Matt Novak, Author at Gizmodo

Aerial Navigation Will Never Be Popular (1906)

The August 14, 1906 Lake County Times (Hammond, Indiana) ran an article by Sir Hiram Maxim titled, “Aerial Navigation Will Never Be Popular.” An excerpt, as well as the original article in its entirety, appears below. But I do not think the flying machine will ever be used for ordinary traffic and for what may…

Tech News Matt Novak

In a Cashless Future, Robots Will Cook (1996)

The January 24, 1996 New York Times ran an article titled, “In A Cashless Future, Robots Will Cook.” An excerpt appears below. You can read the entire article here. It’s a typical day in the year 2006. After a hectic afternoon of negotiating contracts with business partners in Hong Kong, London, Moscow and the Bronx,…

Tech News Matt Novak

Bubble House (1968)

This French house, designed by Antti Lovag in 1968 and photographed by Ken Sparkes in 2006, is a shining example of paleo-futuristic design. Many thanks to Richard Green for the link. See also: Desolation Row Desolation Row in Color Taiwan Has Abandonment Issues

Tech News Matt Novak

Starfire (Part 5, 1994)

Part 5 of the 1994 video Starfire gives us voyeurism, a subtle Jetsons reference and more video-phone technologies of the paleo-future. See also:Starfire (Part 1, 1994)Starfire (Part 2, 1994)Starfire (Part 3, 1994)Starfire (Part 4, 1994)Connections: AT&T’s Vision of the Future (1993)

Tech News Matt Novak

Mobile Malls (1981)

The February, 1981 issue of The Futurist featured this illustration of a “mobile mall” of the future. Below are excerpts from the accompanying article. “It will be the age-old concept of the traveling merchant; but instead of camels or sailing vessels, the retailer of the future will transport his material via superhighway and erect his…

Tech News Matt Novak

Starfire (Part 4, 1994)

Part 4 of the Starfire video looks at the possibilities of media creation without shooting new scenes with new actors. See also:Starfire (Part 1, 1994)Starfire (Part 2, 1994)Starfire (Part 3, 1994)Connections: AT&T’s Vision of the Future (1993)Apple’s Knowledge Navigator (1987)Apple’s Grey Flannel Navigator (1988)

Tech News Matt Novak

Moving Sidewalks by Goodyear (1956)

As a follow-up to last week’s post on the moving sidewalk of 1900, today we have an illustration published in 1956. The image below appears in the book 1999: Our Hopeful Future by Victor Cohn. It was produced by Goodyear and shows the (semi-realized) hopes for this paleo-futuristic technology. See also: Moving Sidewalk (1900) I…

Tech News Matt Novak

Sinclair Lewis Will Be Read Until Year 2000 (1936)

The December 5, 1936 Chicago Daily Tribune ran a short article titled, “Sinclair Lewis Put First As Author to be Read Until 2000.” Below is the article in its entirety. I’ve added links to the Wikipedia page for each author mentioned. Sinclair Lewis is the American author of the present day whose books are most…

Tech News Matt Novak

Starfire (Part 3, 1994)

Part 3 of the Sun Microsystems video Starfire begins with our protagonist spying on the office receptionist. From there, we take a look at the scanning interface of the (paleo)future. Enjoy. See also:Starfire (Part 1, 1994)Starfire (Part 2, 1994)Connections: AT&T’s Vision of the Future (1993)Apple’s Knowledge Navigator (1987)Apple’s Grey Flannel Navigator (1988)

Tech News Matt Novak

Article for MungBeing

I wrote an article for the online magazine MungBeing which appears in the new issue. An excerpt appears below. You can read the entire article here. There is a genuine sense of sadness detectable when you talk with people about flying cars and meal pills. Oddly enough, most people don’t want meals-in-a-pill, they simply want…

Tech News Matt Novak

The Electronic Brain Made Beef Stew (1959)

Today we have the thrilling conclusion to the September 13, 1959 Chicago Tribune article, “Call a Service Man: This Cry Will Still Be Heard in Year 2000.” For lunch we eat scrambled eggs, prepared manually. Following lunch, still a bit unnerved by the sight of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches sticking to the ceiling, I…

Tech News Matt Novak

Poison War (1981)

Don’t you hate it when countries use pterodactyls in war? The 1981 book Future War and Weapons (World of Tomorrow) by Neil Ardley describes future wars being waged with drugs which would produce vivid hallucinations in opposing soldiers. Below is the entire two-page spread. See also: Robot Rebellion (1982) Space Colony Pirates (1981) Gigantic Robots…

Tech News Matt Novak

Electrified Topsoil (1909)

The June 27, 1909 Galveston Daily News (Galveston, Texas) ran an article titled, “The Electric City of the Future.” Below is an excerpt as well as the article in its entirety. All the well-known scientists and business men of today agree that the city of the future will be an electrical city. With a very…

Tech News Matt Novak

Starfire (Part 2, 1994)

Part 2 of the 1994 Sun Microsystems video Starfire contains remote manipulation of a camera via tablet. Pretty sweet. See also:Starfire (Part 1, 1994)Connections: AT&T’s Vision of the Future (1993)Apple’s Knowledge Navigator (1987)Apple’s Grey Flannel Navigator (1988)

Tech News Matt Novak

Part-Time Robot (1923)

The August 7, 1923 Oxnard Daily Courier (Oxnard, California) ran a story titled “Shaw Wants To Be Robot, Part Time.” Below is the article in its entirety. George Bernard Shaw would like to be a “Robot” – a machine man – for about two hours a day. “I want to find my own happiness,” Shaw…

Tech News Matt Novak

Spacewreck (1979)

The 1979 book Spacewreck: Ghostships and Derelicts of Space by Stewart Cowley explores the “history” of spacecrafts and their demise from the perspective of the (paleo)future. Thanks to everyone who suggested finding this wonderful book. We’ll be looking at this book in more detail in the coming weeks. See also: Spacecraft of 2004 (1978)

Tech News Matt Novak

Television-Phone Unveiled (1955)

The August 25, 1955 Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada) ran a story titled, “Television-Phone Unveiled But Caution Warned on Use.” Oddly enough, they never explain the “caution” part of the headline. Below is an excerpt from the story. The television-telephone was unveiled to the world here today. This is the one you don’t answer while…

Tech News Matt Novak

Starfire (Part 1, 1994)

With the annoucement of Microsoft Surface it seems like a great time to reflect on similar technologies projected in 1994 for the year 2004. Part one of the Sun Microsystems video Starfire sets the scene with an unfortunate reference to Princess Diana and then gives us a glimpse of the user interface to come. There…

Tech News Matt Novak

1999 A.D. Intro (1967)

In the future, kids will be so dumb that they’ll forget the year (and spooky music will swell on cue). How does the computer know everything? I mean like how . . . I mean like, how many times to exercise and all? You can find 1999 A.D. on the DVD Yesterday’s Tomorrows Today, released…

Tech News Matt Novak

The Air-Ship or One Hundred Years Hence (1908)

It saddens me greatly to read about films that are forever lost to deterioration. The 1984 book Yesterday’s Tomorrows by Joseph J. Corn and Brian Horrigan mentions a film that was released in 1908 under the title The Air-Ship or One Hundred Years Hence. The ad below advertised the film, giving it second billing to…

Tech News Matt Novak

Matt Novak

Aerial Navigation Will Never Be Popular (1906)

In a Cashless Future, Robots Will Cook (1996)

Bubble House (1968)

Starfire (Part 5, 1994)

Mobile Malls (1981)

Starfire (Part 4, 1994)

Moving Sidewalks by Goodyear (1956)

Sinclair Lewis Will Be Read Until Year 2000 (1936)

Starfire (Part 3, 1994)

Article for MungBeing

The Electronic Brain Made Beef Stew (1959)

Poison War (1981)

Electrified Topsoil (1909)

Starfire (Part 2, 1994)

Part-Time Robot (1923)

Spacewreck (1979)

Television-Phone Unveiled (1955)

Starfire (Part 1, 1994)

1999 A.D. Intro (1967)

The Air-Ship or One Hundred Years Hence (1908)

Could There Be a ‘Project Hail Mary’ Sequel?

Meta Has More Smart Glasses Coming Whether You Want Them or Not

Apple Requires Device-Level Age Verification in the UK Now. Could the US Be Next?

Astronomers Say Recent Rash of Meteor Sightings ‘Warrants Serious Investigation’

Did AMD Just Make the Best CPU for Gamers and Creators?

AI Just One-Shotted Another CEO

6 Magic School Anime and Manga to Discover Instead of Thinking About ‘Harry Potter’ Ever Again

Unprecedented Images Show Sperm Whales Acting as Midwives to Help a Mom Give Birth

‘Butt Birth’-ing Rhinoceros from Ace Ventura Sequel Sold at Auction for a Whopping $60,000

The Ryan Gosling Sci-Fi Streak Will Continue Until Morale Improves

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Apple Studio Display XDR Review: It Looks So Good, I Wish It Were an iMac

RayNeo Air 4 Pro Review: My Eyes Love These Video Glasses, but My Nose Disagrees