Snippet: The Executive Computer ☇

Speaking of going back to the ’90s, Peter Lewis predicts the future from 1992 for The New York Times (via Apple Spotlight):

Sometime around the middle of this decade no one is sure exactly when—executives on the go will begin carrying pocket-sized digital communicating devices. And although nobody is exactly sure what features these personal information gizmos will have, what they will cost, what they will look like or what they will be called, hundreds of computer industry officials and investors at the Mobile ’92 conference here last week agreed that the devices could become the foundation of the next great fortunes to be made in the personal computer business…

…These devices are expected to combine the best features of personal computers, facsimile machines, computer networks, pagers, personal secretaries, appointment books, address books and even paperback books and pocket CD players—all in a hand-held box operated by pen, or even voice commands…

…William J. Warwick, president of A.T.& T. Microelectronics, showed how he currently uses some of the technology that will be incorporated in tomorrow’s personal digital assistants, and it was not a pretty sight. He started by emptying his overstuffed briefcase: a portable computer (with a fax modem), a backup battery, a battery charger, cellular telephone, a backup battery for the phone, another battery charger, some wires for connecting the modem to a telephone outlet, an external floppy disk drive, a digital pager, an AC power adapter, some power cords and the usual paper notebooks.

There are lots of great quotes and some things that are a reality today that seem far-fetched in 1992. Where are the “crazy” predictions like this for 20 years from now?