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- thirdtenor, on 10/12/2007, -2/+21Fuel Cells
In fuel cells, the energy of a reaction between a fuel, such as liquid hydrogen, and an oxidant, such as liquid oxygen, is converted into electrical energy. Fuel cells will change the global economy, and not just because they will be as big a development in motoring as the internal-combustion engine was. They will also be used as cell-phone batteries and power generators, among other things. And they will eliminate the problem of what to do with used batteries: Theoretically, fuel cells are renewable forever.
Gene Therapy
Although the FDA has not approved any human gene therapy for sale, the potential for using it to correct defective genes responsible for disease development is enormous. Gene therapy works by inserting genes into cell tissue, essentially replacing a defective gene with one that works. So far, researchers have been exploring how gene therapy could be used to combat or eradicate diseases caused by single-gene defects, such as cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, muscular dystrophy and sickle cell anemia. With time, however, it is hoped that it will not only revolutionize the treatment of all disease but will also be able to prevent hereditary diseases, such as Down syndrome and heart disease.
Haptics
Whether people know it or not, haptics has been subtly making inroads into everyday life in the form of vibrating phones, gaming controllers and force-feedback control knobs in cars (BMW's iDrive system uses the technology). But the science of haptics has the potential to do much more. Products, such as the CyberForce "whole-hand force feedback system" from Immersion Corporation and SenseAble Technologies, let users interact physically with virtual objects. For instance, by using a sensor-equipped glove and a force-reflecting exoskeleton, you could literally feel the shape, texture and weight of an onscreen 3-D object. Such devices are used now for virtual modeling, medicine and the military, but as costs decrease, haptic interfaces could become valuable communication tools. Using haptics technology, people will be able to shake hands virtually over the Internet, and doctors will have the ability to remotely diagnose and operate on patients.
Internet2
Internet2, or UCAID (University Corporation for Advanced Internet Development), is the next-generation Internet. It is a nonprofit consortium developed by many of the leading universities in the U.S., as well as by companies such as Cisco, Intel and Comcast, in 1996, to deliver video and data at much faster speeds than are possible over the public Internet. The reason is that it is connected to the Abilene national backbone--provided by Qwest Communications--by regional fiber networks, which will soon have a capacity of 10 gigabits per second through the use of optical-networking technologies. This will allow for faster downloads of more complex packets of data and facilitate activities such as peer-to-peer applications, high-definition videoconferencing and, yes, gaming.
LifeStraw
What's the most precious liquid on earth? If you said oil, you're wrong. It's water. Even though more than 70% of the earth's surface is covered in H20, many parts of the world suffer from a persistent and crippling shortage of potable drinking water. LifeStraw hopes to change all that. The 10-inch-long, 1-inch-in-diameter device is made by Vestergaard Frandsen S.A. of Lausanne, Switzerland, out of a patented resin that kills bacteria on contact. Its filters remove bacteria, such as salmonella and staphylococcus, from surface water in rivers and lakes. Reusable and, at $3 to $4 each, affordable, it has the potential to not only reduce the outbreak of disease but also to improve living standards and sanitation in many of the world's poorest regions.
MRAM
MRAM, or Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory, could change the way we work. Researchers at IBM have shown that MRAM can be six times faster than the current industry-standard memory, dynamic RAM (DRAM). It is almost as fast as static RAM (SRAM) and is much faster and suffers less degradation over time than Flash memory. Unlike these technologies, MRAM uses magnetism instead of electrical charges to store data. As a result, it is lower in density and in cost. In December 2005, Sony engineers verified operation of a spin-torque-transfer MRAM in the lab with data-write speeds of two nanoseconds. If adopted as a universal standard, MRAM could have significant military communications applications.
$100 Laptop
If we are to accept that the world economy is now fully dependent upon the information economy, then it stands to reason that those people who are left out of the global information network are doomed to an endless cycle of poverty. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab has designed a fully functional laptop computer that can be sold for $100, so that children in poor or developing nations can get access to the Internet. To keep costs down, the laptop will use a $35 dual-mode display (the kind found on cheap DVD players), a 500-megahertz processor, a slimmed-down operating system and will have only one gigabyte of storage. Users will be able to plug it into a wall outlet or charge it by a crank-driven battery, and it will connect to the Internet via a wireless card. To be sure, these laptops are not going to be playing Quake 4 anytime soon, but they could give disadvantaged kids a shot at taking part in the digital community. MIT hopes to have a working prototype by November 2005 and production units shipping to government education ministries by the end of 2006.
$200 Barrel Of Oil
It's not an invention, but it will have a dramatic effect on the way everyone lives. Although the predictions range from terrifying to calming, all experts agree that a dramatic rise in the cost of fossil fuel would have a devastating impact not only on the global economy but on global society as well.
VoIP
Voice-over-Internet Protocol lets people make telephone calls over the Internet or any other IP-based network. Because the voice data flows over a general-purpose packet-switched network, instead of dedicated, circuit-switched voice transmission lines, the cost of making telephone calls for both business and residential users is much less than with traditional telcos. The reason it is so cheap is that the high-speed Internet providers essentially bundle VoIP free with Internet access. Another advantage is that it is mobile: All one needs is an Internet connection to make a phone call from anywhere. But there are a few drawbacks--although these are being smoothed over--such as quality and reliability.
WiMAX
WiMAX stands for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, which is a long-range, standard-based wireless technology that will effectively allow people to access their phones, computers and the Internet from virtually anywhere. No more need to wait for the cable or phone company to install the "last mile" of pipe to your home. The IEEE 802.16 broadband wireless access standard provides up to 31 miles of linear service area range and allows for connectivity between users without a direct line of sight. This is significant for several reasons: First, it will increase the ease and frequency with which people make wireless connections for work or leisure; second, it will have enormous potential applications in underdeveloped countries--as well as rural areas of the First World--which lack adequate communications infrastructure; and third, no more messy wires. - punchingjudy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Javascript. Lame. I don't understand the people that decide to release information so inefficiently.
- Meshyf, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I hate this timed delay crap. The stop button on the slides doesn't work right and when it changes the whole page refreshs, thats so stupid. Crappy site layout just to show a couple extra advertisments is stupid.
- klang, on 10/12/2007, -0/+31 thing more:
religion.
12 satirical drawings of the Islam prophetMuhammed has already caused several deaths..
According to the Koran, it is illegal to depict the prophet. It is also legal to kill the disbelievers. - Xiol, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2What the hell is wrong with that site? 3 seconds is not long enough to read those pages before they change and the stop button doesn't work.
Seemingly incompatible with Firefox, and an annoying way of presenting information - No digg. - jzp-digg, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2lame & old list. i2 is NOT the future - single-threaded and running at speeds less than all the major providers today. i2 is and has been a testbed for *applications* and in that respect has helped punch holes in all the QoS babbling garbage. others have already slammed additional holes in this. VOIP will not stay cheap & the vendors sure don't want it on a truly converged network. lifestraw is the only interesting item on the list.
dopey site, no digg. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Horrible page, and not exactly groundbreaking - it doesn't say anything that's not been said before!
- snarkey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I can't wait to sip gene therapy drugs through a LifeStraw while I read about $200 oil on my fuel cell powered, MRAM-equiped $100 laptop while making VoIP calls on Internet2 over WiMax!!!1!!11!
Teh.Worst.Top.10.Evar.
no digg. dang old Javascript lamerz. - CoconutBoy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Here, http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/16/cx_cd_0217featslide_print.html
It's "less" retarded... - thirdtenor, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2oh yeah and no digg
- Reap, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Looks like its old too- the 100$ laptop is on the list and "MIT hopes to have a working prototype by November 2005 and production units shipping to government education ministries by the end of 2006."
yeaaaaahhhhh - nemilar, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Wow. This slide time-delay whatever the heck is perhaps the dumbest web design I have EVER seen in my life. Someone really needs to be fired over this.
- n3xu5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1worst "future" site ever.
- Dhalgren, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It's Forbes, what do you expect? That's like asking a guy to tell you what the next advance from Martha Stewart is going to be...
This list's title should be: "10 Things We Want You To Invest In" - rm999, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Disagree with the 100 dollar laptop - it's just a repackaged PDA - if PDAs don't have a market why would those?
- ivanjohn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Crappy websites that changed my life. #1 - this one. No diggie.
- Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -0/+110 Things that will Bork Your World:
1) Democracy finally dies
2) Massive inflation, rioting, brother pitted against brother
3) Meteor destroys all life on earth
4) Jesus finally returns, and boy is he pissed
5) A pandemic plague that actually kills a lot of people
6) Osama's weather control satellite comes online
7) Duke Nukem Forever released on Phantom console
8) Immortality achievable, but your insurance won't cover the treatment
9) You finally meet a woman who can overlook your hygiene and personality deficiencies
10) Graham Chapman resurrected, Monty Python reforms, they're better than ever
10 Things that Don't Make Any Difference To Anyone:
1-10) The things mentioned in the crappy article - clabbergrrl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0'didn't anyone see the "thisSpeed" parameter in the URL? you can change it to change the speed of the slideshow (obviously!)'
But when you hit the next page it changes back. - killerCoder, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0didn't anyone see the "thisSpeed" parameter in the URL? you can change it to change the speed of the slideshow (obviously!)
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0LOL.. the reality is that the cost per oil barrel will hit astronomical prices soon, so we'll not have the chance to enjoy any of those other goodies.
- vundril, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I Digg the comments. I wonder if Forbes wonders about their future after reading these zingers from some of the more thoughtfull ...er ,at least literate, people on the planet?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0$200 per barrel of oil would be a good thing.....
- chongy5, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The javascript is just crap. NO DIGG.
- jedi0utkast, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@jkfan87: "Sad to say it, but hte lfie straw will end up making life worse for the people in those countries. With more people surviving longer, the famine will increase dramatically."
That is probably the dumbest, most ignorant comment I have ever read on Digg. - lasvegas, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Why would they only show one paragraph per page??? Seeing the same land rover ad 10 extra times is not gonna make me buy it!
- phir0002, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0LifeStraw! WTF?!?!
- bobb243, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0wow, i dunno about you guys, but i can't read a big paragraph in 3 seconds... i click stop, read it, click next, and then it goes to the next ON ITS OWN! UGH!
horrible site, good read. - jo42, on 10/12/2007, -0/+011) Web pages with more content than advertising.
- karthikraman, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0http://www.forbes.com/2006/02/16/cx_cd_0217featslide_print.html is a more readable version of this story!!
- punchingjudy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The people that digg this story: DO YOU EVEN LOOK AT THE PAGE BEFORE YOU CLICK 'DIGG'??
- compressedaudio, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0i like the slide show. saved me from clicking.
- rasko, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0nah diggety
- souc0011, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Pretty much the most pathetic display of 1. Web design and usage, and 2. Choosing the top 10 things that will change the way we live. VOIP, gimme a break. Oil, tell us something we don't already know. Personally I think that anyone that has taken the time to watch this has just gotten stupider.
- Rossye, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I heard once internet two is built with tolls to charge per kb., they are going to dismantle this net.
- JasonPrini, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Page could be from 1994.... what? no blinking text?
That's some geezer web design at Forbes. - iammike, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0no digg, because of the annoying javascript that gives you no time to read the thing. The stop button doesn't work for me. Plus ... 100 dollar laptop isn't going to change the world..
- rishdeep, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Great info. Freaking annoying time-based page change.
- shigata, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0for those of you who are interested in the life straw... it has been covered at WorldChanging in the past.
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/003388.html - floorman56, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0If the U.S. is running cars off of fuel cells why will oil go to $200 a barrel? There will be not much of a market.
- starf1re, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0why is it that nearly every comment on this article says it's lame, yet it hasn't been flagged off as such? use the flags, please!
- clabbergrrl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"That's like asking a guy to tell you what the next advance from Martha Stewart is going to be..."
Yeah and it looks like Martha Stewart decided to try her hand at JavaScript and interface design. "This programming thing, it can't be that hard.."
If I click "stop", then I click "next", why do I have to click "stop" again? I thought computers were supposed to make things easier, not harder. - zoop, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0no digg - haptics isn't changing anything it's been around for decades. The $100 computer is about to be trumped before it is released - you really think that the Intel monopoly and the Microsoft monopoly will let that happen? not. WiMax is not going anywhere at the moment. VOIP is terribly flawed technology based on ancient technology and reliant on an uncontrollable force...bandwidth. $200 oil will happen very soon due to simply to the fact that it is a limited resource and demand is already outpacing it's availability. I think that $50/gal water will happen in our lifetime before $200 oil.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Is this some sort of experiment to see how much someone will go through to read a story? Geez. ONE PARAGRAPH PER PAGE. If that isn't bad enough, it advances at a rate far quicker than a fast reader would keep up with. What a *****!
- uacheesehead, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0content: interesting. presentation: crap.
i'll digg for the content, but yeesh.. - Spaztic, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The slideshow is completely lame....no digg
- asg6, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Crappy crappy site, def NO digg.
- clabbergrrl, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0"Is this some sort of experiment to see how much someone will go through to read a story?"
It's a sleazy method of getting more ads served. Three ads per item, plus it sends you to the next page prematurely and then you have to click back. Viola, 6 extra ads served. Plus by the time you figure out you have to click "stop" on every page, they've conned you into viewing several more ads. - pjtip, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0In the future, people will be able to read much faster. Apparently.
- DarthTurducken, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Happy Fun Straw?
- nextyoyoma, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Enough about the page layout. It's fubar. 'nuff said.
While most of the stuff on there is definitely not "life-changing," I would venture to say that wi-max and VoIP will actually have significant impact.
"Any wireless standard you mention today is bound to be a little known memory in 50 years. VoIP? That's nothing, a trend that's bound to change. Communication technologies have been constantly changing for decades, closed loop, copper wire, wireless, etc."
While this is mostly true (expect that VoIP is "about to change"), this does not make it insignificant. This new wireless standard may soon become obsolete, but it is still the first large-scale wireless "network" (in the traditional technological sense of the word), and therefore fosters growth in that area. Therefore, while WiMax may not be a long-lasting standard, the idea of widespread wireless internet at minimal cost WILL be.
It seems to follow, then, that the most significant application of a contiguous wireless network would be not the ability to browse the web, but to communicate in other ways. If you can be connected to anyone at anytime through only ONE connection, it is much more advantageous than dealing with, say 3 different ones (wi-max for internet, cell phone, and land-line phone). For this reason, I predict (and I'm no tech analyst) that Wi-max and VoIP will actually have an impact. BUT I agree that this article is nothing new, and in fact "showcases" many technologies that are either insignificant or obsolete. -
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