When compared with the disbelief-suspension of the world of cinema, real life can seem pretty mundane and boring. This is why we get excited and marvel at the whizzy, high-tech gadgets and tools that we see in our favourite movies. However, many of the gadgets and future-tech we see in older movies are becoming a reality and in this list, we are going to run down five of the most awesome futuristic gadgets from movies that became reality.

HAL 9000 – 2001: A Space Odyssey

Although there are no semi-sentient robotic AI’s going rogue and killing off a bunch of astronauts in the real world, there is an undeniable similarity with software such as Siri and Alexa (marketed by Apple and Amazon respectively) which features a human-like interface in which you can give verbal instructions and ask questions. This, if you also take into consideration the big developments in the world of artificial intelligence, is frightening and we should be afraid, very afraid. Hal 9000 is the creepy AI that creates chaos aboard the ship in 2001: A Space Odyssey. At least Siri doesn’t tell us that it can’t let us do things… yet.

Face Recognition Scanners – Minority Report

At the unveiling of Apple’s new iPhone X in September, they unveiled a new feature which had some people recognising scary resemblances to the Tom Cruise film ‘Minority Report’. The new feature will allow users to unlock their phone with just their face – a feature which has been tested with other phones before but has never really become the mainstream. In Minority Report, users’ faces are scanned and they are given personal advertising depending on the person. Unlocking phones seems to be just the start for the possibilities of facial recognition as Minority Report and other dystopian films are rapidly becoming more reality than fiction.

Computer-Assisted Eyewear/Headwear – Robocop

Robocop (the original) is a kick-ass movie about a super-cool and nearly-fatally wounded cop who takes up the role as a half-man, half-robot policeman in near-apocalyptic Detroit. Part of Robocop’s signature look is his headgear, which features a visor designed to feed information to him. Does this sound similar? Because it should. It bares a striking resemblance to the wearable ‘Google Glass’ eyewear released by Google back in 2013. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, Google Glass flopped completely and it is unlikely that we will be seeing robotic, visor-wearing policeman anytime soon, despite the fact the technology exists.

Driverless Cars – Total Recall

The original Total Recall features a scene in which Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character takes a ride in a driverless car – complete with creepy-looking robot driver. The technology behind driverless cars is rapidly developing and within a few years it is expected that quite a few of these high-tech vehicles will be roaming the roads. However, they will not feature creepy android drivers and is arguably a brilliant invention, helping to keep roads safer and make life easier.

Video Calling – 2001: A Space Odyssey / Back to the Future: Part II

Finally, video calling features in both 2001: A Space Odyssey and Back to the Future: Part II, amongst a number of other utopian/dystopian films. Although videotelephony had been a much discussed subject since the late 1870s, it took over a century before the concept was phased out for the general public. Both films predicted the rise of video calling and conferencing, with Back to the Future predicting that one day we will be able to see friends, family and colleagues, all from the comfort of our own home.

Honourable Mention – Hoverboards – Back to the Future: Part II

Hoverboards really are the ‘one that got away’. Companies have been working hard to develop a real life hoverboard, yet even with various attempts, they are very far away from the required technology needed to make the concept a reality. This is one for the far future yet I’m sure that once they are released, my grandchildren, or great-great grandchildren, will have infinite amounts of fun with them.

Guest Author

Katie Porter is an aspiring writer, movie lover, and part of the team at Seatup. In her free time, she enjoys exploring her home state Colorado and plays in women’s amateur rugby league.

The post 5 Pieces of Futuristic Tech From Old Movies That Became Reality appeared first on BadFive.

Disney announced that the company will be pulling its movies from Netflix in favor of its own streaming service. They are planning on launching their streaming platform in 2019. Disney’s streaming services will be available only for US consumers before expanding globally some time in the future.

Netflix will seriously be affected by this move but it won’t lose its Disney movies right away. It will be able to stream Disney movies until the end of 2019. This means that you will be able to watch upcoming movies like the next two Star Wars movies on Netflix, but you won’t be able to stream the trilogy’s final movie, which comes after 2019.

It was expected that Disney would eventually create its own streaming service since it has an enormous collection of valuable movies and shows to offer. They will kick off their platform with films like Toy Story 4, Frozen 2 and more.

Disney’s streaming Tech

Disney has announced a big investment in BAMTech making it a major stakeholder in the company. Disney’s streaming service will be built using technology from BAMTech, which is already a video streaming platform.

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Grab your popcorn and get cozy on your couch because I’m about to share with you some outstanding movies that you must definitely watch. Whether you’re crazy about tech movies or not I guarantee that you’re going to enjoy watching these films.

Each of the following movies has its’ own unique style and I’m sure they will change the way you view technology.

1. Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs is not just a biography movie. It’s a behind the scenes view of the ideas and struggles of one of the greatest innovators of our time. It walks us through Apple’s successes and failures. The movie is accompanied with a great dose of drama and passion. Watching this movie might make you rethink of certain aspects regarding creativity and leadership.

2. The Social Network

From an innovator to an internet pioneer, The Social Network revolves around the founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. The movie recounts the first days of Facebook and the story behind the scenes. Trust me, not everything is as you think it is. Facebook’s evolution to an internet giant has a shady and greedy past.

3. The Imitation Game

Ever wonder who the father of our beloved computers was? His name was Alan Turing. A brilliant mind that only recently got the recognition he deserved. The movie is based on a true story that took place during World War II. Turing along with a team of great mathematicians tries to crack the enigma code which would help win the war. The rest is history and you can watch it in this oscar nominated film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5CjKEFb-sM&t=85s

4. Ex Machina

Moving on from the past to the distant future Ex Machina is one of the best movies ever made involving Artificial Intelligence. A young programmer is selected to participate in an experiment to evaluate the human qualities of a very lifelike A.I. Everything that happens within the lab will make you seriously question our approach to the oncoming rise of humanoid robots with intelligence much greater than ours.

5. Her

If you’re tired of mainstream Hollywood movies and you’re looking for something original, Her is the next movie you should watch. Taking place in the future the film depicts the life of a lonely writer who literally falls in love with his operating system. Keep in mind that in the future, operating systems come with an intelligence meant to fit exactly with the user’s personality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzV6mXIOVl4

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