Some gadgets of the future have arrived
Vishnu K. Mahmud, Contributor, Jakarta
It is hard to believe that we have just entered the year 2002. It is even harder to imagine that all the predictions humans made decades ago have still not yet materialized. Where are the flying cars, talking dishwashers and robots that are supposed to help us?
What happened to the instant communication tools ("Scotty, come in Scotty!"), transportation equipment ("Beam me up") and personal protection devices ("Raise shields!")? Everyone back in the 1950s believed that by the year 2000 we would have colonies on the moon, cities in space and lots of gizmos to make life easier.
Well, it's not really here yet.
But the new millennium has provided us with a whole new set of toys for mankind to use. And perhaps you can even use some of these Star Trek-ian devices, which are now available in Indonesia.
Apart from their sexy looks, Flat LCD monitors save a lot of space and energy (some use up to 35 percent less power than a regular cathode ray tube monitor). Prices for LCDs have been dropping like flies and the stores in Mangga Dua, Ratu Plaza and the new Electronic City stock a variety of those monitors and television sets. Prices now range from US$300 to $2000.
Although some may complain of the picture quality while playing movies and games, the next generation of Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) monitors, which will provide even better quality and consume even less power are just around the corner. If you really want to have a flat screen LCD now, shop around but remember to always ask to see a combination of text, video and games on screen before buying. Hang them on the wall or display them in your living room, these LCD screens will be the crowning glory to any room.
Communication and portability are now key factors in this era of high mobility. Contacting loved ones is possible with the telephone but for a viable low cost solution, accessing the Internet anywhere at any time may be vital. With the introduction of a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) to the Indonesian market by Indosat's M3 cellular provider (otherwise known as IM3), accessing the web from your mobile phone or personal digital assistant (PDA) is now possible.
The latest Ericsson mobile phones (such as the T-39) are just a few of the portable phone units that have GPRS capabilities. You can connect it to your PDA (both Palm and Pocket PC-based) with either a cable or an infrared port. The new kid on the block, IM3, has prompted other cellular providers to upgrade their services and bandwidth to accommodate internet services. Expect to change your handphone should you wish to use the new services.
Interestingly enough, since mobile phones are getting smaller and smaller each year, the next generation "comm badges" (voice communicators fixed to your clothing, very small but extremely efficient) may be available sooner then we think.
Nowadays, driving to and from work may be tiresome with non- stop traffic jams. What would be better then to relax in the back seat, a cold drink in hand watching an in-car movie? Something that was once considered expensive is now relatively affordable.
You can now put in a VCD (or even DVD!) rack in the trunk of your car like others install a CD changer. Passengers (not the drivers of course!) can view movies in ceiling-mounted LCD screens (it can also be installed in the back of the front seat headrests as they do in airplanes). So, instead of a stressful ride to Bandung, tell the driver to take his time and watch Gone with the Wind a few times.
Most upscale car accessory shops can provide installation services or you can see them in the frequent audio/video exhibitions. You can also check it out online at www.indocaraudio.com.
Before, Indonesia only had one TV station, state-owned TVRI. Now, not only do we have a dearth of television channels, but also cable TV companies offering foreign television programming. Kabelvision, Indovision and the new Telkomvision offer the latest news and entertainment channels so you can always be up-to-date and be able to see the different points of view from across the world. These companies offer their programming via cable, satellite or both. There is even word that Indosat will also join the cable TV fray, meaning more options at a smaller cost for the consumer. And almost all of them provide internet access.
These gadgets are just a few things that came out of necessity. They weren't exactly prophesied (like the moving sidewalks in the Jetsons) but their presence does help us communicate and relax. We may not have got that nuclear powered flying car yet but there are a lot of inventions now that we take for granted. And, some of them may actually be useful!