robglazebrook.com

The Future is here, people. We’re living in it. But here’s the problem: all of those cool devices and technologies that make living in the future so awesome? Yeah. None of them are mine.

So here’s a list of present-day future technology that I don’t currently have, but desperately want:

• iPhone - Sort of an obvious one. When I think of “the Future,” I think of a palm-sized device that can keep me connected to the Internet from pretty much anywhere I want to go. If I want to talk to people, I can. If I want to type instead, I can do that too. Browse the web? Sure thing. And it could replace the camera I currently carry around everywhere, to boot.
• Chumby - I linked to this one earlier this month, but I think it deserves a second mention. Because I really want a device the size of a coffee cup that can be serve as my alarm clock, stock checker, weather watcher, and more (whatever I can think of/program) all rolled into one. It’s all about the connectivity, kids.
• iRobot Roomba - Finally, robots for your home. Roombas have been around for a couple of years now, but they’re finally getting smart enough that I could justify getting one. The newest models allow you to schedule them for a weekly routine, transition between floor types on the fly, avoid stairs on their own, and re-dock themselves automatically when their batteries are low or the job is done. I like the idea of having a vacuum that can take care of the cleaning (and terrorize the cats!) by itself while I’m at work.
• Programmable Thermostat - Seriously, why don’t I have one of these yet? I vow to get one installed before the heating season really ramps up in earnest. My house should be smart enough to only be at a specific temperature when I want it to — namely, when I’m around. My house is sufficiently well insulated that I don’t need the HVAC running between 8am and 5pm.

And here are a couple of items which should exist in the current future, and so far as I can tell could exist, but aren’t around yet for whatever reason:

• ePaper books - Alright, so ePaper has been around in some form since the seventies. Why don’t I have an ePaper book yet? Here’s what I want: a device about the size of an iPhone… possibly smaller. When I pull the two ends apart, it unrolls a screen between the two halves. One of the halves contains an SD slot for holding data and a bit of internal RAM/ROM, and the other half holds the battery. The device should read most popular eBook formats, PDFs, text and rich-text files. The UI could be extremely simple — all you really need is six buttons: up, down, left, right, enter/zoom, and exit/menu (though more would be nice if it were done well). I would buy this. Hurry up, manufacturers.
• Home Electrical Switchboards - Hardwired junction boxes and mystical breakers are SO twentieth century. Rewiring the electricity in my house should be as simple as rewiring my home network. Here’s what I want: a big switchboard sitting in my basement. The house’s power feeds into the bottom of the board. All electrical connections or junctions in the house (power outlets, switches, hardwired lights, etc) feed into the top. There are a row of “power” connections at the bottom of the board and a few dozen customizable connections at the top, each labeled with where in the house it goes (and each with an input/output socket). If I want the switch in the hallway to control the overhead light, I just run a wire from power to the switch input, then from the switch output to the overhead light input. If I decide I want the switch to control the nearby power outlet instead, it’s a simple problem of rerouting the switch output to the outlet input instead. If it needs to control both, just run a wire from the overhead light output to the switch input.

So what are your Living in the Future desires? What am I forgetting that I cannot live without?

Oh, and the ePaper idea is totally up for grabs, but if you steal my switchboard idea without giving me due credit (and money), I’ll be forced to whomp you.