h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My last journal entry touched on how computers in the near future won’t be like we understand them now. How rather than having each device a powerful full-blown computer, the devices we interact with will be just that, devices. Our phones, tablets and who knows what else will become like interactive keyboards for our main computers that run things. Multiple input devices controlling various aspects of the main computer.

In a way this is history repeating itself. You used to get Super-Computers, or Main-Frames what would have several “dumb-terminals” attached. Multiple researchers in universities could use a dumb terminal on their workbench to interact at the same time with the single computer.

But our devices now aren’t the same dumb terminals, these are smart terminals.

In the last week or so Apple have been showing off AirPlay. When you get down to it, AirPlay just allows you to control a telly from your iPhone or iPad. It turns your iDevice into a very expensive interactive remote control. But it’s not a remote control for your telly like that little black thing that’s no doubt sitting under your coffee table or down the side of the sofa. And how many do you need? I’ve got three, the telly, the blu-ray and the cable box. Being able to replace all of these with one is a good idea. And you’ve been able to do that for a while now. But one that’s got a lovely touch screen? Yes, that’s not new either. What is new though is that AirPlay can make it interactive. Being able to surf through a TV Guide, pick the programme you want to watch and then have it come up on the main screen while your device brings up Twitter and the relevant hashtag while you’re watching. One of the things about modern telly viewing we’ve been told is “great” is that you can pause or rewind live telly. That’s only great if you live on your own. If however you decide you want a beer, and pause a film to go get one you can guarantee it’s going to annoy your partner while they sit watching someone’s free-framed face. What you could do with the AirPlay though is pick your remote up and watch the film on it while going to the fridge. Nobody has to watch a chisel jawed mannequin look like they’re trying to remember their next line.

Last week, Microsoft launched SmartGlass. It’s almost the same thing as AirPlay, yet for some reason the Apple Fanbois thought that SmartGlass was a stupid idea from a corporate behemoth. Which shows that if someone waxes lyrical about a brand, ignore whatever comes out of their mouths.

A few months ago Ubuntu demoed something similar too, in a way. They’re preparing a Linux based operating system for phones, then when docked with a monitor, keyboard and mouse, become desktops.

These three things show one thing. Our computers are devices, and our devices are computers. They’re interchangeable. And in three or four years’ time they may very well become so interchangeable that we need to start relooking at the terminology we use to describe them.

I think this is the first step towards us getting comfortable with a single computer in our homes or our offices that controls the network of devices, and us having multiple ways of interacting with it. The next step then will be voice control.

Not a Corrie fan, then?

I don't actually watch much telly

I saw an advert the other day for a motion controlled tv or something like that, I wasn't paying attention,

anyway it struck me as being one of those things that probably won't catch on or at least not quickly...

There's a motion-controlled radio in the Hitchhiker books. Trillian turns it off while Zaphod is listening to a broadcast about himself by throwing an electronic pencil past it.

Zaphod was annoyed.

TRiG.

Motion-controlled tv?

Absence-of-motion-controlled tv more like

Maybe one that turns itself on when you sit down in front of it? To save you the unbearable effort of hitting a button?

This conversation made me sad - nobody's fault. But I couldn't help thinking how many things in the world we *need*. And how all the 'smart money' is going into making sure some guy doesn't have to stop watching a movie while he goes to the fridge for beer...

I live in a large apartment complex, 10 apartments to a building, in a beautiful, bucolic setting. The place is fairly cheap, or I wouldn't be living here. My neighbours aren't rich people, and in this economy, they're saving every penny. Many of them, however, have a TV *in each room* of their apartments. These are 1-2-bedroom apartments. And the youngest kid is sitting in a corner of the kitchen, watching cartoons on his i-thingy.

We're going to miss Ray Bradbury.

I think that's why I now own so many books. I grew up with a telly in my bedroom. I've had computers from an early age. I spend all day (and now most evenings) at a computer.

I like paper books.

I did, too - until my arms got too short. Now I need to bigger the print.