In his 1995 novel set in 2055, the great sci-fi writer described the standard accessory of the mid-21st century: the notepad.*
Features:
• Voice controlled, it provides information the same way — by voice — along with a hi-res 3D color screen to illustrate things as needed.
• Built into the notepad are Sisyphus, a knowledge mining program; Witness, which lets an individual's eyes and ears channel their real-time inputs into an essentially infinite memory as a record; and Hermes, communications software which serves as a control point for information in and out.
• All input is automatically uploaded via satellite so that nothing is ever lost; losing one's notepad is thus no big deal, as you can go into any dealer (they're everywhere), buy a new one, and in a few seconds download your life via satellite, ready to go on from where you were.
I think I'm gonna read it again, just thinking about this.
I hate rage-quitting books, and a Did Not Finish feels like a failure. But Diaspora was one I was REALLY tempted to quit halfway through. It was described as a semi-Seveneves — if I liked Stephenson, I'd like Egan. Curious if I read any of his others if I'd feel the same. DAMMIT JOE DON'T MAKE ME GO DOWN PATHS I DON'T NEED TO GO!!!
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