COVER
We Have Contact
In this special report, TIME asks: Is interactive technology uniting the world, or pushing us apart?
To Our Readers
Exploring an interactive world
BUSINESS
Dialing for Dollars
Cash is so passé. Charge cards? Totally retro. Coming soon: a swipe of an e-money cell phone will let you shop 'til your battery dies
Roll the Credits
Want to make a hit film Korea-style? Give online fans a piece of the action and then send them out to promote their investment
Bidding for Greatness
Almost alone among dotcoms, eBay figured out how to make interactivity profitable. Want to buy a stuffed rattlesnake?
Death of a Salesman
When you watch TV in the future, it will be selecting commercials targeted especially for you. Welcome to the future of advertising
WORLD
The Master of Small Things
V.S. Naipaul pays tribute to the life and work of the late author
TECHNOLOGY
The Best of the Web
A guide to intelligent interaction, featuring 40 sites you've (probably) never heard of
Watch and Wear
What's smaller than a hat, heavier than a revolver and poses no danger to Armani? A computer that gives new meaning to gear head
Brain Power
In the brave new world of technology, we may soon be able to control distant objects just by thought
File It Under Sharing
Unlike Napster, the latest peer-to-peer innovations can access anything without giving foes a target to shut down or sue
High Fidelity
The latest digital enhancements in the audio lab are setting a new tone for sound
Speak Up
Your computer is listening
Hands On
You may be able to feel it but that doesn't mean it's real
Sniff-N-Scratch
Stop and smell the virtual gunpowder
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Crouching Lizard
Step aside, Pikachu. The 'King of Games' has stolen your crown in Japan and is poised to conquer America
Coming Soon: Me TV
Want to be in showbiz? Soon you'll be able to design the set, write the plot and compose the tunes — without leaving home
Couch Potato Blight
Want to veg out in front of the boob tube? In this multitasking age, forget about it
The Sounds of Science
With music mixing as easy as logging on to a website and typing on a keyboard, everyone is getting into the act
Where Does Fantasy End?
Why all of South Korea is obsessed with an online game where ordinary folks can be arms dealers, murderers ... and elves
In a Different World
101 Pixels of Fun
They can murmur sweet nothings and read your e-mails, too. Is it time to get up close and personal with your hardware?
E-books E-merge
One prize-worthy novel couldn't get printed. Enter online publishing
LIFE
Simplifying (?) Our Lives (Living)
Talk to your thermostat, surf from the toilet, phone your fridge. And while you're at it, could you fix me a sandwich?
This New Home (Living)
What's it like living in a wired home? One Singapore couple is finding that gadgets are great but it's still nice to feel the fruit
'Homing' In on a Wireless Future (Living)
Somebody's Watching Me (Living)
My inner stalker loves GPS. My inner Shaggy's a little paranoid. Maybe those satellites should stick to tracking missiles
Sony's Cool Thing (Living)
Well, Hello, Dolly (Love & Sex)
For some people, dating is a hassle and getting married just plain scary. Could the ultimate companion come shipped in a box?
Fjording Ahead (Living)
Overnight, the sleepy Norwegian outpost of Modalen became wired
Dating Game (Love & Sex)
Looking for Prince Charming? In Japan, check your cell phone
SPECIAL SECTION
Boycott the Daily Me! (Politics)
Yes, the Net is empowering. But it also encourages extremism — and that's bad for democracy
Getting Out the Message (Politics)
Technology is tipping the political balance away from the state and toward activists who can now mobilize instantly
Protecting the Private I (Ethics)
Big Brother is watching the Net. Do you know how much he knows about you? Do you care?
The Write Stuff (Future)
Still hanging on to your Bic? This new technology will let you use pen and ink and be digital, too
Proposed United Nations Treaty on Human to Smart Object Interrelations (Future)
A Day in My Life, 2025 (Future)
My wife's a hologram, my boss is buggy and my virtual analyst doesn't understand me
SPORTS
High-wired Mountain Act (Sport)
High-altitude climbing is a challenging spectator sport, but thanks to technology it's gaining popularity. That may not be good news
HEALTH
Doctor's Little Helper
Robotic devices aren't cutting surgeons out of a job just yet, but they are lending an extra hand, making operations easier
RELIGION
I Once Was Lost, but Now I'm Wired
Searching for God? The Internet may not substitute as a place of worship but it's aiding many on their journey
SOCIETY
Bridging the Gap
Is technology relevant? Ask a wheelchair-bound ham operator, poor Indian farmers and an expat son worried about his ill dad
We're All Cyberlab Rats
Anthropologists have deserted the bush to study modern techno-man and how he's adapting to a world of wild gadgets
Wired, But a Bit Worried
Will interactivity improve our lives? TIME's readers praise easy communication and openness but think we should slow down
BRIEFING
Starting Time
For the week of June 4, 2001
TRAVEL
Hotels Are Going High-Tech. Is That Good?
When you book a trip, the smart key tells the rental firm all about your passion