What will it be like 50 years from now?
This is not a stupid question.
I came to America exactly 50 years ago — in the fall of 1967.
We had
+ No cell phones
+ No personal computers
+ No Internet
+ No Wi-Fi
+ No GPS
+ No DNA
+ No digital photos (all film)
+ No digital music (all records)
+ No solar cells
+ No Bluetooth
+ No drones
+ No LED lights or LED flat TVs
+ No artificial intelligence
+ No Google
+ No Amazon
+ No Apple
+ No Facebook
+ No Tesla
+ No Kindles
+ No YouTube
+ No Netflix
+ No Microsoft
+ No eBay
+ No PayPal
+ No Square
+ No Siri. No Alexa. No Google Assistant.
Friends had polio.
I would have to wait 23 years for Taylor Swift to be born.
And 47 years for her stunning video Shake It Off.
Now my new Apple Watch has GPS and is a phone and plays movies and videos, like Shake it Off.
My car has artificial intelligence (AI) safety features. My next car will drive itself.
Because it affects our lives so quickly, technology makes the best investment returns.
I suspect two technologies will have the biggest immediate impact:
+ Personal video allows distant people to work together. Today workers leave their Skype on all day, making it feel as though they’re working close together, though they’re not. Personal video will do to commercial office buildings what Amazon is doing to bricks and mortar retail.
+ Artificial intelligence lets Google know what I’m shopping for and lets it keep alerting me. AI will only get better. It will let Nike know what shoes I like and make them perfectly for me.
Over 95% of the stocks and ETFs I own today didn’t exist 25 years ago.
I bet that’s the case ten years from now.
For now I’m searching for the next Square. And here’s why:
Your help, as readers, would be appreciated.
I’m not impressed with Walmart
Its search engine is abysmal. Its product assortment even worse.
Over the weekend, I searched for many items from tennis balls to AC thermostats, from MR-16 light bulbs to AA batteries. Walmart has no buying advice, no user reviews and its prices are much higher than Amazon.
Yuch, or Yuck, depending on your semantic preferences.
Today is CyberMonday
The best deals are Open Box TVs at Best Buy.
The most worthwhile deals are the iPhone 8 plus and the Apple Watch Series 3.
Design Within Reach is having a 15% off and free shipping on Herman Miller stuff. My favorites:
At the seniors’ home
On her first day at the senior complex, the new manager addressed all the seniors pointing out some of her rules:
“The female sleeping quarters will be out-of-bounds for all males, and the male dormitory to the females. Anybody caught breaking this rule will be fined $20 the first time.”
She continued, “Anybody caught breaking this rule the second time will be fined $60. Being caught a third time will cost you a fine of $180. Are there any questions?”
At this point, an older gentleman stood up and asked: “How much for a season pass?”
Harry Newton, who had a wonderful exhausting week with two grandchildren last week. Sadly, one of them, Peter, the youngest at just under two, had a rip-roaring cold which he generously gave me. And then I got bitten by a wasp. Our favorite book is, predictably:
Harry,
Retired Telco. Read your publications and thanks for your continued writings.
Universal Display Corp (OLED) has done very well for me this year. 232% Year to Date. Selling and taking my profit shortly. I invested $500K a year ago. I consider it my ‘Square’! Thank you again.
Next time you find one, please let us know.
Actually, we did have satellites in 1967
You’re right. I was thinking of the widespread use of communications satellites..