Author: Wired Magazine

US Technological Dominance Is Not What It Used to Be

With everyone so mesmerized by silver-tongued AI chatbots, it’s easy to forget that most flashy breakthroughs in science and technology depend on much less glamorous advances in the fundamentals of computing—new algorithms, different computer architectures, and novel silicon chips.  The US has largely dominated these areas of innovation since the early days of computing. But academics… Continue reading US Technological Dominance Is Not What It Used to Be

The Debate on Deepfake Porn Misses the Point

In the weeks after Ewing’s stream, the online conversation about the deepfakes continued to spiral.  Centering “real” versus “fake” diminishes the lasting impact these images have on these streamers and their careers. “We are hurting,” Blaire says. “Every single woman involved in this is hurting.”  Commenters went on tirades about how streamers who’ve been deepfaked… Continue reading The Debate on Deepfake Porn Misses the Point

An Apple Store Worker Is the New Face of US Labor Law Reform

The percentage of US workers represented by a union has fallen for decades, down to 10 percent last year. But unions have recently scored wins in tech, drawing in the retail clerks at Apple, warehouse workers at Amazon, video game testers at Microsoft, and coders in corporate offices at places like Google. Pockets of workers disenchanted with tech companies’ handling… Continue reading An Apple Store Worker Is the New Face of US Labor Law Reform

Cute Animals Are Overrated. Let’s Save the Weird Ones

“There are a lot of species out there that are overlooked, and when you get to know them they are just as charismatic and beautiful as the ones we’re aware of,” says Gumbs. According to the EDGE2 metric, our highest-priority mammal should be the mountain pygmy possum, a tiny marsupial that exists in the wild across… Continue reading Cute Animals Are Overrated. Let’s Save the Weird Ones

Uber and Lyft Are More Likely to Fire Drivers of Color

James Jordan had worked as an Uber driver in Los Angeles for five and a half years by the spring of 2022. But in late March, after a flurry of customer complaints, Jordan found that his account had been permanently deactivated, leaving the single father of five, for whom Uber was his only source of… Continue reading Uber and Lyft Are More Likely to Fire Drivers of Color

Nikon Z 30 Review: A Perfect Starter Camera for Vloggers

When it comes to shooting videos, I tend to overprepare. Sure, I could pop open a webcam or a phone and talk directly into the built-in mic, but instead I’ll stress over breaking out the mirrorless camera, shotgun mic, and multiple stand lights, and then still end up with crappy picture half the time. So,… Continue reading Nikon Z 30 Review: A Perfect Starter Camera for Vloggers

Sci-Fi Publishers Are Bracing for an AI Battle

It began with a tweet of a bar graph depicting a sharp rise in the month of February: Neil Clarke, the publisher and editor in chief of the science fiction and fantasy magazine Clarkesworld, had plotted out the publication’s past few years of plagiarized and spammy submissions. Until late 2022, the bars are barely visible, but in… Continue reading Sci-Fi Publishers Are Bracing for an AI Battle

6 Best Organic Mattresses and Toppers (2023): Nontoxic, Natural

You’re going to sleep on mattresses for roughly 23 solid years of your life (on average), so it makes sense to give some careful thought to what you’re lying on. Unfortunately, mattresses often have questionable materials in them. Everything from formaldehyde to TCEP (a flame retardant) to phthalates can end up in nonorganic mattresses. How… Continue reading 6 Best Organic Mattresses and Toppers (2023): Nontoxic, Natural

9 Best Speakers for Kids: Smart, Bluetooth, and Offline Speakers

Giving a speaker to your child opens up a world of exploration through music and audiobooks. They can listen to tunes while playing, share their favorites with friends, and hold dance parties in their bedrooms. Stories and podcasts will take them to new worlds, both real and imagined. And when it’s time for bed, they… Continue reading 9 Best Speakers for Kids: Smart, Bluetooth, and Offline Speakers