Average Rating: 
Rating:  - technology for technophiles
I've subscribed to Wired Magazine for several years, though I confess that that I don't read every issue from cover to cover. This is a magazine best suited to Silicon Valley technophiles. There are a lot of ads for the latest gadgets, and the short articles about these new technologies appeal to more avid gadget collectors than me.
So why have I not cancelled my subscription? I keep reading Wired because of the feature articles. They are well researched, thoughtful, and clever; they often cover an aspect of the business or culture of technology that other magazines miss. I can still remember some of the best articles -- an article about why FedEx is really a high tech company, an article about how fiber optic cable is laid and what that means for the economics of broadband, an article about how the European Commission's Competition Bureau is shaping the global technology business through its regulatory authority.
If you are a technophile, you s!hould subscribe if you don't already. But even if you're not, you should consider it if you work in the tech sector or have an interest in how technology affects all of our lives.
Rating: - Still bleeding edge, which makes it different
The best thing about Wired is that it has stayed true to its roots over all of these years. Wired has always had a forward-looking, sophisticated attitude toward technology. You can tell that every article is well-researched and no feature in the magazine is an afterthought. In every issue, you will find:- stories about the unsung heroes who are really responsible for pushing the limits of technology
- some politically-oriented article that shows the growing interplay between technology and politics
- cool digital and electronic gadgets (that usually cost a lot of $$)
- fun stuff like Jargon watch, Wired vs. Tired, and even some of the ads (how often can you say that?) Beyond that, I find Wired is the best place to read about things like the melding of human and computer and the progess of technology outside of the U.S. So, I find every issue interesting. It's a little less useful to me as an investor in technology stocks, but it does offer me that broader perspective on technology that helps put investable ideas into context. The clincher is the price - a small sacrifice for so much intriguing and entertaining content. I once considered discontinuing my subscription, but realized that it's so different from everything else I read and just one decent article an issue makes it worthwhile. Very glad I kept it. So, if you've never read Wired, I would give it definitely give it a try.
Rating:  - tech background not necessary to enjoy
You don't have to have a Ph.D. in computers, math, or engineering in order to enjoy this magazine: I don't possess such credentials, and I think Wired is outrageously good. The appeal of Wired is information on cutting-edge technology, delivered in a highly visual, understandable, and often entertaining format. A subtle sense of humor pervades the magazine with features such as "Return to Sender" - a contest in which Wired readers attempt to send the weirdest possible item in the mail to the magazine's San Francisco headquarters; or "Japanese Schoolgirl Watch" - which tracks the latest trendy gadgets favored by one of the world's most trend-obsessed demographic groups. Wired endlessly scrutinizes and ponders on the intersection of technology, humans, and society in its terrific articles. The articles are always interesting, and well-written, with topics such as artificial sight research, or the shenanigans of MIT's Blackjack Team in Las Vegas (9/02 issue); parents of extremely ill children, united via the Internet in their challenges to the medical industry (9/01); or a profile of the Ibot Transporter "inventrepreneur," Dean Kamen (9/00). Wired is a beautifully presented, outstanding magazine. Try one issue - you might get hooked!
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