Where did my cyber-revolution go?

[JustJon]

From the early 90's to the mid-late 90's, I was promised a technological revolution. Magazines like Mondo 2000, Axxess, Wired in its early days, etc. promised me everything was going to change. Then as the year 2000 crept ever closer, these magazines and their prophesies just faded away. Sure, e-mail and the web are ubiquitous now, but I was led to believe there would be so much more. I feel so disillusioned.

<img src="http://www.chaoticconcepts.com/bans/rfjustjon6.jpg">

[Bob Impact]

Yeah, yeah! I was so excited about the new era that Telmatics was supposed to bring, a Fridge that ordered milk when you ran out, a car that started itself 15 minutes before work, a toaster that browned the toast according to the outside temperature. Fuckin A, Why am I still flipping switches to turn things in my house on?! And a Mouse and keyboard, shouldn't this thing be reading my thoughts, or at least my voice by now. I join you Jon, and I am now, officially a disillusioned Gen-Xer.

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This message was edited by Bob Impact on 12-30-02 @ 11:51 PM

[Reephdweller]

I remember reading about a voice activated fridge and toaster. The toaster would toast to your liking. Your coffee maker would start perking when you walked in the door, and how it was all 6 to 10 months away. Then a bubble burst, and everything disappeared overnight. What's up with that???

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[Bob Impact]

Telematics burst by dot-com's flat tire
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1106-917516.html


I think a lot of the "revolution" we were promised was destroyed by the dot com bubble bursting, but i'm sure there are still some out there. At least in cars the real hangup that this article barely mentions is the lack of a decent user interface. For example, a friend of mine works at a BMW Dealership, and one day when there were no mechanics available he got sent out to pick up and return a brand new and defective 745i from a customers house. Now, because my job at the time happened to be on the way, he figured I would like to see the car, now I'll say this, I'm a long time Mercedes fan, I can in no way afford either a new 7 or a new S class, but I've owned several older Benz's and would rather them than a new BMW. This car stunned me, once you get over the trunk it's a beautiful car, drove like a dream, cornered nearly flat and moved off the line like a sports car. The problem? Tuning the radio took FIVE steps. This car had the "innovative" I-Drive system in it, and, as such, took the tuner button off the dash and hid it in a submenu on a computer screen.

This is the basic problem with most Telematics systems, they simply don't have an interface the general public can use. It's not the only reason the revolution hasn't come, but it definitely doesn't help at all when something actually does come out and doesn't work as advertised.

By the way, the reason the car was being returned? The electronic throttle "stuck" open occasionally.


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[A.J.]

I remember reading about a voice activated fridge and toaster. The toaster would toast to your liking. Your coffee maker would start perking when you walked in the door, and how it was all 6 to 10 months away.


Would the machine's voice sound like Pierce Brosnan?

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A Skidmark production.

[FelixDasGato]

I was promised flying cars. Where are my flying cars?


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[furie]

things can't progress too fast. Or else the machines will rise up and enslave us.

<img src="http://tseery.homestead.com/files/simpsons.jpg" width=300 height=100>
Lighting up the New Year

[IrishAlkey]

Furie keeps one eye on the toaster while sleeping.

<center><IMG SRC="http://members.hostedscripts.com/randomimage.cgi?user=IrishAlkey"></center>
<marquee><font color=red size=4>I'M KIDDING!</font></marquee>

[furie]

and an ear to the microwave, because she tells me such sweet things.

<img src="http://tseery.homestead.com/files/simpsons.jpg" width=300 height=100>
Lighting up the New Year

[The Blowhard]

It's sad that everyone has computers now. I feel bad for the geeks who seem to have lost their identity.
BTW Jon, I'm still waiting for Cyborgs to do my laundry and clean my apartment. I guess Mexicans will do for now.

[IrishAlkey]

A Mexican cyborg would totally rock.

Hard.

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<marquee><font color=red size=4>I'M KIDDING!</font></marquee>

[Reephdweller]

Would the machine's voice sound like Pierce Brosnan?

Maybe, I'd like one that sounds like Sean Connery.

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[Devils Advocate]

and an ear to the microwave, because she tells me such sweet things. <P>
And here I thought I was the only one having conversations with my microwave... <P>

****************************
"When an officer loses command, that officer is also lost. When that command remains, no matter what happens to its officer, he has not failed" - Final Blackout

[nickeye]

A Mexican cyborg would totally rockI had a Mexican robot, but it didn't work.

<center><img src="http://mywebsite.register.com/db5/00487/njpconsulting.com/_uimages/nickeye.gif" height=100></center><center><i>when someone makes you a sig, you're his bitch forever</i></center>