Looking Backward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We kick off our list with a book released in 1887 by author Edward Bellamy. In his utopian science fiction novel \u201cLooking Backward\u201d, <\/em>Bellamy speaks of a future where cash as a form of currency for consumer purchases will no longer be necessary. The characters in his book instead use credit cards<\/em> to buy goods. An extraordinary vision that would end up being true. Incredibly, it was written more than sixty years before the first credit cards were ever mass-produced, and twenty years before the invention of plastic!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, the majority of consumer purchases are made using debit or credit cards, and although the cards in Bellamy\u2019s book functioned more like debit cards, the concept of credit card starting with Bellamy\u2019s idea revolutionized the free market. The buck doesn\u2019t stop there. Even the best online casinos use credit cards as a form of payment on their encrypted sites to ensure that players get the most reliable gaming experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fans of Stanley Kubrick\u2019s science fiction masterpiece \u201c2001: A Space Odyssey\u201d are sure to remember the film\u2019s main villain, HAL 9000 \u2013 a self-aware computer that decides to take matters into its own \u201chands\u201d, and *spoiler alert* ultimately kills one of the film\u2019s main characters. Although Kubrick\u2019s depiction of artificial intelligence in the film is a tad morose, it has become a pop culture landmark, warning us of the potential dangers of playing God with technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What makes the film even more intriguing is that fact that many of the human characters in the film use versions of electronic devices that we might recognize today. From iPads to space stations, voice and gesture technology to automatic doors. The film depicts these well before ever being used in real life. Even the film\u2019s antagonist, the super-computer, HAL 9000, has become \u201creal\u201d to an extent. Today\u2019s voice controlled applications like Siri<\/em> or devices like Alexa<\/em> have revolutionized the way in which we interact with technology; bring forms of A.I. to the mainstream. We can only hope that Kubrick\u2019s ultimate interpretation remains a matter of fiction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who could have guessed that a Hanna-Barbera cartoon from the 1960s about a future American family would go on to predict much of the technology that we see today? Sad to say, we don\u2019t have flying cars yet, but one thing that the popular animated show \u201cThe Jetsons\u201d predicted was the use of robotics simplifying our lives today. The cartoon\u2019s talking robot-maid Rosie<\/em> performs everything from household chores to dog walking and kid sitting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These days, home robots are becoming a staple in the household. Although these devices might not be as advanced as Rosie<\/em>, you can purchase anything from Roomba vacuum cleaners to Google self-driving cars. These robotics are designed to reduce manual labor, and simplify our lives. We rely on robots for manufacturing, and many aspects of industry and labor. On top of this, robot technology is consistently evolving. It\u2019s only a matter of time before we see anthropomorphic versions of our metallic friends, and eventually we might not even know the difference between human and humanoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back in 1984, director James Cameron created a film about a dystopian future where robots wage war against humanity. This might seem too bleak for some, but hardcore sci-fi enthusiasts will argue that Cameron\u2019s film \u201cTerminator\u201d is a true cinematic masterstroke. The film not only helped launch Arnold Schwarzenegger from Austrian bodybuilder to silver screen star, but it\u2019s incredible visuals and cautionary tale of the potential evils of robot technology might prove to be an accurate prediction of real life in the foreseeable future. Let\u2019s hope that\u2019s not the case however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In \u201cTerminator\u201d, a company known as Skynet develops new technology in the form of a computer chip that makes robots self-aware, giving them the ability to wipe out the human race. In reality, today the world\u2019s military powers utilize drone technology and hyper-intelligent computer software to engage in non-human warfare. Companies such as Boston Dynamics are currently developing human-like robotics that could have real-world implications in future warfare. These incredible pieces of machinery can perform everything from carrying weight hundreds of times greater than any soldier could to performing feats as remarkable as running at incredible speeds and performing backflips. Let\u2019s just hope that we won\u2019t have to pull the plug or give Arnie a call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n George Orwell\u2019s hair-raising novel from 1949, \u201c1984\u201d, describes a dystopian world where \u201cBig Brother\u201d watches your every move. His landmark novel is a stark dissection of the modern age. Surveillance permeates every facet of our lives, our daily routines, and interactions. Even language and the act of thought itself is not safe from political or ideological intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In today\u2019s political climate, we are not far from some mutation of Orwell\u2019s harrowing \u201cvision\u201d. It is a well-known fact that video cameras and recording technology are found in almost every corner of today\u2019s big cities, even in our pockets. Cameras monitor our every movement when we enter shopping malls, banks, post-offices, visit ATM machines, drive on busy streets and highways. Casinos utilize surveillance technology to prevent cheaters and theft.<\/a> Even our cellphones and laptops come stock with built-in video devices and voice recording software. But who is watching? For one, hackers can if they have the right tools. One need look no further than the case of infamous government whistleblower, Edward Snowden. It begs the question: is all of this recording technology making us safer, or more vulnerable to cyberattack?<\/p>\n\n\n\n First started in the 1960s, this hit television series has gone on to become a media franchise and global sensation. Star Trek has sparked everything from films, comic books, spin-off series, toys and \u201cTrekkie\u201d conventions and lunchboxes. \u201cStar Trek\u201d fans are all too familiar with the band of space explorers that the show focuses on. Their efforts to better understand and connect with the beings of the other planets and galaxies of the universe are at the focal point. The show\u2019s creators needed quite the imagination to make the \u201cfuturistic space show\u201d believable. Ultimately, they managed to do a lot more than that!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Star Trek predicted many of today\u2019s (and perhaps tomorrow\u2019s) gadgets. Handheld mobile devices, communicators, 3D printers, lasers, flat screen TVs, Bluetooth headsets and voice-activated computers are just some of the gizmos seen in the show. These forms of new technology are widely used in today\u2019s world. Star Trek is simply science fiction turned fact at its finest. It\u2019s only a matter of time before we start shooting through the galaxy at warp-speed and tell our friends to beam us up! Live long and prosper, fellow Trekkies!<\/p>\n\n\n\n This 1995 film starring Sandra Bullock as a cyber-hacker depicts online identity theft before it was even really a thing. More importantly, it managed to foresee the overwhelming significance of the internet and permeation into aspects of today\u2019s culture. Little did we know at the time of the true impact the internet would have ultimately have. Although the film does not exactly stand out as a good <\/em>movie, there is one seemingly banal scene<\/a> at its beginning. Bullock orders a pizza online for home delivery – choosing its style, toppings and size. In hindsight, this is remarkable, because although today it doesn\u2019t seem like anything out of the ordinary, back in 1995 it was unheard of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today\u2019s major companies and small businesses rely on the internet to promote their business, and sell and market their products. Revenue for these companies have soared all thanks to the reliability of online shopping and e-commerce. Companies from Pizza Hut to Amazon allow customers to make online purchases from the comfort of their homes or on their mobile devices. Online purchase power has never been more potent. Despite failing to see mainstream success, the film has become something of a cult classic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This nineties feature film “The Cable Guy” from 1996 stars Jim Carrey. Although it might not exactly be on the level of \u201cCitizen Kane\u201d or \u201cThe Godfather\u201d, \u201cThe Cable Guy\u201d has quite the Easter egg in it. Despite being released over 20 years ago, the film managed to predict the popularity of online gaming and the overall importance of the internet. Its titular character, played by Carrey, is an eccentric, egotistical cable installer and repair-guy who, in a pivotal scene rants about the importance of new technology in the future. In it, he boasts confidently:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The future is now! Ha-ha-ha! Soon, every American home will integrate their television, phone and computer! You\u2019ll be able to visit the Louvre on one channel or watch female mud wrestling on another. You can do your shopping at home, or play Mortal Kombat with a friend in Vietnam.<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who could have guessed that an oddball character from a 90s comedy would predict the future! In reality, the boom of the online casino industry, cyber gaming, and the virtual market is here. Today\u2019s experts state that online-oriented businesses and gaming operators, including online casino gambling, will have a combined revenue worth hundreds of billions<\/em> of dollars! And this is just the beginning. Online casino games and esports<\/a> are coming out of their infancy. Now they are rapidly developing exciting, new technology to connect gamers to their services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2001: A Space Odyssey<\/h2>\n\n\n
![\"2001-A-Space-Odyssey\"](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/2001-A-Space-Odyssey.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Jetsons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Terminator<\/h2>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n1984<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Star Trek franchise<\/h2>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Net<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Cable Guy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Back to the Future II<\/h2>\n\n\n