a multi-sensorial bed at the Yucatan Interspecies Research foundation that allowed users to interact with dolphins visually and mentally (what was the fascination with dolphins, 1993?)
(above) the Xerox PARC Liveboard, a $50,000 device that allowed simultaneous videoconferencing, white board writing, interactive interface overlay and control from a pen – all in a gargantuan slab case – notable because I was looking at a $19.90 piece of software recently that does all of this and more
the Apple Multimedia Orientation Kit, some sort of membership that provided access to professional support for media creation (it’s probably safe to say that multimedia in 1993 = multitouch in 2011, at least in spirit)
Thunder 7, an OS-wide Mac spellchecker that instantly changed all typos while still inputting text – like Lion’s iOS-inspired implementation
article on the exploding economy of homemade BBS businesses
a letter to the editor from Eric Kettunen (posted on America Online) discussing how wired his family home is with a 486 PC, a Mac, two phone lines and a 9600 baud modem
an ad for Dysan brand floppy diskettes – 5.25″ and 3.5″
a Tired/Wired inset featuring Schwarzenegger/Mystery Science Theater 3000 (still accurate)
the launch of a proliferation of cable channels including “Television Food Network”
interview with James Parry, who seems to have been a precursor to the likes of 4chan while operating his Kibo personality (which is still going strong)
I recently had the happy surprise of stumbling upon a September/October 1993 (pictured, too, in the Wikipedia entry) issue of Wired magazine – with William Gibson on the cover, no less.
Since I owe a very large part of who I am to reading this publication religiously from an evening in detention in 2000 until today, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at what was going on during the innaugural year of Wired. It could be said that little is accomplished in the world of technology by way of nostalgia, but I think that there is something to be gained from a bit of reflection just the same as in the art writing.
Besides, there will be lots to laugh at as we trek through technology from 18 years ago.
So, after only the first few pages (it’s late), what have I uncovered?
“I can record on a disc!” MiniDisc ad from Sony
classified style ad for Microsoft looking for a Visual Interface Designer and listing an actual postal address complete with Attn: instructions for submitting a résumé
“I want to discuss another dinosaur, one that may be on the road to extinction. I am referring to the American media…” (Not bad, not bad.)
Global Village fax/modem two page spread
If the next 101 pages keep up the pace set by the first 19, we are in for some real treats.
As much as I hate to imagine children touching the windows of my car, this concept from Toyota called “Window to the World” is pretty darned cool. Really reminds me of the recent-ish Corning future of glass video. The YouTube commenter on that one earns another point in my book with his suggestion of buying stock in Windex.
I kind of want all of these scientific field notes as prints for my walls. I’ve always loved the style and the way they are art that truly serves a purpose, even if just a personal one (mainly conveying information from site to office). I’ve also thought about getting a tattoo of a cryptid on several occasions and this is the exact aesthetic I’d want it to employ. This book on the topic (with lots of illustrations) may have just moved to the top of my coffee table list.
Not only is Audi not bringing us the newest A3 until model year 2013, they are now on the fence about whether to bring the Q3 (a 2012 in Europe) to the US until even later. This dithering has already swayed me to the Volvo camp for the next lease (test driving this Thursday to be sure) but now they are letting US auto journalists like Autoblogdrive the forbidden Q3?!
Audi, you are a cruel temptress. (And I think you know that.)
