Catching the Future

I can remember the first time I ever had a door open automatically for me. It was a Sainsburys supermarket in Bedminster, Bristol. My friend was working there for the summer (must have been in the late 1970's), and as you approached the door pressure pads in the mat detected you and the door swung open. Wow! I spent a few times going through just to see it work. Easily amused. Just like Star Trek - except the door swung open rather than slid to one side - but it was a start.

A 'Tablet' from Deep Space Nine

As a fan of Star Trek (OK - but I don't go to Conventions) I am aware of how the creator's vision of the future technology is gradually actually happening. The latest incarnation of this is the tablet computer. I know that they have been around for a long time - but only recently have they really taken off with, in particular, the iPad, but also other tablets - and soon the Kindle Fire, which I think will give the iPad a run for it's money.

This increase in popularity is because of the the interconnectivity that we now have with WiFi, bluetooth, 3G etcetera, and the need that people seem to have share their entire lives and to be constantly entertained - giving large companies the chance to sell even more stuff. The Star Trek series has had some form of flat, portable computing device from virtually day one. Looking on the net for info on these devices I found this site, which I found very informative - and not just about the tablets.

I find myself wishing that we could have some of the other stuff from the Star trek Universe as well. I would like faster than light ships and teleport devices. Most of all, however, I would like Mankind to have grown up a bit and to have stopped killing each other and the planet.