Near enough? It's still not true in 2011!
But that's a tame one that's at least party debatable. Let's examine some of his other predictions for 2009 (from Wikipedia), made in 1999:
Quote:
Computers are primarily portable, with people typically having at least a dozen on or around their bodies, networked together with "body LANs"
Reasonable on the first, hilariously wrong the second.
Quote:
* Rotating memory (CD-ROMS, Hard disk drives) are on their way out
Far from it, more are being sold than ever. They won't be on their way out for another 5 years at least. In fact, far from being on the way out, the Blu-Ray standard was invented not long ago.
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* The majority of text is generated with speech recognition software
This prediction is proof the guy is an ass clown. This was his field of expertise, and he got this one hilariously wrong. Probably off by a decade, which in an exponentially increasing timeline is MONSTER fail.
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* Learning at a distance, through computers, is commonplace
Hard to say, very ambiguous. I don't think I'd call it commonplace.
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* Computer-controlled orthopedic devices, "walking machines" are used to help the disabled
I think we have to call this another failure. They do exist in Japan but aren't reliable enough to help the disabled yet.
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* Translating telephones (where each caller is speaking a different language) are commonplace
Another monster fail, again in his area of expertise.
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* Virtually all communication is digital and encrypted
Not true at all.
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* The ten years leading up to 2009 have seen continuous economic expansion
Useless prediction. 50/50 chance of being right.
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* Most purchases of books, videos and music are digital downloads
No, no, yes I think in 2010.
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* Warfare is dominated by unmanned intelligent airborne devices
Dominated? A decade or more off on this one.
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* Tele-medicine is widely used, where the physician examines the patient at a distance with virtual reality
Certainly not widely used.
In conclusion, it's failbird time with Dr. Kurzweil.
The guy has zero credibility.
Last edited by Forelius; 02-12-2011 at 11:04 AM.