Welcome to the next big tech platform: Mirrorworld

Step inside our new cover story. Things will never look the same. [View this email in your browser]( 2.12.19 Renowned Argentine author Jorge Luis Borges wrote a short story in 1946 in which he describes a mythical kingdom. In this country local cartographers created a map that was the exact same size as the territory it was meant to represent. In Borges’ telling, the map is ultimately useless. Today, another such map, as vast as the territory, is under construction. But this one has the potential to transform the way we live. Or so argues Kevin Kelly in his latest WIRED article, “[Welcome to Mirrorworld]( This map is, of course, digital. It will be, Kelly writes, “a 1:1 map of almost unimaginable scope, and this world will become the next great digital platform.” Just as the web digitized information and social media digitized people, the mirrorworld will digitize physical space and things. In the process, it will change how we live, create vast new economic opportunities, and expose us to unforeseen risks and challenges. Glimpses of the mirrorworld are already here, mostly visible using ungainly augmented reality technology like Pokémon Go and Magic Leap goggles. But the big tech companies—Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft—and tons of startups are busy building the foundations of mirrorworld, pouring millions into research and new products. Kelly, who was WIRED’s founding executive editor, specializes in finding what William Gibson once called the unevenly distributed future. The vision of mirrorworld he describes is mind-blowing and a little scary. Enter at your own risk. AR Will Spark the Next Big Tech Platform—Call It Mirrorworld We are building a 1-to-1 map of almost unimaginable scope. When it's complete, our physical reality will merge with the digital universe. Inside the AR Revolution The WIRED Guide to Virtual Reality Everything you ever wanted to know about headsets, Oculus, Magic Leap, and simulator sickness. The Race for AR Glasses Starts Now The big players in tech, and some little ones too, are jockeying to own your field of vision. Oculus’ $399 Quest to Take VR Mainstream Facebook's Oculus division wants more people in VR. The Quest, its new high-powered stand-alone headset, takes a flying leap in that direction. Get Ready to Hear a Lot More About 'XR' A new shiny thing called XR—an umbrella term encompassing augmented, virtual, and mixed reality technologies—is the industry's new favorite buzz word. For Museums, Augmented Reality Is the Next Frontier Interactive museum exhibits like this are becoming more common as AR becomes cheaper, lighter, and easier to create. [Subscribe to WIRED] The Untold Story of Magic Leap, the World's Most Secretive Startup Virtual reality is posed to become a fundamental technology, and outfits like Magic Leap have an opportunity to become some of the largest companies ever. Get WIRED Get 12 months of WIRED for just $10. Unlimited access to WIRED.com. Subscribe now [] [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Pinterest]( [Youtube]( [Instagram]( This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, [wired@newsletters.wired.com]( to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( Copyright © Condé Nast 2018. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.