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Time and Tandy

Behold, the power of the Tandy 5000!

Check out that price! And those specs! Ooo-la-la!

But seriously, and as a function of the previous post concerning our coming robot overlords, this is a great example of the transition period we are in, and have been in for some time. But we're nearing the end of it.

For example, look at the specs on this machine -- yes, seriously underpowered, but not really that different than something you could buy today. It's a 386 processor, whose family line is still kicking about. It uses all the same fundamentals as computers today, in fact, besides the undersized monitor, it doesn't even look that different than computers today.

And yet, look at the year of the ad: For 1989. Almost twenty years ago!

My point is, these emerging trends take much longer than people normally credit. The mobile phone concept was discussed in the 1920's, for example, and a basic technology developed at the time, but as we all know, the actual use of mobile phones did not start until the 1980's, and really only took off in the 2000's.

Computers are following the same path. But, as I said, we're close to the end of this process. It won't be long now for the mobile phone and computer to merge completely; following that logic, the DVR, game system, stereo, PC and TV will all be merged in the home soon enough, and then I suppose the next logical step is for implants. But that's for another post!


Enjoy these days, my Chicken Littles, for surely, the sky IS about to fall.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It could widen my imagination towards the things that you are posting.

Redshirt said...

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