broadband and storage dive ever lower, the value of many kinds of information plummets to zero, prompting the development of entirely new business and service models and spurring creativity. He lists Wikipedia among the strange new fauna of the zero bound --- calling it an example of a "Gift economy." It sure seems to have been a gift to Anderson --- Jaquith found "almost a dozen passages that are reproduced nearly verbatim from uncredited sources," including plenty from Wikipedia. Anderson says the apparent plagiarism occurred when passages formally included as footnotes were sloppy incorporated into the main body of the text. He has in the past been a bit of a stickler on media laziness (creating a blacklist of publicists who send him inappropriate pitches) and a defender of print, being quoted recently in the New York Times as saying (of Wired), “We need to do something that doesn’t exist online, and do it in a superior way. Otherwise we should just do it online.”

It's a wonderful day in the Neighborhood. Would you be my Comrade?

Benny Andajetz — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:24:50 -0800

"When masses of people who own the means of production work toward a common goal and share their products in common, when they contribute labor without wages and enjoy the fruits free of charge, it's not unreasonable to call that socialism."The New Socialism: Global Collectivist Society Is Coming Online, a provocative article in the new Wired magazine, examines the effects of the growing influence of online collectivism. I thought this might make for an interesting read and discussion by members of an online community.

Red Bull Red Bull Red Bullybullybull

l33tpolicywonk — Mon, 25 May 2009 21:22:58 -0800

"Whoever said the early bird gets the worm could have been talking about me, only I’m a person, not a bird, and I’m not interested in getting worms, more like getting things done. But I do get up early." The secret to success in the wired age, according to Andy Borowitz [previously, 2].

4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42, and Other CIA Secrets Hidden in Plain Sight

pokermonk — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:23:53 -0800

Wired's Mystery Issue, guest-edited by J.J. Abrams, is a quizzical amalgam of puzzling things both obvious and less obvious... apparently the print edition's misspelled words, irregular borders, and seemingly random placements of numbers are all part of the game too. While the "master puzzle" was recently solved, there are reportedly still some codes left to crack. -Wired editors chat-you-up on the issue's concept -Abrams writes about the theme and teases the secrets within -Also from the issue, previously on MeFi

I'll be back... again and again

Drainage! — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:56:07 -0800

Wired.com is really pimping the Terminator franchise right now. With the success of the television series and the upcoming fourth installment hitting the big screens at the end of May, is the continuing appeal simply science fiction geekdom or is the concept really a deep philosophical metaphor? Also featured is creator James Cameron himself on the franchise's origins and a timeline of its existence up to this point. If this seems frivolous for a simple shoot-em-up piece of science fiction, consider the original movie is going into the National Archive as an example of progress in science fiction and also as a historical film, what with its star being the current governor of California.

Crowdsourcing Activism

Bango Skank — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 16:42:21 -0800

A startup is proposing a new model for harnessing the power of the web for activism that gets results: bite sized actions, under written by corporate sponsors.

Geeks Galore.

gman — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:36:28 -0800

The Secret Lives of Comic Store Employees presented by Wired. Superman has Clark Kent. Spider-Man has Peter Parker. But it's not just superheroes who have secret identities. Wired.com's new "Secret Lives" series looks at individuals you encounter every day and reveals a side of them you normally wouldn't see.

Who said what now?

blue_beetle — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:08:12 -0800

Wired: Obama Sides With Bush in Spy Case. "The Obama administration fell in line with the Bush administration Thursday when it urged a federal judge to set aside a ruling in a closely watched spy case weighing whether a U.S. president may bypass Congress and establish a program of eavesdropping on Americans without warrants."

Hail To The King

Artw — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:39:21 -0800

The Wired Vaporware Awards, an institution since 1999 has taken some heavy hits this year, and has had to resort to some pretty naked padding to make a list (products in late beta whose release date has merely slipped? come on) – however, if there is anything that remains constant in these uncertain times we live in it is that one game rules the list, debuting in the No 2. slot in 2000, it then latched on to the top spot, with only editorial edict able to to shift it. Ladies and gentlemen, Duke Nukem - FOREVER.

RIP TRL, Viva YouTube!

Horace Rumpole — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 20:03:21 -0800

Six new directors who are making music video cool again:
Cat Solen (see also)
Rik Cordero (see also)
Matthew Cullen (see also) (previously)
Vincent Moon (see also)
Vincent Morisset (see also)
Keith Schofield (see also)

Constantly talking isn't necessarily communicating.

empath — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 09:38:25 -0800

Interviewing Charlie Kaufman.

Amazing Physics Videos

Turtles all the way down — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:06:17 -0800

Top 10 Amazing Physics Videos (via Wired Science) Some old, some new, but all awesome.

Profile of a Profile

defenestration — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:14:08 -0800

Storyboard is an almost-real-time, behind-the-scenes look at the assigning, writing, editing, and designing of a Wired feature. The Birth of Storyboard is a (minimally edited) video of the conversation that spawned the project. The feature—that will be published in November—is about screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. In the past he has woven the process of creating his work into the work itself, so Wired writer Jason Tanz thought it would make sense to do the same. Looking to promote his directorial debut, Kaufman has agreed to take part in the project.

Artifacts from the Future

Rhaomi — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:42:42 -0800

For years, Wired magazine has tapped a bevy of designers and artists in the tech field to craft detailed visions of futuristic objects for a monthly showcase at the close of each issue. Now, after hinting as much in the July edition, it is clear that that the tradition of FOUND has been brought to an end. What better way to say goodbye to this whimsical feature than by taking a look back at the full archived run of the series? (Note: Although FOUND has been a regular feature of Wired for many years, the magazine's website only began including it in its online archives in November 2004. Previous editions of FOUND are not indexed on wired.com, and are virtually impossible to find elsewhere online.) MM.YY - Artifact Title (Future year) 11.04 - Election Day (2012) 12.04 - Barf Bag (2047) 01.05 - House Call (near future) 02.05 - Taste Tester (2009) 03.05 - Insurance Form (2069) 04.05 - Horoscope (2056) 05.05 - Bumper Sticker (2012) 06.05 - Antivirus (2022) 07.05 - Nightstand (2017) 08.05 - Crossword (2019) [solution] 09.05 - Space Elevator (2032) 10.05 - Sharper Image (2012) 11.05 - Diaper (2024) 12.05 - Christmas Morning (2016) 01.06 - Mood Ring (2009) 02.06 - Love Tester (2015) 03.06 - MTA Route Map (2067) 04.06 - Tax Day (2021) 05.06 - Operation (2027) 06.06 - Bookstore (2021) [side view] 07.06 - Contact Lens (2020) 08.06 - Diet Cola (2019) 09.06 - Report Card (2018) 10.06 - Bluetooth (2019) 11.06 - Organ Farming (2015) 12.06 - Christmas Shopping (2017) 01.07 - Crayons (2013) 02.07 - Speeding Ticket (2054) 03.07 - Medicine Cabinet (2013) 04.07 - Bug Spray (ca. 2050) 05.07 - Reunion (2052) 06.07 - Fido Fusion (2016) 07.07 - Comic Book (2021) 08.07 - Fruit Stand (ca. 2020) 09.07 - Birthday (2079) 10.07 - Halloween (2015) 11.07 - Waste Management (ca. 2025) 12.07 - Responsibeer (2012) 01.08 - Windshield (2013) 02.08 - Tatoo (near future) 03.08 - Home Shopping (ca. 2016) 04.08 - Risk (2027) 05.08 - Smithsonian (2096) 06.08 - Wine Spectrometer (ca. 2020) 07.08 - "The Final Found" (2018) Top FOUND contributors include: Chris Baker - senior editor, Wired Laura Moorehead - contributing editor, Wired Sean Hamilton Alexander - designer Joshua Davis - web designer Patrick Di Justo - contributing editor, Wired

Is It Wrong to Lust Over an Optimus Keyboard? Yes.

wendell — Sun, 25 May 2008 16:38:36 -0800

The best thing about WIRED Magazine's 15th Anniversary celebration is it's not all self-congratulatory. Of course, any media entity involved in the rapidly-changing but well-archived internet is going to sometimes do silly things that we all can see - forever. In one area, at least, WIRED is owning up to its bad judgment with the Lamest (their word) Gear Ever Highlighted in their 'Fetish' Feature. 1993-1995. 1996-1998. 1999-2006. It's not that there are less lame items in recent years; they're just waiting for history to confirm what smart readers saw all along. My favorites - and why some of them may not be so lame: * Mattel Power Glove You knew it was doomed to lameness - it's Mattel! * Interactor Vest With the right thrash metal song, it could be used as a defibrillator, right? * Clipper CS-1 Isolation cubicle? maybe. Plywood? no way. * Home tattoo removal? This thing is going to become SO needed in a few years. * Home car wash hi-pressure wand? When gas reaches $10/gallon, it'll be cheaper than driving to the coin-op car wash. * Have you seen those 'sex chairs'? This looks like the solo version. * The Infonium Universe Simulator, 'from the mind of Minolta', right before they carried him away in a straight jacket. * A Car-Alarm for your Laptop. From the days when your laptop cost more than your car. * GPS Reporter. Edison Carter wouldn't be caught dead wearing one of these. * MetaFilter's Own Adam Savage's "case mod". How dare they? This will NEVER become lame. * Panda Toaster! No, not toasting pandas. But if they'd done one with a picture of the Virgin Mary, they'd be zillionaires. * The Hovery... they should've marketed this to people who really need their personal space. * Mouse Bling. Nothing more to say. * Gibbs Aquada... I said FLYING car, not FLOATING car, you git. * Magic Theater. Kaleidoscope + projector + anime nightmare + Disney infringement = EPIC HUH? You know what's really lame? How WIRED clipped some of these items out of their backgrounds. Don't they have Photoshop? * And how come this is the only lame item branded Sharper Image? SI was all about lame tech! This is just proof they could've put a lot more 'Fetish' items on the list. Like maybe ALL of them?

"You must have a stockpile of words that you can pass along to your children for their stockpile."

beaucoupkevin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:29:06 -0800

Steve Carrell on how to act brilliant:

I've learned to appear scintillatingly intellectual by asking people questions ("Do you like pizza?"). Then I just look at them, nodding and saying "Hmmm" and "Um hmmm" every few seconds. Try and keep one or two things in your head to regurgitate later. After all, what is knowledge, really, but high-resolution regurgitation?

Investors, dealers zapped by Zap?

M.C. Lo-Carb! — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:34:28 -0800

Wired, which famously included the Tesla Roadster in its annual roundup of vaporware, takes on another electric car firm. Over the years, ZAP has taken millions from investors and dealers eager to see the company's line of green cars hit the road. But that line has never materialized. Of nearly a dozen groundbreaking eco-vehicles ZAP has promised in public announcements and on its Web site, only the Xebra and its sibling, a truck version, have ever made it to market. Zap, and its Zap Girls!, chalk it up(PDF) to Big Oil and Big Auto. But Forbes wondered the same thing last year. Also, just like Tesla, Zap, OTC Bulletin Board, ticker ZAAP, says it has a supercar design relationship with Lotus. But, according to the Wired article, "A Lotus Engineering official confirms that Lotus made a deal with ZAP allowing the Santa Rosa firm to use Lotus' gas-powered APX prototype as a physical model for a new car, but that was all."

An alternate universe of rationality.

phyrewerx — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:58:28 -0800

In an alternate universe, the golden mean is found, moderation is possible, and everyone on MeFi will hear their counterparts point of view first.

Stop making sense of this business of music

psmealey — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:01:41 -0800

David Byrne's Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars Where there was one, now there are six: Six possible music distribution models, ranging from one in which the artist is pretty much hands-off to one where the artist does nearly everything. 1. At one end of the scale is the 360, or equity, deal, where every aspect of the artist's career is handled by producers, promoters, marketing people, and managers. 2. Next is what I'll call the standard distribution deal. The record company bankrolls the recording and handles the manufacturing, distribution, press, and promotion. The label, in this scenario, owns the copyright to the recording. Forever. 3. The license deal is similar to the standard deal, except in this case the artist retains the copyrights and ownership of the master recording. The right to exploit that property is granted to a label for a limited period of time — usually seven years. 4. Then there's the profit-sharing deal. 5. In the manufacturing and distribution deal, the artist does everything except, well, manufacture and distribute the product. 6. Finally, at the far end of the scale, is the self-distribution model, where the music is self-produced, self-written, self-played, and self-marketed. No single model will work for everyone. There's room for all of us. Some artists are the Coke and Pepsi of music, while others are the fine wine — or the funky home-brewed moonshine. And that's fine. Sometimes a corporate soft drink is what you want — just not at the expense of the other thing. I like Rihanna's "Umbrella" and Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man". In the recent past, it often seemed like all or nothing, but maybe now we won't be forced to choose.

Inside industrial design

WPW — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 12:36:40 -0800

The birth of a gadget. [Wired]