There’s a fine line between technology that enables a better world and technology that makes us head in the wrong direction. Movies like The Matrix, Terminator, and iRobot have given us a fiction view of what could happen if technology connected us all and eventually had the ability to take over. Such a vision has been a distant whimsical threat until very recently. Today, it all seems possible. We’re On the Brink of amazing things in society, as Ericsson puts it. The telecom gear maker has put a lot of effort into communicating their dream of the near future with their Networked Society website….

What if every wall in your home was a digital display? What if your kitchen table would set itself and also be a touchscreen-enabled entertainment device. What if your kitchen counters were “smart” enough to know what items were on it and had the ability to react accordingly, keeping coffee cups warm and iced-tea cold? These are some of the questions that Microsoft asked when designing what they consider to be the “home of the future.” If it seems very much like Star Trek, only better in many ways, many would agree. The difference is that all of this is possible in the early 21st century, well ahead of…

We can dream, right? This video of unknown origin (comment if you know, please) presents a not-so-unrealistic view of what the toilet of the future may look like and how it may operate. Granted, it’s unlikely that you’ll be brewing a cappuccino or grilling a panini from the throne, but having everything relatively automated is simply not too much to ask. As ICanHasInternets puts it, “It’s fake, but nothing about it is impossible. Funny, maybe, but not impossible.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. …

When people make predictions about future technologies that come true, they are seen as visionaries. When people miss terribly with their predictions, they have infographics that live forever telling of how wrong they were. Such has been the case for many futurists over the past century and a third. It’s often easy to make a bold prediction when it is supposed to come true in the distant future, but some predictions were proven to be exceptionally wrong looking a couple of years ahead. Bill Gates, for example, said spam would be solved in 2 years. That was 2004. We’re still waiting and hoping for…

The Wall Street Journal called him “the restless genius.” Forbes said he was “the ultimate thinking machine.” by Forbes magazine. Inc. Magazine proclaimed him the “rightful heir to Thomas Edison.” Author. Inventor. Futurist. Freak? If you don’t know Ray Kurzweil, you should definitely read up on his Wikipedia page. Then, check out this graphic by our friends at GrasshopperGroup. When you’re done with that, scroll down and watch the Ted video under the graphic.. At that point, you should be giving yourself a pep talk about how you can be as geeky cool as this guy. …

This may be done tongue and cheek, but it’s not only possible but sadly it’s something that is, in one form or another, likely. As we (d)evolve as a society towards integration of the most mundane facets of our daily lives into our social stream, what’s next? Will many start auto-tracking every move they make on Foursquare or Facebook places? Will every food that we order or cook find its way onto our Twitter stream? Will it become more commonplace to post pictures of every activity on our Tumblr? “A view from the bathroom stall at Red Lobster: (Link). Clean, not a lot of graffiti.” Sigh. Our friends…

The problem with all this uber-cool technology is, how do we know what is actually useful and what isn’t? What will actually make it into our every day lives and what will be consigned to the tech landfills of tomorrow? 3D TV seems to be the ultimate expression of this. Of course content providers want a new product to sell us. Of course gadget hounds want a 3D TV in their living room. But does that mean every TV in the developed world will one day be 3D? Visualizing this stuff is the key, which is why shows like Star Trek and movies like Minority Report are always hailed as the creators of the vision we all hold…

Google. It is unquestionably one of the most well-known companies in the world. It has empowered everyday people with information and given online businesses reasons to exist. Most importantly, it has proven that free can be profitable. But all this has to make you wonder — what would have become of the world if Google didn’t exist? There are so many potential questions that could be asked. Could Microsoft have actually ended up in a worse position than it is today? Would Apple have gone bankrupt? Perhaps Yahoo! could have ended up as the most powerful company in the world? Would the Internet be…

Kitchen and bathroom accessories have become increasingly futuristic and ..just plain awesome, over the last few years. There are bathroom dryers out almost everywhere now that dry hands in 7-10 seconds. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am! Take a look at some new contemporary designs – maybe you’ll find one that will complement your style or decor perfectly. Ripple Faucet This sink and faucet are just plain cool and sort of has a Star Trek feeling to it. The red lighting and sleek circle design turn a regular sink into a modern and desirable version. The Ripple Faucet was created by Smith Newnam and Touch…

Analysts Gartner have churned the waters of their scrying pool and apparently decreed that by 2015, at least 50% of people under the age of 15 who have computers purchased for them, will be recipients of touchscreens. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here typing on an ‘old school’ keyboard and feeling like a total dinosaur. The good news for me is that apparently 90% of business computers by the 2015 projection will still be old, reliable mouse-and-keyboard units. Which is dandy, because frankly, I’m not buying this whole touchscreen ballyhoo just yet, even if it is hip with the kids. Especially if…