Matt Novak, Author at Gizmodo

Computers in the Home by Year 2000 (1978)

The March 30, 1978 Titusville Herald (Titusville, PA) ran a story about Honeywell’s Man-Made Sciences Group titled, “Between Man and Machine.” An excerpt which quotes Arnold Kanarick appears below. “Human-computer interaction is the real growth area,” Kanarick says. “I don’t think it’s too blue-sky to say that you’ll find a computer in the American home…

Tech News Matt Novak

Nirvana Draws Nearer (1959)

I’d like you to imagine a crazy, futuristic dystopia in which women (gasp) work outside the home. And I’m not talking about doing a little gardening on the weekends. I mean full-fledged, testosterone-driven, trouser-wrenching, tell Little Johnny I’ll be late for his baseball game, kind of jobs. What’s that you ask, “But if women get…

Tech News Matt Novak

Australia Telecom’s Broadband (Part 3, 1992)

Today we have the third and final installment of the 1992 Australia Telecom concept video, Broadband. Enjoy. See also:Australia Telecom’s Broadband (Part 1, 1992)Australia Telecom’s Broadband (Part 2, 1992)

Tech News Matt Novak

SMRT-1 Concept Art (1982)

This concept art for the SMRT-1 robot at EPCOT Center is dated May 3, 1982. SMRT-1 was featured at the Communicore exhibit and “spoke” with visitors via telephones while playing trivia games. The Widen Your World website has a pretty thorough breakdown of the Communicore exhibit. Their photograph of SMRT-1 appears below. Communicore was closed…

Tech News Matt Novak

Australia Telecom’s Broadband (Part 2, 1992)

Part 2 of the 1992 Australia Telecom concept video Broadband demonstrates teleconferencing via videophone, as well as encrypted data transfer. Oh, and scary metal walkways of the future. Don’t forget the walkways. Stay tuned for part 3, coming soon. See also:Australia Telecom’s Broadband (Part 1, 1992)

Tech News Matt Novak

Australia Telecom’s Broadband (Part 1, 1992)

The 1992 Australia Telecom concept video, Broadband, envisions the futuristic world of 1996. Part 1 shows us videophone conferencing, moving large amounts of data between computers, as well as (Orwellian) biometric scans. See also:Motorola’s 2000 A.D. (1990)Pacific Bell Concept Video (1991)Connections: AT&T’s Vision of the Future (1993)Flowers by Alice (1992)Apple’s Knowledge Navigator (1987)Apple’s Grey Flannel…

Tech News Matt Novak

Air Force Predictions for 2063 (1963)

The 1963 book, 2063 A.D., includes the predictions of Brigadier General Irving L. Branch. Branch was a commander at the Air Force Flight Test Center and predicted that by 2063 exploration of the near planets (Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn) will have been accomplished with manned vehicles. He also predicted that the moon and Mars…

Tech News Matt Novak

Robot Halloween Costumes (1950s)

Flickr user Neato Coolville has this great photo from the 1950s of kids dressed as robots for Halloween. See also: Robots: The World of the Future (1979) Closer Than We Think! Robot Housemaid (1959) How Experts Think We’ll Live in 2000 A.D. (1950)

Tech News Matt Novak

Extraordinary Adventures of Saturnino Farandola (1914)

This movie poster for the 1914 film L’Avventure Straordinarissime di Saturnino Farandola (The Extraordinary Adventures of Saturnino Farandola) was drawn by Albert Robida. This version of the (paleo)future appears to involve riding sea creatures while shooting magical underwater firearms. See also: Going to the Opera in the Year 2000 (1882) Evening Fashions of the Year…

Tech News Matt Novak

Closer Than We Think! Weather Control (1958)

This Closer Than We Think strip about weather control appeared in the June 22, 1958 Chicago Tribune. In years to come, there will be satellite equipment for forecasting – as well as controlling – the weather. The effects of air and humidity masses can be calculated more precisely from above. Sunspots, solar rays and other…

Tech News Matt Novak

We’ll All Be Happy Then (1911)

This image, from a 1911 issue of Life magazine, was drawn by Harry Grant Dart and features the farcical technologies of the future. To see pre-R.U.R. images of personal, robotic servants is extremely rare. Dart never ceases to amaze with his tremendous wit, vivid imagination and biting social/technological commentary. The image can also be found…

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Future “Brotherhood” (1976)

Carl T. Rowan wrote a piece which appeared in the July 3, 1976 Stevens Point Daily Journal (Stevens Point, WI) titled, “Sees hatred yet a century hence.” Rowan covers issues of racism, eugenics and elitism in the century leading up to the United States tricentennial. The piece appears below in its entirety. GALAXY SPACE STATION…

Tech News Matt Novak

Syd Mead Art for U.S. Steel (1960s)

Professor Michael Stoll has posted an amazing collection of promotional art Syd Mead did for U.S. Steel. Prof. Stoll posted the Syd Mead images to the (Boing Boing Gadgets/Paleo-Future Blog) Flickr Group, In the Year 2000. The entire set of images can be found in the Portfolio of Probabilities photoset. One thing that is interestingly…

Tech News Matt Novak

Movie Theater of the Future (1930)

The August 3, 1930 Syracuse Herald (Syracuse, NY) ran the above article about the movie theater of the future, complete with robot staff. Titled, “Television Soon Will Flash Talkies Through the Ether; Theater of the Future Will Receive Its Films From Afar,” the piece opens by explaining how a single man at a central control…

Tech News Matt Novak

A Ballad for the Fair (1964)

In 1964 Bell System produced a film about the New York World’s Fair, which highlights the history and future of communications. Of course, the future of communications would not be complete without the eternal promise of picturephone. A clip of the film, including a look at the Bell System ride, appears below. You can watch…

Tech News Matt Novak

House of the Future (1956)

This house of the future was illustrated by Fred McNabb and comes from the amazing site, Plan59. It features personal helicopters, giant-sized fruit, glass walls, dust-free floors, ultrasonic laundry and, of course, picturephone. See also: Personal Helicopter (1943) Commuter Helicopter (1947) The Future of Glass (1958) Closer Than We Think! Robot Housemaid (1959) 1999 A.D.…

Tech News Matt Novak

Santa’s Reindeer Out of Work (1900)

The December 22, 1900 Duluth Evening Herald (Duluth, MN) ran this illustration of the 20th Century Santa who, naturally, uses a flying machine. Those poor reindeer, now out of work, have been replaced by machines. KRISS KRINGLE UP-TO-DATE No old-fashioned reindeer for him – he skims over house tops in a flying machine. Twentieth Century…

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Rocket Ship (1956)

This cross section of a rocket ship appeared in the 1956 book The Complete Book of Space Travel. The space suit we looked at back in December can be seen hanging up at the rear of the ship. See also: The Complete Book of Space Travel (1956) Wernher von Braun’s Space Shuttle (1950s) Space Suit…

Tech News Matt Novak

Latest Type of Flying Machine (1901)

The May 10, 1901 Lincoln Evening News (Lincoln, NE) ran this illustration of “the latest type of flying machine.” A model of the very latest form of flying machine, shown in the accompanying illustration, is now on exhibition and has proved quite successful, being perfectly dirigible and easily controlled. As a flying machine of this…

Tech News Matt Novak

Disneyland Jetpack (1966)

The Disneyland TV program aired Disneyland Around the Seasons on December 18, 1966. The episode contained this great clip of a man wearing a jetpack (or rocketbelt), flying around Disneyland. The entire program can be found on the DVD Disneyland: Secrets, Stories & Magic. Rocketman Uploaded by donaldtheduckie. – Videos of the latest science discoveries…

Tech News Matt Novak

Matt Novak

Computers in the Home by Year 2000 (1978)

Nirvana Draws Nearer (1959)

Australia Telecom’s Broadband (Part 3, 1992)

SMRT-1 Concept Art (1982)

Australia Telecom’s Broadband (Part 2, 1992)

Australia Telecom’s Broadband (Part 1, 1992)

Air Force Predictions for 2063 (1963)

Robot Halloween Costumes (1950s)

Extraordinary Adventures of Saturnino Farandola (1914)

Closer Than We Think! Weather Control (1958)

We’ll All Be Happy Then (1911)

Future “Brotherhood” (1976)

Syd Mead Art for U.S. Steel (1960s)

Movie Theater of the Future (1930)

A Ballad for the Fair (1964)

House of the Future (1956)

Santa’s Reindeer Out of Work (1900)

Rocket Ship (1956)

Latest Type of Flying Machine (1901)

Disneyland Jetpack (1966)

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