It's probably a good thing this isn't the case, since a system crash at 700MHz is a lot safer than one at 700km/h. Nevertheless, judging by current evidence, advances in computing technology will continue to accelerate at an unprecedented rate. In this feature we look forward to the developing technologies that will shape our world tomorrow and the players behind them. Will PCs survive Internet madness? Or will they go the way of eight-track tapes and the Apple Newton? Will Microsoft be a formidable force in 2010? Or will the company's OS empire crumble like the former Soviet Union?
Standing at the cusp of the millennium, we've arrived at the era depicted in many sci-fi masterpieces. Much of what was predicted has come true, and even become mundane. As we look ahead, the hype appears to be denser than the circuits on a Pentium III chip. What say you to molecular computing machines that you can't even see? How about a computer mouse that measures your moods (but, regrettably, doesn't change colour to match them)? Not all the conceptualisations featured in these pages will come to pass. But fasten your seatbelt anyway, because the next few years promise to be a wild ride.
The future look of important aspects of our lives can be found under "Next ..."
Next PC: exploring the digital frontiersNext ultraportables: small is beautifulNext Internet: bigger, faster and universalNext Amazon: hangin' at the digital mallNext Yahoo: the Wild, Wild WebNext Microsoft: where's Windows?
Next microwave: home digital home
Next virus: tomorrow's digital diseases
Next game: future playtime
Predictions and hypotheses from signifcant figures in their fields can be found under "Future perfect":
Future perfect: coffee talk
Future perfect: space is the place
Future perfect: www.mars.com
Future perfect: lost in a data cloud
Future perfect: perpetual persona
