Dead End Technology

It’s not often that hard to predict what will be the next big thing. Thanks to the internet, if you keep your ear to the ground, you’ll get a heads up of what’s around the corner. All you have to do is ask “how will that idea/concept impact my daily life?” and you’ll be able to work out if it has a future or not.

Google bought Boston Dynamics a little while back. Their robotic technology has clear applications, both industrial and domestic (though they’ll want to make that stuff look a little less underwear-soilingly scary for the latter), so this is a good corporate move.

It’s been all over the news that Facebook has “pulled a Google” and purchased Oculus Rift, which, in contrast to the Boston Dynamics acquisition, has me scratching my head. We knew 20 years ago that this was dead end tech. The practical applications of wearing a bucket on your head are extremely limited. It’s right up there with motion control. If it weren’t, we’d all have VR pods in our home by now.
Personal HUDs like Google Glass and other "augmented reality" kit will take off in the next 5 years. Oculus Rift will go the way of the dodo as soon as the hype dies down and people realise (once again) that leaving the screen on your desk is much more comfortable than trying to bolt it to your face.


1990s Virtual Reality. Pointless and made you look like a dick.


The Oculus Rift: Virtual Reality of 2014......no change, really.