Gallery: Welcome to the Verso WIRED (2019)
01The first iteration of Hotwired from 1994, meant to embrace the constraints of the web.
02Hotwired, 1995. There were no web tables then, so the sitemap was just spaced links.
03By late 1995, the site had added a "What's New" link that served as one of the very first blogs.
04By 1996, Hotwired had invented the banner ad, which you can see on the bottom of the page.
05The 1997 design placed the ads in a stationary frame, while new content scrolled by.
061998\. The design experimented with content that floated across the screen.
07After Lycos acquired Hotwired in 1999, it took on the structured layout of its corporate parent.
08Wired.com, 2005. It showcased a number of innovations, like CSS templates that changed daily.
09Lycos sold Hotwired in 2006. The site was turned into a search portal that garnered traffic from name recognition.
10In 2006, Condé Nast acquired Wired.com, uniting WIRED magazine with Wired News.
11The design of Wired.com, which remained relatively unchanged from 2007 until 2015.
122015\. After eight years, WIRED relaunched with a fully responsive design that uses state-of-the-art infrastructure.
13
People Are Creating ‘Survival Guides’ to Cope With the ‘AO3 Apocalypse’
The fanfic site could be down for weeks due to a “security incident.” Users are not taking it well.
Ej Dickson
WIRED Ghost Stories
Five hauntings from the other side of technology.
Wikipedians Believed AI Would Come and Go. They Were Wrong
In a world of AI Overviews, Wikipedia usage declines. But the real loss may be far more existential than website traffic.
Richard Cooke
‘Nightmare Scenario’: Zero-Click Spyware Is Infecting Phones via Targeted Ads
Researchers at The Citizen Lab have for the first time released technical evidence of sophisticated mercenary spyware being distributed via online advertising.
Matt Burgess
Everybody’s Favorite Art TV Is Nearly Half Off Right Now
Samsung’s The Frame is the leading art TV for a reason. The matte display makes paintings look like museum pieces, not a glossy screensaver.
Harry Rabinowitz
WhatsApp Help Pages Leaked Hidden Instructions for a Meta Chatbot
Around 80 pages on WhatsApp’s website exposed instructions that were designed for its chatbot, including “WHAT NOT TO SAY.” Meta says a bug caused the issue.
Matt Burgess
The 2,000-Nit OLED in Apple’s New MacBook Is a Big Deal
The touchscreen in the new MacBook Pro is crazily bright with very deep blacks. Here’s why it’s unlike anything else you can currently buy.
Luke Larsen
Macmillan Staff Say the Publisher Threw a Party for a Workplace AI Assistant That Was Later Killed
Workers tell WIRED that NOA—or “No Ordinary Assistant”—was unhelpful. Bestselling authors also say AI is ruining their relationships with Big Five publishers.
Adam Morgan
This Was the Most Fun I’ve Had Reviewing a Mouse in a Long Time
With a tactile dongle for on-the-fly customization and a metal chassis, the Wallhack M-001 is the most fun I've had reviewing a gaming mouse in a long time.
Henri Robbins
It Sure Looks Like the Department of Education Is Promoting a Right-Wing Harry Potter Meme
The meme appeared to reference gender-swapping “Malfoid” fan fiction, a term with incel roots. When asked about it, the DOE responded by quoting Dumbledore.
Michaela Makusha
Jaguar Finally Reveals Its Biggest Gamble: the Type 01
Following a viral rebrand and two years without selling a new vehicle, the British marque takes the covers off the most divisive electric car yet seen.
Jeremy White