Sunday, May 18, 2014

Robert Heinlen Predicted the Cell Phone, Voicemail and the iPhone in 1949

In 1949, libertarian-leaning, science fiction author Robert Heinlein compiled a list of predictions for the year 2000 that were eventually published in February of 1952, in Galaxy magazine. Prediction number 11 forecast the cell phone, voicemail, and the iPhone. I mean he really nailed it:
Your personal telephone will be small enough to carry in your handbag. Your house telephone will record messages, answer simple inquiries, and transmit vision. 
His other predictions were mostly not so good.

2 comments:

  1. Why would any "libertarian leaning" person dare making prediction #4 ?

    Prediction #17 might have to be revisited in 10-20 years.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It has been a while, but I believe in Stranger in a Strange Land, the characters move about in autonomous vehicles.

    ReplyDelete