From the beginnings of modern fantasy, in the work of Tolkien, technology has always been the enemy of the good life — but does it have to be that way? Why gadgets are great for introverts: Critics argue that wireless communication is a poor substitute for social interaction, but our wired world gives voice to the quieter half of the population. How to be a genius: Sam Biddle on Apple’s secret employee training manual. Building an army of you: You could soon exist in a thousand places at once — so what would you all do and what would it be like to meet a digital you? According to David “Doc” Searls, author of The Intention Economy: When Customers Take Charge, big data may be a waste of money. Dreadlocked virtual reality/motion-sensor technology pioneer, octopus enthusiast, and master of a wide array of rare indigenous musical instruments Jaron Lanier is concerned about conformity. From Wired, is the story of Steve Jobs an inspiration or a cautionary tale? The accidental history of the @ symbol: Once a rarely used key on the typewriter, the graceful character has become the very symbol of modern electronic communication.
