“Dialing” itself, in fact, is likely to be a vastly different experience when such services arrive in the next century. Rather than pecking at numbers on a telephone keypad, it is likely that a telephone caller will simply use a remote control to point at an icon on the television screen. The call might be audio only, or it could include full-motion video, if the two – or more – parties agree.
Predictor: Markoff, John
Prediction, in context:In a 1993 article for the New York Times, technology columnist John Markoff reports on the proposed merger of phone company Bell Atlantic and Tele-Communications Inc., a major cable corporation. Markoff writes: ”‘Dialing’ itself, in fact, is likely to be a vastly different experience when such services arrive in the next century. Rather than pecking at numbers on a telephone keypad, it is likely that a telephone caller will simply use a remote control to point at an icon on the television screen. The call might be audio only, or it could include full-motion video, if the two – or more – parties agree.”
Biography:John Markoff wrote or co-wrote “The High Cost of High Tech,” “Cyber Punk: Outlaws and Hackers on the Computer Frontier” and “Takedown: The Pursuit and Capture of America’s Most Wanted Computer Outlaw.” He also covered the computer industry and technology for the New York Times. (Author/Editor/Journalist.)
Date of prediction: January 1, 1993
Topic of prediction: Communication
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: New York Times
Title, headline, chapter name: A Merger of Giants: The Vision; A Phone-Cable Vehicle for the Data Superhighway
Quote Type: Partial quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Section D; Page 1; Column 3: Financial Desk
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney