Predicting future technology is not easy. So many past factors have contributed to the products that we use today. Back in the year 1999, author Esther Schindler asked technology expert David Gerrold to write about the future of technology and his predictions have proved to be completely true.
Esther shared an image about this on Twitter which read: In 1999, I asked David Gerrold to write a “future of computing” prediction for the magazine where I was Technology Editor. Here’s what he wrote.
In 1999, I asked David Gerrold to write a "future of computing" prediction for the magazine where I was Technology Editor. Here's what he wrote. pic.twitter.com/UAMM0Pm4W6
— Esther Schindler (@estherschindler) March 28, 2018
If somehow you are not being able to read the content on the image, here’s what he wrote:
“I’ve got a cell phone, a pocket organiser, a beeper, a calculator, a digital camera, a pocket tape recorder, a music player, and somewhere around here, I used to have a colour television.
Sometime in the next few years, all of those devices are going to meld into one. It will be a box less than an inch thick and smaller than a deck of cards. (The size will be determined by what’s convenient to hold, not by the technology inside).
The box will have a high-res colour screen, a microphone, a plug for a headset or earphones, a camera lens, wireless connectivity, cell phone and beeper functions, a television and radio receiver, a digital recorder, and it will have enough processing power and memory to function as a desktop system. It will be able to dock with a keyboard and full size monitor. Oh yes, and it will handle email as well.
Most important of all, it will have both speech recognition and speech synthesis. It will listen and respond in English or whatever language you need, and yes it will be a translator too. It will be an agent, going out and doing cyber errands for you. For instance, I need a Japanese restart in Tulsa, near the Ramada Inn. Book a reservation and arrange transportation.
If there’s no Japanese restaurant, try for Italian. Or voicemail Bob as follows: ‘Bob, we accept your offer, but we’ll need a draft of the deal memo by the 15th. Let me know if that’s a problem.’
I call this device a Personal Information Telecommunications Agent, or Pita for short. The acronym also can stand for Pain in the Ass, which it is equally likely to be, because having all that connectivity is going to destroy what’s left of everyone’s privacy.”
Amazing! isn’t it?
This obviously went viral on the internet and Twitter was quick to reply to this super accurate statement. Here are some of the reactions from Twitter users:
Can he tell about how to fix smartphone issues?
Whoa. Can this dude tell us how to fix the problems our phones caused?
— Josh Constine (@JoshConstine) March 28, 2018
The ‘PITA’ term stuck in my mind
The crazy thing for me is that I remember reading this – the "PITA" term stuck in my mind, and I have quoted it several times since. I didn't remember who it was who coined the term, but now I do. Thank you. And, congrats, @David_Gerrold.
— Joseph Steinberg (@JosephSteinberg) April 25, 2018
Mind blown
Mind. Blown. Especially the last words about privacy. 😲
— Bertruand ⭐️ (@bertruand) May 11, 2018
Where’s the time machine? David.
Ok David, where and why do you hide the time machine?
— Peter Helcmanovsky (@ped7g) April 23, 2018
This didn’t end here, because people requested for further predictions, David has written about robotics and its future.
Since y'all asked for an update….
SF author @DavidGerrold nailed smartphones in 1999. Here’s his next prediction: “My friend, the robot” https://t.co/I2sfXIizuA
— Esther Schindler (@estherschindler) April 3, 2018
If you want to know more about David Gerrold you can click here
