More futurism.

[ernunnos]

From Time circa 1978. The Computer Society: Pushbutton Power. It's interesting to see what they got right, and what they got wrong. And when they got it wrong, how.

The computer revolution may make us wiser, healthier and even happier.

It is 7:30 a.m. As the alarm clock burrs, the bedroom curtains swing silently apart, the Venetian blinds snap up

Comments

[phanatic]

Gathering materials and setting the oven isn't the toughest part of cooking

I think gathering the materials is the most inconvenient part of cooking by a wide margin.

[herbaliser]

agreed

[thereject]

Automated curtains and blinds? Only rare geeks who make home automation a hobby. -1.

This one is actually pretty interesting to me. We have the technology to do this, easily and affordably. We just don't implement it because people don't want it. Like you said, there's really no market for it outside the tech geeks or the ultra-pampered, and the geeks just do it because the doing it half the fun.

[vyus]

this is one that's actually gaining popularity amongst the mid-class.

[rah]

Remote-start cars. Sure, for people in cold climates with lots of money

Really? I live in the middle of the desert and I had this installed on my car. It was well worth the $300 I spent on it (which I don't think makes me rich) to walk out of my air-conditioned office, into 110 degree heat, and into a car that's already cool in the middle of July. And some manufacturers are finally installing this as a factory option.

[ernunnos]

I live in the desert too, and the thought has never even occured to me. Maybe it is the wave of the future though. Wouldn't be the first time I was a luddite.

[jenbooks]

Automated grocery shopping, recipe management, and cooking. -3. Futurists seem to miss economies of scale. Gathering materials and setting the oven isn't the toughest part of cooking, and it's easier and cheaper to just go out to a restaurant than to install a bunch of automation in the home.

True enough, but I would love a pantry/refrigerator that knows what I've got on hand, and can tell me what I need to buy.

Of course, the Star Trek food thingies would be awesome, too. "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot."

[talldean]

CueCat was scanning groceries when you threw them out to make a list of what non-perishables you should buy. They're outta business, but you can still find them here and there.

At least here, in DC, we have automated grocery shopping. www.peapod.com. You pick a delivery window, and a guy shows up with all of your groceries that you ordered online. $5-10 delivery fee. Great for old folks, people without cars, and orders of exceedingly heavy stuff. (Ten cases of water up to the third floor? No problems.)

I'd love to have a bathroom where the tile isn't 50F in the mornings. And the automatic blinds would make an *awesome* alarm clock.