For the past two decades Wired Magazine has been at the forefront of reporting on a variety of technological topics. However, what it’s best known for and what has been its signature forte, are the articles on the rise of Internet and the ongoing online revolution. It is a testament to this magazine’s quality and the enduring relevance that it has managed not only to survive, but also to thrive through some seismic changes that had shaped the tech industry over the years. Part of the reason for this success lies in the fact that the writers and editors at Wired understand all too keenly that technology, at the end of the day, is made and consumed by people, and technology ultimately responds to some important human need. This approach and attitude permeates all of the Wired’s articles and features, it has helped keep the magazine perpetually fresh and relevant.

“Wired Icons” is a collection of some of the most interesting and highest profile articles and interviews that have appeared in the “Wired” over the years. The word “icon” is not being used lightly here. The list of names included in this e-book reads like a “who-is-who” of the tech industry. The articles, taken from the Wired’s archives, feature Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Craig Venter, Jim Willis, Larry Page, Sergei Brin, and several other highest luminaries. With perhaps one or two exceptions, all of the persons featured in this e-book are the bona fide movers and shakers, with some very substantial and concrete achievements to their name. The articles span the two decades of the publication of the Wired, and they serve as a chronology of the technological development over this era. For those of us who have lived through these years and have intimately followed and used all of the technological advances that have come over this period, the articles in this eBook serve as a useful reminder of some of these developments. And fro the younger reads that have grown up taking much of it for granted, this would be a useful and interesting history lesson coming directly from those who had shaped this history.

One of the greatest features of this book, as well as the Wired articles in general, is the quality of writing. These are not the vacuous puff pieces that are hard to distinguish from the run of the mill advertising copies. These are probing, in-depth, articles that use language elegantly and effectively to convey some deep truths about the technology and the human side of the high-tech industry that is often overlooked in most reports. The authors of the articles in this collection went to great lengths to get to know their subjects, find out what motivates them, and look for the telltale signs of some inner personality traits that even they themselves might not be aware of. The result is the book that feels as fresh and relevant today as when some of these pieces were first published. It is a must read for everyone interested in technology and its impact on society.