What those writers missed, though, were commercial technology advances. Heck, we all know how computing power has exploded in the last 20 years and how cheap it's become. While the HAL 9000 may not exist (and you can't believe how glad I am that a computer known mostly for, "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that," is only fiction), computing technology vastly more powerful is in widespread use. HAL is interesting chiefly because it was so wrong-headed. Here was a computer supposedly capable of independent thought (and betrayal), yet it was used primarily for navigation and life support, something, literally, a Palm III could do.

In the real world, technology acceptance has moved forward where there was a compelling value proposition. Being able to communicate better, cheaper, and faster is a compelling value proposition for the Internet. Being able to easily carry information around is a compelling value proposition for Palm devices. Being able to play incredibly fast, realistic games is a compelling value proposition for the newest video cards, and being able to see high-quality movies as well as get a ton of fascinating background information is a compelling value proposition for DVD players.

But there's not much of a compelling value proposition for Pan Am space planes. In fact, there apparently wasn't much of a value proposition for Pan Am, that pioneering company now vanished into the annals of history.

While it seems somewhat strange to actually be living in the year 2001, we know that our reality is far different from that predicted by the movie of the same name.

Speaking of predictions, what does the real 2001 have in store for us? Here's where I attempt to go out on a limb with predictions for the next twelve months. I, of course, make no guarantees. In fact, I will disavow any knowledge of my actions for any incorrect predictions. I will, further, claim vision, brilliance, and become incredibly insufferable for any predictions I get right.

Palm reading
To the relief, I'm sure, of the bulk of our readership, I'm going to limit myself to ten predictions for the Palm economy. They are the following:

1. Form factor
So far, the Palm device has resisted any pressure to change form factor. Form factor is a term used to describe the basic size and shape of an object. While the Palm device did get somewhat smaller with the introduction of the Palm V and the Palm m100, and slightly larger with the Palm VII, it's basically the same shirt-pocket sized device envisioned by Jeff Hawkins way back when. While most new devices are sure to fit the same general form factor (and, especially, the 160 by 160 pixel screen), I predict there will be at least one radical departure from this form factor in 2001. I predict we'll see a manufacturer (and it'll probably be a Palm licensee, rather than Palm, Inc.) introduce a much smaller device (like a watch-sized item) or a much larger one (perhaps even something more tablet in nature). Alternatively, we can expect a device of just a completely new, unexpected shape (and yes, I am covering all bases with this prediction).