How far will technology go in the next ten years?

Will it be a lot different?

Published on September 20, 2006 By adnauseam In Gadgets & Electronics

Judging by the last ten years and the advances made in computing, automobiles and every other electronic product in that time I thought I'd do a snap survey of views on what is to come in the next ten years. We have a lot of techies on JU so please look into the future. It could be interesting.

Before that here's a look at the 70's Older Joeusers will smile.

* In my school we used Gestetner machines and Banda machines for copying. The first photocopiers had paper rolls and the ink faded after a few weeks.
* Excitement was at a peak when we equipped our computer suite with Commodore 64's which used the original floppies. We programmed in basic and, a little later, MS Dos.
* Our office "modem" had a cradle for the phone so that the signal could be picked up at a remote address.
* We were out in the country in South Africa so there were hand crank phones and a manual exchange. Rotary dialling was slowly coming into use in the seventies.
* South Africa only got TV in 1976. so we bought black and white sets at first (to try it out).
* Our cars gained seatbelts and headrests but music was played through 8 track systems (remember those?)
* Home computers were only bought by the "daring".
* We watched movies at outside drive-in theatres and the speaker was "crackle, spit" mono. We often drove away with the speaker detaching itself from its pole. If the beer and popcorn were good and the girl hot, what the hell!
* We listened to the Stones, The Mama's and Papa's, and Dylan, on tinny little radios--and we loved it!

Those were great days and we enjoyed life to the full.Of course South Africa was a little behind in those days because of our troubles but Americans and others will still savour sweet memories.

So, how do you think technology will turn out in 2016? One of my friends says we will have cheaper plasma TVs, cellphones with full computer capability and, surprisingly, no cameras or i-pods except for specialist items. The camera and i-pod, netbrowser and TV, as well as videophone will be so sophisticated that picture and voice quality will be top shelf.

That's what he says. How do you think technology will have progressed by 2016?

Comments

Dr Guy

on Sep 20, 2006

Your friend is right. The computers will be moving from 64 bit to 128 bit, and storage will be measured in Terabytes, with half a terabyte of ram not uncommon.

The Plasma TVs will be cheap, but that is because there will be a new and better technology driving them to extinction (much like Flat Panels are killing CRTs). It is in the labs right now (I think it is called OLED), but in 10 years, you will "have" to have one.

And your rememberances of the 70s? Well, even for us Colonials around in the 60s and 70s, we remember them. I listen to my Miracle Mets win the Series on one of those radios!

Sean Conners aka SConn1

on Sep 20, 2006

excellent perspective. i grew up in the burbs of pittsburgh, here in the states. but i could relate to some of what ya said. i was discussing with my wife the other day that people under 21 look at things with a different perspective than we do...for example...

* the internet has pretty much always been there. when they were toddlers, it was primative, but i doubt most em think like that.

* cell phones have always existed to them

* having 100+ channels avail to them anytime on tv is the norm.

* "unleaded" gas to them is just regular gas. regular gas to me implied there was lead in it.

* having an engine that is computer controlled in a car is the way it is. and any car should be good for over 100K miles, even a Kia. i remember when in the 70's, a 60,000 mile car was considered next to dead.

and i can go on and on....and i'm sure there are emails floating around like that ....

but anyway, i was reading the other day, and maybe some of the computer geeks can tell me if this is true, that we are basically doubling the speed and increasing the capacity of the micro chip every singel year now. do the math on that......in 20 years...wow....in 100 years....who knows?

Moderateman

on Sep 20, 2006

If planet earth is still here in 10 years I will be suprised. Well maybe the planet will still be here, but people? hmmmmm

Zoomba

on Sep 20, 2006

If planet earth is still here in 10 years I will be suprised. Well maybe the planet will still be here, but people? hmmmmm

I think we're supposed to be good until the year 2525... you know... if man is still alive.

jennifer1

on Sep 21, 2006

here's a look at the 70's

they were good years weren't they?

I think we're supposed to be good until the year 2525... you know... if man is still alive

do tell zoomba......

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