2004's Coolest Inventions (Cover Story)
From SpaceShipOne to supersneakers, bots and GoCars, TIME checks out this year's hottest new ideas

Tech Guide (Cover Story)
The hottest, newest products on the market

Web Shopping (Cover Story)
The best sites for your holiday buying

Videogame Guide (Cover Story)
Friends! Romans! Oddball cosmic princes! In our ranking of 2004's top 10 video games, you will meet them all


A Tale of Two Indias (Cover Story)
Economic reforms have produced a new breed of billionaires amid millions of the world's poorest people. Is this an acceptable price of modernization?

The Respect They Deserve (Cover Story | Viewpoint)
India's rich are doing well, and good for them—but the growing middle class is the real story

Don't Forget India's Poor (Cover Story | Viewpoint)
Economic reforms have left them behind, but there's no shortage of policies that could help


Buddhists Under Siege
Militants in Thailand's embattled south are sowing terror among a new target group: Buddhist civilians

He's Still There
Though rumors of Kim Jong Il's imminent demise are legion, none are yet confirmed

Documentary: Northern Exposure
Daniel Gordon's "A State of Mind" goes inside the lives of average North Koreans

Death on Flight 974
Who was responsible for the poisoning of one of Indonesia's bravest human-rights activists?

China's School Killings
Authorities and parents are searching for answers after a rash of child murders. Is the media to blame?

Dire Straits
Ships that pass through some of the busiest waterways in Asia are often the target of pirates. Is a terrorist attack next?

Ownership Issues
Will a dispute between the Ambani brothers lead to the breakup of Reliance?

Fading Down The Stretch?
The Hong Kong Jockey Club was once a sure bet, but its horse-racing franchise is facing stiffer odds


Bohemian Rhapsody (TIME Global Adviser)
Can you do the fandango? At Prague's edgy Palac Akropolis you can probably do anything

Sex and The Stars (TIME Global Adviser)
Read all about it: Does the zodiac cast a spell over your erotic life?

Look Ma, No Hands (TIME Global Adviser)
After the horseless carriage comes the driverless one. And this new vehicle may be going places

Shrink That Suitcase! (TIME Global Adviser)
How to avoid packing a lot of back and shoulder damage into your baggage

Style Watch (TIME Global Adviser)
Potions Are In the Pink

Food Fashions (TIME Global Adviser)
Serious Cereal


Burmese Plays
Burma jockeys for position in the runup to the ASEAN conference in Vientiane

Southern Hospitality
China's Hu Jintao takes a tour of Latin America

Organizing Wal-Mart
America's biggest retailer opens the door to China's labor union

Bhopal: 20 Years After
Survivors are still recovering from the disastrous gas leak

Milestones
Dan Rather retires

Verbatim
Quotes of the week

Letters
How Asians Got So Big