Inventions

Jon Morgan

Inventions
Jon Morgan

This project can be followed at:

https://www.penip.com/theinternetshow/inventions

2015 Jon Morgan

Contents

1 Inventions
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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2 Discussion Question #1
What is an idea that youve had for a new invention? . . . .

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3 Question #2
Name a failed or forgotten invention . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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4 Forgotten Technology

5 Discussion Question #3
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Name an invention or technology that you wish somebody
would invent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
6 Waiting for the Future

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Inventions

Introduction
In this edition of The Internet Show, were going to talk a little bit
about inventions, and about how some have caught on while others
didnt. And how have certain inventions changed the way the world
works?
View as: | Interactive Presentation |
Have you ever encountered a parking spot which was too small for
your car, but yet strongly desireable? A video I saw recently demonstrated a modication which allows a car to turn 360 degrees and get
you in and out of almost any tight spot.
Of course, this video is from the 1950s, and cars do not actually
do this kind of thing.
After I saw this video, I began to think about all of the things that
people have invented. For every invention that takes o, there seems
to be ve that fade into history.

Discussion Question #1

What is an idea that youve had for a new

invention?
Reply:| Web | Email |

Question #2

Name a failed or forgotten invention

Reply: | Web | Email |

Forgotten Technology

When you think about it, the technology industry has introduced
a lot of inventions that never seemed to take o. For example, in
September of 2000 while I was in the hospital waiting for my daughter to be born I watched an infomercial which introduced The Cat.
This was basically a palm sized scanner with someone could use to
visit websites for companies and businesses. When youre reading a
magazine, for example, you might come across an advertisement which
included a bar code type thing. You would use The Cat, which was
connected to your computer, to translate that bar code into a URL
which you would use to visit the business website and nd out more
information.
Later, during a visit to a mall I actually obtained a free Cat but
of course never used it. Since then, this gizmo has been forgotten but
the concept lives on in the form of QR codes which we can now scan
with our smartphones.
There were a couple of other pieces of technology that I remember
which didnt seem to last long. While I was working at an ISP called
HomeTown Online, one of my co-workers had a smart watch which
could synchronize with a computer. When you wanted to synchronize
your watch with your computer, you would hold it up to its screen
while lines of colors ashed on and o.
WebTV came out around the same time that I was working at the
ISP. WebTV was a device which allowed you to browse the Internet
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on your television without a computer. This was like an early version
of the Chromecast or the AppleTV.
When you think about it, there is a lot of technology which failed
because it was attempted at the wrong time. Apple released a handheld computing device called the Newton years before the iPad and
it didnt catch on. WebTV was a blip in time, but now it feels really natural to surf the internet from our couch. There are also new
products which gain traction because of older attempts.

Discussion Question #3

Name an invention or technology that you

wish somebody would invent.
Reply: | Web | Email |

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Waiting for the Future

When we entered the New Millennium, there was a running joke

which went something like this: Where are the ying cars?
In the 70s, 80s, and 90s, depictions of the future almost always
included ying cars. We had airplanes, so this seemed like a naturally
progression.
And, yet were still driving around in boring automobiles!
It does seem like were getting closer. There are electric cars, and
Google is making a lot of progress with the self-driving cars. As far as
we know, the actual act of driving ones own car could become a thing
of the passe. As I was talking to my daughter about nding time for to
learn a little bit about how to drive on her own before taking classes,
it occurred to me that there might be a time when drivers training
becomes a thing of the past, and people will just get in their vehicle
and program in their destination. Or, maybe the cars will be loaned
out for a day and then return when youre back home.
So, we dont have ying cars, but vehicles are getting cleaner and
smarter. Once again, I think that it is all a matter of knowing where
the demand is, and how a market would support a new invention.
People dont need to y to work, but they do need to drive, and
maybe auto-pilot for ones car would be a nice option. Flying is for
airplanes, after all.

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The other type of technology thats on the horizon is articial intelligence and robots. These are two things which are right around
the corner. But, how badly do people need robot butlers?