entertainment

Unnecessarily Rushed Explanations - The Most Important Video Game of All Time: Super Mario Bros.

WIRED editor Chris Kohler explains why Super Mario Bros. is the most important video game in history. From rich graphics to expertly composed music to innovative game design, Super Mario Bros. set the standard for what makes a great video game.




entertainment

Out of Office with Brent Rose - Tesla’s Powerwall Home Battery: The Stuff Worth Knowing

Elon Musk recently unveiled Tesla Energy and the Powerwall home battery. I'll attempt to cut through the hype and break down the basics. NOTE: One of the most important things we neglected to mention in the video is that a big part of the appeal for this system is not economical, but environmental. It may not be easier on the wallet (at least not yet) but you're powering your home with green energy instead of fossil fuels, and there's a lot to be said for that. -Brent




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Talking Pictures: Skyglow

Filmmakers Harun Mehmedinovic and Gavin Heffernan discuss how their quest for dark night skies for time-lapses led to a project imagining what bright cities like Los Angeles could be with visible stars.




entertainment

Amy Schumer’s feminist comedy. Going too far or far enough?

Wired Senior Editor Peter Rubin and his wife Kelli love TV, movies, and games but don’t always see eye to eye. They both think Amy Schumer’s feminist comedy is bold and important but Peter wants to see her push the envelope even further.




entertainment

Unnecessarily Rushed Explanations - Best Music Game of All Time: Elite Beat Agents

Elite Beat Agents is based off a Japanese video game for Nintendo DS. But instead of male cheerleaders and Japanese pop songs, the U.S. version relies on “Men In Black”-like agents and good ol’ fashioned American hits from the Jackson 5 and Madonna. Chris Kohler explains why the stateside edition is the best music game of all time.




entertainment

3-D Mapping The World's Coral -- to Save It

Coral reefs are under threat, but measuring the loss has been difficult. To get a better and faster picture of coral health, researchers developed a new incredibly accurate 3D mapping system. Music - "I Still Really Love You" By Abjo (http://abjo.bandcamp.com/)




entertainment

WIRED Business Conference - The Best Pieces of Fan Art Dedicated to Breakout Wattpad Writer Anna Todd

At the 2015 Wired Business conference, WIRED editor-at-large Jason Tanz interviews breakout fanfic author Anna Todd, who writes novels entirely on her smartphone then uploads them to Wattpad, a wildly popular digital publishing platform and writers community.




entertainment

WIRED Business Conference - Why drones will be much safer than you think

At the 2015 Wired Business conference, WIRED Business editor Cade Metz interviews Helen Greiner, the CEO of drone maker CyPhy Works about the future of drones and how they may make the world a safer place.




entertainment

WIRED Business Conference - Instagram Wants to Make It Easier for You to Find What You Want

Instagram wants to make it easier for users to find what they want. Mike Krieger acknowledged that the discovery opportunities for finding new stuff on Instagram is still somewhat limited, but they're developing their search functionality (and explore tab) with Facebook to help users.




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Can You Hate an Actor, But Love Their Work?

HATE’S A STRONG word, obviously, but the question still stands. On this week’s episode, WIRED senior editor Peter Rubin and his wife Kelli jump into it. Well, she jumps into it; with Wayward Pines‘ premiere last night, she was reminded all over again that she has a serious problem with Terrence Howard, and she’s inclined to pass on his projects.




entertainment

Gadget Lab - Digital Amps to Revive Analog Audio Gear

Have some old speakers or an unconnected stereo? The Gramofon and the Griffin Twenty make streaming audio a breeze, even if your gear dates to the days of disco.




entertainment

Out of Office with Brent Rose - Fun With Powdered Alcohol: You Can Stop Being Scared Now

People are freaking out about powdered alcohol, but I wasn’t convinced they understood the science behind it. So I tested their concerns. Will it get you crazy drunk? Will people snort it? Watch & see! -Brent




entertainment

Unnecessarily Rushed Explanations - The Most Disgusting Video Game of All Time: Hotline Miami

It’s reminiscent of old Grand Theft Auto games, but Hotline Miami is in a league of its own. It tricks you into thinking it’s cute, but don’t be fooled, it's one of the most gruesome and bloody video games of all time.




entertainment

Gadget Lab - Easier Pedaling With the Faraday E-Bike

More people are using bikes for transportation and electric bikes can make the trip a lot easier. While expensive, the Faraday Porteur is one of the most elegant and zippy e-bikes we’ve tried.




entertainment

Design FX - Tomorrowland: Behind the FX of the Futuristic World

See how Industrial Light & Magic created the futuristic tech and magical world in Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland.




entertainment

WIRED Issue Preview June 2015 - Inside the Magic Factory

This year, Industrial Light & Magic celebrates 40 years of creating the impossible. In WIRED's June issue, we present an oral history of ILM, and look at how George Lucas’ little DIY effects shop changed movies forever. Also this month: Silk Road mastermind Ross Ulbricht's journey from drug kingpin to convicted criminal, Senator Cory Booker's attempt to drag the Senate into the 21st century, the global battle over one of Earth’s most plentiful resources, and much more. #WIRED2306 #WIRED




entertainment

Data Attack - How Huge is Minecraft? We Explain, in 8-bit

With more than 100,000,000 players and 54,000,000 units sold, Minecraft is one of the biggest video games on the planet. Just how big? We break down the numbers behind the wildly popular game.




entertainment

How Google Wants to Turn Everything Into a Wearable

Google thinks the future of wearables might be making the clothes we already wear connected. It¹s Project Jacquard with Levis may herald a future when a swipe on a sleeve makes a phone call and your pants are talking to the cloud.




entertainment

Joshuah Bearman on The Rise and Fall of Silk Road

Author Joshuah Bearman discusses his two part techno-noir series on the rise and fall of the online drug bazaar Silk Road. Music by - Julia Kent - Salute




entertainment

NYC’s Best & Worst Ways to Commute

What’s the best way to commute in NYC? We had five Queens residents take various modes of transportation, including Uber, a cab, the ferry, a bike, and the subway to see which one came out on top.




entertainment

Design FX - Mad Max Fury Road: Choreographing Complex Stunts & Car Chases

Shot mostly in Africa with real vehicles and complex stunts, “Mad Max: Fury Road” brings a high intensity to the post-apocalyptic franchise. Mike Seymour breaks down the complicated camerawork and VFX behind the action-adventure flick.




entertainment

I Made an Untraceable AR-15 'Ghost Gun' In My Office

WIRED senior writer Andy Greenberg puts new homemade gunsmithing tools to the test as he tries three ways of building an untraceable AR-15 semi-automatic rifle---a so-called "ghost gun"---while skirting all gun control laws.




entertainment

Out of Office with Brent Rose - Best & Worst Foods for California’s Drought

California is in an unprecedented drought, but you gotta eat, right? Well, some foods use way more water than others. We chewed through a ton of data to make this bite-sized video. For you! -Brent




entertainment

The Untold Design Story of the Final WTC Building

WHEN BJARKE INGELS set out to create the fourth and final skyscraper at the reborn World Trade Center earlier this year, he faced the same dilemma that has burdened every architect who has ventured onto New York’s most hallowed and expensive construction site.




entertainment

Three Things to Know About Apple Music

WIRED senior writer David Pierce explains how Apple, the most powerful company in music, is shaking up listening again with its new Music platform which combines streaming audio, worldwide human-curated radio and a social network of artists and fans.




entertainment

Gadget Lab - Video Recap: Apple’s Biggest Announcements From WWDC

THE BIGGEST APPLE developer event of the year kicked off this morning at Moscone Center in San Francisco. WIRED’s David Pierce attended the WWDC keynote, and he gives us a quick recap on all the news. There are enhancements coming to Apple’s desktop OS, it’s iOS software, and a big update to the three-months-old Apple Watch that includes support for native apps.




entertainment

The Coldest Place on Earth | Talking Pictures

New Zealand based photographer Amos Chapple traveled to Siberia, to make images of life in Oymakon, Russia, said be the coldest place on earth. There hardy residents endure winters with 21 hours of darkness and temperatures can plunge to –90 Fahrenheit.




entertainment

What's Inside - Sriracha

There’s a reason Sriracha is more popular than its fiery competitors. Featuring a mix of red jalapeño chile peppers, flavor profiles that ignite all five senses, and vinegar for an extended shelf-life, we break down the ingredients that make up the rooster sauce.




entertainment

Unnecessarily Rushed Explanations - The Most Difficult Video Game of All Time: Super Hexagon

Super Hexagon is not a video game for the easily discouraged. You die early and often until eventually (hopefully) you get into the swing of things. WIRED editor Chris Kohler explains why it’s the most difficult video game of all time.




entertainment

Maybe These Aren’t the Droids We are Looking For

Why do humans make robots in their own image? At the 2015 Darpa Robotic Challenge, most of the robots competing to open doors, walk over rubble, and drive a vehicle walked like humans. And they fell over a lot. WIRED writer Matt Simon looks at why two-legged robots seem like a good idea.




entertainment

Facebook and Oculus Want Your Head and Hands in Virtual Space

Facebook and Oculus unveiled the official Rift virtual reality headset and introduced Touch, a set of prototype controllers that could make virtual reality more physically immersive.




entertainment

Creating Jurassic World’s New Genetically Modified Dinosaur

Legendary paleontologist Jack Horner—the real-life inspiration behind original “Jurassic Park” protagonist Alan Grant—explains how they conceived the genetically modified dino, Indominus rex, in the new film “Jurassic World."




entertainment

The Director of ‘Jurassic World’ on Tackling the Beloved Franchise

When Colin Trevorrow saw Jurassic Park as a teenager it sparked his interest in the power of film. He spoke with WIRED about taking on the franchise and getting the audience to cheer for their favorite dinosaurs.




entertainment

Would Jurassic World’s New Dinosaur Win in an Epic Showdown?

Who would win in a battle of the dinos? “Jurassic World” consultant and renowned paleontologist Jack Horner gives us his picks, if the new “Jurassic World” dinosaur Indominus rex came face-to-face with a Tyrannosaurus rex and a velociraptor.




entertainment

The Bloody Illegal World of Sand Mining

Photographer Adam Ferguson documents the environmental and human costs of illegal sand mining in India where rapid growth fuels a sometimes violent black market for one of the most basic raw building materials.




entertainment

Design FX - Jurassic World: Using Motion-Capture to Create Realistic Dinosaurs

“Jurassic World” debuted with a record-shattering opening weekend, netting nearly half a billion dollars. See how Industrial Light & Magic used motion capture to help design the complex dinosaurs, including the genetically modified Indominus rex.




entertainment

One Minute of Stunning Ultra HD Video From Space

This week NASA released a first look of ultra-high definition video shot on and from the International Space Station. Here, 60 seconds of the most breathtaking new footage.




entertainment

WIRED Issue Preview – July 2015 – All Work & All Play, With Rashida Jones

WIRED presents the essential manual to finding happiness at work, with your career coach, Rashida Jones. Optimize your brain, your relationships, and your stuff to achieve a state of occupational bliss. Also this month: How Ebola survivors’ DNA could help treat other deadly viruses, billionaire VCs battle to capture massive ROI, one family’s epic quest to cure their son’s epilepsy, and more.




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All Work and All Play With Career Coach Rashida Jones

Rashida Jones works. A lot! She took a break from acting, producing and writing to talk to WIRED about how to stay inspired at the office, good career advice and her fantasy jobs.




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What's Inside - Fireworks

Fireworks are as synonymous with the Fourth of July as hot dogs and barbecues, but what makes the decorative flashes of light burn so bright? A mix of charcoal, potassium nitrate, and sulfur, among many other ingredients.




entertainment

Andre Iguodala Talks Tech on and off the Court

NBA Finals MVP small forward Andre Iguodala visited WIRED to talk with Mark McClusky, Head of Operations, about the tech, including a card game app, that helped the Golden State Warriors win the 2015 championship.




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Massive Black Holes Whip Dark Matter Into a Frenzy

Inside a simulation of the universe's particle accelerator with WIRED Science writer Nick Stockton.




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Gadget Lab - Smooth Moves: Riding Insanely Fun Hoverboards

You’ve seen Justin Bieber, Kendall Jenner and JR Smith cruising on these things. What are they exactly? Are they safe? Can I buy one? WIRED Senior Writer David Pierce has the answers and tips for riding The Scoot, even the knockoffs of the knockoffs.




entertainment

The Science of Sparklers

An amazing mix of chemistry and physics makes it possible to hold lit sparklers which can burn at temperatures as hot as 3000 degrees Fahrenheit. For information on the science, check out: http://www.wired.com/2014/07/the-awesome-physics-in-a-simple-sparkler/




entertainment

Mission to Pluto: The Story Behind the Historic Trip

It’s taken nine years to get there, but on July 14, 2015 the New Horizons spacecraft will finally fly by its destination: Pluto. Find out how the historic mission to Pluto happened from the people who helped launch it.




entertainment

Out of Office with Brent Rose - Mini GoPro! Hero4 Session: Full Review, Tests, Comparison Footage

If you hate GoPro's rectangular shape, your prayers have been answered! Sort of. We took the new Hero4 Session into rivers, lakes, and surf, off cliffs and platforms, through trees and go kart courses. Our full review will tell you everything you need to know.




entertainment

New Horizons’ Long Trip to Pluto

After billions of miles and nearly a decade hurtling through space the probe New Horizons will finally pass Pluto and begin to give Earth the closest look at the furthest edges of the solar system.




entertainment

Darth Vader Chokes Comic Con

Few could resist the asphyxiating grip of the Dark Side when Dupree Jones, who cosplays as Darth Vader, tried out the Sith lord's famous Force choke on the rebel scum of San Diego Comic Con 2015.




entertainment

Hands On With Star Wars: Battlefront

WIRED senior editor Peter Rubin tests his skills in the new Star Wars: Battlefront game which was featured at Nerd HQ at San Diego Comic Con 2015.




entertainment

NASA's Simulator Puts All Eyes on Pluto

Watch New Horizons' historic flyby from the space probe's perspective