Greetings fetching readers. Thanks for being here. Yesterday I railed at all the negatives I see coming from modern technology. Today we’ll get more upbeat and talk about the good things I see coming.
Today I’ll focus on computers and electronic entertainment. In coming posts I’ll make my predictions on Health Care and Aging, LIfe-style, Robotics, and more.
Computers and Electronic Entertainment
We’ve all witnessed the huge advances in electronics and computing. How much further can we go? Futurists of the past did not see the internet coming. We, most likely, don’t yet grasp what the next paradigm changing technology will be. I can only extrapolate from what I’ve seen but the one thing I can guarantee about my and all other predictions for our future is that we will all, most likely, not see the “next big thing” till it gets here.
I Worked in the electronic biz many years ago when VCR’s were still the new thing. The industry at the time had future advances lined up years ahead. They had all the technology but they doled it out one step, one year at a time. From this I assume that what we are seeing in the new computer/pad hybrids is just the beginning of computers with new configurations. I’m hoping my laptop will last another two years so I can see how this shakes out.
The near future will bring all kinds of new and different computers. We’ll be seeing more projected keyboards and menus. Computers that look like writing pens. Computers in our clothes.
I’ve recently heard several people, semi jokingly, complain that we never got the flying cars we were promised in the fifties. Well, I’m kinda glad some of the people I have to share the road with don’t have the capacity to fly, but I do look forward to my “Dick Tracy Wrist Radio”.
We’re seeing the latest smart phones come in wrist models and google glass is just around the corner. These devices are becoming more and more integrated with our life styles. Soon we’ll see clothing with connection capabilities. The google glass is a start. At some point they may go internal.
In my sci fi series I have a technology whereby people have “ocular implants” that allow them to record everything they see and allows them to watch media that no one else can see. They can surf the web with menus they see in front of them that, again, can not be seen by any body else. I also mention that most people choose not to have them unless they are required by their employer. Who wants their boss (or the government) to have access to everything they’ve seen or heard?
I still have a huge vinyl collection. Who among us hasn’t bought into some technology that left us with an unplayable library of classics? (who remembers four tracks?) I envision that someday very soon most of us will consider absurd the notion of paying to own a hard copy of some movie or piece of music when it is available 24/7 on-line or in some other format.
I see video gaming becoming a much bigger slice of our entertainment pie. As the games become more immersive (and if you haven’t tried them recently you will be surprised at just how immersive they are) people will find them more appealing than watching movies. Why watch when you can do?
I see the future being very fun and entertaining, assuming we don’t destroy ourselves first.
Have a great weekend! Philip the Bard will be back next Monday through Wednesday and this Thursday and Friday I’ll post more of my futurist essays.
Earth Year 2013
Never mix red wine with Oodo.
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