Vacationing in the pleasant environs of North Georgia, I discovered a copy of the February 1989 edition of LIFE Magazine... an issue in which the editors turned on their crystal balls in order to give their readers a glimpse into "The Future & You."I found LIFE's gaze into the future interesting. Here's their preview (from the vantage point of 1989) of the coming revolution in telephone service:
* Video will be added, allowing callers to reach out and see someone.
* Portable phones will shrink to the size of a tie clip-and may double as such. (Seen any cool tie clips lately?!)
* Distinctive ring tones will reveal the identity of the caller.
* Simultaneous voice-simulated translations will permit callers to converse with people speaking different languages.
* At-home medical examinations will be conducted via the phone.
What's your picture of the future twenty years down the road?
