Sony Nextep Wrist computer of 2020!

I remember back in the eighties, when someone wanted to show some concept technology, they would say something like: “By the year 2000, this will be the technology”.

Apparently, 2020 is the new 2000. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen concept technology that has said: “this is the tech of the year 2020″.

This is a bracelet watch/mobile device called the Sony Nextep Computer, which has a pull-out keyboard, as well as an OLED screen.

Now, you’re probably thinking that the white box above the Sony Nextep Computer is the box that the device comes in, but it is, in fact, a hologram. Yes, that’s right, I said hologram. This is one of those technologies that requires holograms in order to be made real. I can’t help but wonder how far away is a holographic society?

I guess we’ll soon find out, and when we do, it will be one of those technologies that just takes over. Sort of like cell phones, texting, Twitter, Facebook, and everything else technological that feels like it sprung up overnight.

Anyway, the Nextep wrist computer is designed by Hiromi Kiriki, and I would love to see it on my wrist. Perhaps I’ll see it at a trade show and get a chance to try it out. In the words of George Takei: “Oh my!”

Textminator an arcade game for today’s youth

I realize that stand-up video games are practically a thing of the past, and there has not been a decent one since Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). Since home versions of the game along with Guitar Hero/Rock Band has pretty much eclipsed stand-up video game glory, its nice to see someone trying to renew it with Textminator.

As you can see, someone has even used the safety bars on the DDR game, but made the subject matter of the competition not dancing, but texting, something that the teens these days are really, really good at.

So why not make an arcade game where players must “face-off” with each other on stainless steel phone-like keypads? It sort of reminds me of MasterType, a very old-school computer program that helped me learn to type. In that game, the player had to save a spaceship by typing in the correct sequence of letters to shoot the guns to destroy the aliens. I am assuming the player does a similar sort of game in Textminator.

What makes this game unique is that not only can the high-scoring player enter in their initials, but the Textminator has a built-in camera so the player can snap a pic of themselves for a virtual wall of fame.