TBT: I invented autocorrect. Sorry about that; and you're welcome

PLUS: The best WIRED stories from this month a year ago. View this email in your browser  09.26.19 "I wrote the code for iPhone autocorrection based on an analysis of the words we type most commonly, the frequency of words relative to others, and the errors we're most likely to make on a touchscreen keyboard," says Ken Kocienda, a longtime Apple designer who invented the iPhone's autocorrect software. But it turns out predicting what you're thinking when you type is pretty darn complex. Read more about how aatcrt autocorrect was invented, plus the best WIRED stories from this month a year ago below.   I Invented the iPhone's Autocorrect. Sorry About That, and You're Welcome Opinion: A longtime Apple designer explains why it's so hard to make phones predict what you're thinking when you type. The Best Stories From This Month, Last Year The Shopping Malls and Big Box Stores Gutted by E-Commerce Retail Apocalypse captures the end of a particular era in American retail. Meet The Four-Dimensional Numbers That Led to Modern Algebra Strange, long-forgotten numbers called quaternions are undergoing a revival in computer graphics, math, and physics. How a Domino Master Builds (and Destroys) 15,000-Piece Creations Lily Hevesh sets 'em up to knock 'em down—in breathtakingly complicated arrangements. Inside the Secret Conference Plotting to Launch Flying Cars Over two days in Bentonville, Arkansas, an aerial mobility nobility gathered away from the public eye to craft strategies for launching the next age of aviation. This Hearing Aid Can Translate For You—and Track Steps Too Starkey Hearing Technologies is deploying artificial intelligence and advanced sensors to upend the hearing-aid business. Yes, You Can Boil Water at Room Temperature. Here's How Everything you ever wanted to know about boiling water, vapor pressure, and cooking at altitude. GET WIRED Get 1 year of WIRED access for just $10.   When information is cheap, context is more valuable than ever.   Subscribe now     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 or manage your newsletter subscriptions