6 TRON.
Although aimed at the younger set, TRON nevertheless intrigues film watchers interested in the what-if of virtual reality.
7 BLADE RUNNER.
Harrison Ford stars as a burnt-out cop chasing Replicants, artificial beings that have learned to kill in order to preserve their lives. The peek at this dark future world as well as the very human lives trapped within it is great.
8 GHOST IN THE SHELL.
Probably the hottest-selling anime movie ever. Motoko Kusanagi is a cyborg chasing a computer hacker known as The Puppet Master. A definite influence on THE MATRIX and the whole cyberpunk movement.
9 T2.
Although some might disagree with the choice and the exclusion of the first Terminator film, T2 really stood apart not only in the tech department regarding the action and what-if scenarios (and the chilling depiction of the T-1000 by Robert Patrick!) but in the special effects, as well.
10 WAR GAMES.
This chiller starring Matthew Broderick kicked off the artificial intelligence examinations by the film industry. Although intensely dated these days, the movie nevertheless sets forth the idea of a sentient computer judging the world.
Yes, I know I probably left some of your favorites off the list. And I probably included some that you don’t agree with. I’d be happy to entertain discussion at [email protected]. If you haven’t seen all of these movies, you really should.
Anyone who grew up reading science fiction knows that we’re now living in a world that’s really far beyond anyone’s expectations based on the technology of twenty and thirty years ago. The sheer immensity of how much technology has invaded our everyday world is only matched by the unbelievable casual disregard for it.
Microwave ovens, television remote controls and video games (remember Pong? Or Space Invaders?) were all in their infancy. Computers weren’t thought of as a household necessity, and few people believed their kids would be doing their homework on them or be able to check their school grades by simply accessing a Web page. I’ve got a friend who has wired his computer system throughout his house. Using just his voice while sitting in his easy chair (as long as he’s able to speak into a microphone to the computer), he can turn the lights on and off, change temperatures throughout the house, retrieve his e-mail messages and bring up the alarms that safeguard his house.
Here is a short, compact list of the coolest technology currently available on the market. The discussion about each is brief, but there is plenty of information about all of these items on the Internet—and in the library for those of you who haven’t yet learned the intricacies of surfing the cyber world.
1. WiFi (Wireless Fidelity). Without a doubt, this budding technology is going to change the face of the world. Setting up a network at home that will allow you access to your online connection from your desktop computer, notebook computer and pocket PC (not to mention the kids’ X-Box) is relatively simple. Everything you need comes in a kit and you can have it running within minutes and say goodbye to cables running throughout the house. Once the home network is set up, you can take your notebook computer out to the backyard pool and crunch numbers or write books while watching the kids frolic (or while watching that handsome hunk do half-gainers off the diving board!). WiFi allows a frequent computer user/Internet surfer to change surroundings easily, with no need for rerouting cables. Several bookstores and coffee shops offer WiFi hotspots with Internet access for free, and those numbers are growing every day. In 2004, Cincinnati, Ohio, was the first American city to go totally wireless.
2. Mobile Ad Hoc Network. An offshoot of the WiFi networks, a mobile ad hoc network relies on the availability of other network users. If a car going down the highway is equipped to receive the Internet from that city’s hot points while on the go, the receiving car also acts as a sending station, theoretically pushing out as much information as it takes in. Therefore, like the individual pearls that make up a necklace, the Internet signal is pushed farther and farther by each computer accessing it. These networks will expand the potential of computer users.
3. BlueTooth. This wireless application is quickly replacing the need even for the nifty and ever versatile USB cables. Only a few years ago, every peripheral that hooked up to the home computer seemed to come with its own connection. Then USB came onto the market and all the peripherals started speaking the same language and being able to share com ports. With BlueTooth installed on two devices, such as a pocket PC and a cell phone or a pocket PC and a desktop PC or a PC of any kind and a printer, those paired devices communicate efficiently and without cables. BlueTooth enables hands-free operation of cell phones in cars, with recognition of up to five different cell phone numbers. The only drawback is that the paired devices have to be within 33 feet of each other. Simple encryption keeps others from intercepting your signals even out in public. If your devices (like the printer you use nearly every day) didn’t come equipped with BlueTooth, you can add a USB plug-in (capable of being used by all your BlueTooth devices instead of a cable—er, plug-in—for each). Do away with the cable spaghetti in your office!
4. GPS. Everyone seems to take this technology for granted because it has definitely become so pervasive in society. GPS just rolls trippingly off the tongue. Even most users don’t know how the technology works. (A GPS-equipped device passively contacts at least four of the 24 U.S. Air Force satellites kept in 12-hour orbits around the planet. But you knew that, right?) Many phones come equipped with GPS locaters installed for 911 calls so emergency teams or law enforcement personnel can quickly find them. Less climatic but no less stressful, many cars now come equipped with GPS and an onboard route mapper so the driver always knows where he or she is. If your vehicle doesn’t have GPS and a mapping system built in, one can be quickly added for a modest price. Even pocket PCs (like the IPAQ, discussed next) can be equipped with a GPS sleeve that allows communication with those space-based satellites that constantly know where you are. And the technology can be used for more frivolous purposes than simply having to ask the next convenience-store clerk how to get where you’re going. One of my friends maps a golf course with a pocket PC program, then uses GPS to check the distance on his golf swing!
5. Pocket PCs. First of all, a PDA (personal digital assistant) is not a pocket PC. A lot of confusion exists on the similarity and function of each. A PDA basically keeps up with contacts, appointments, some math utilities, etc. A pocket PC on the other hand (like IPAQ’s awesome device and Dell’s new Axim) runs Windows-based products like Word, Outlook, Excel, Microsoft Money, MSN Messenger, Streets and Trips, etc. If a program exists on your desktop that you like, chances are that one exists for the pocket PC or is coming soon. In addition to handling your checking and travel arrangements, pocket PCs also take care of your e-mail and online needs when linked by BlueTooth to your cell phone. Recently, though, IPAQ has started manufacturing their pocket PCs with phones built into them, eliminating the need of carrying a phone while upgrading to a nearly full-on computer experience. Worried about managing your pocket PC on the go while juggling the same files you’re working on away from home? Afraid that you’ll mix them up? With the docking functionality (by USB cable, BlueTooth or infrared) the pocket PC communicates with the desktop or notebook PC and updates the latest information between both, including your expense account and changes to your projects as well as e-mail updates.
6. MP3. Despite getting a somewhat black eye over the music downloads that go on, MP3 format audio is—for the moment—the best tech going for those products. MP3 works by encoding digital audio data into a compressed format called a bitstream. The second part of the tech decodes it on your device (such as your computer, iPod or DVD/MP3 player in your home or car). I love to listen to audiobooks as well as music, but keeping up with all of those CDs gets problematic, and I’ve been known to lose or destroy a few. Now audiobooks are being manufactured on DVD in MP3 format. All on one disk. You could upload them to your iPod so you can take it with you whereve
r you go. Personally, I just dump audiobooks onto my IPAQ Pocket PC and play them through my car stereo. That way my originals stay in perfect condition. MP3 allows you to put 12 times as much audio on a hard drive, portable drive, CD or DVD. I don’t know about you, but I can always use extra closet space!
7. TiVo. Absolutely an incredible product for those of us who are constantly on the go. I like television. It soothes and relaxes and entertains. But being busy sometimes means not being home to catch every episode of a favorite show (like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alias, 24, Lost, Desperate Housewives, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY, House, Veronica Mars—pick your own delish dish!). TiVo, with its season pass, records your favorite shows automatically when you’re not there.
8. Bittorrent. Another cyber utility that is getting a black eye, Bittorrent allows video compression of files. Unfortunately, a number of movies appear on the Internet before being released on U.S. screens (because of the 12-hour time difference between China and other countries and the U.S.). Pirates with handheld recorders download the first-release movies then upload them to the Internet. However, I love Bittorrent for the simple fact that sometimes local television preempts one of my favorite shows (can’t believe they do that) or a show is moved around and the season passes on the TiVo get into conflict (don’t you hate when that happens) and I can go onto the Internet and download whatever episode I want to see. Occasionally, an episode gets chopped up by local events (news, weather, a Presidential speech) and I want to see it without those things getting in the way. A quick trip to my favorite Bittorrent site on the Internet takes care of that!
9. eBooks. Don’t get me wrong, there’s something so magical about holding a book in your hands and kicking back in a chaise lounge at the beach (with guys playing volleyball nearby). But when I’m on the go, I like the portability of the eBook. A simple download puts a book on your notebook PC or pocket PC (it really is a versatile tool and entertainment center all rolled up into one!) so you can read it on the plane, in a hotel room, in a doctor’s office or at the beach.
10. MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game). Okay, this last one is purely a guilty pleasure. Getting on the Internet and immersing myself in another world with people I meet online is just sheer fun. I get to be somebody else, anybody I want to be. MMORPGs had their beginnings in MUDs (Multi-User Dungeon) but have far outstripped anything that has gone before. In addition to playing really cool games in real time, I get to meet interesting people and form friendships that stay neatly within the game. Also, the games run 24 hours a day, so when I’m restless, I can pop in and see what’s going on, exchange strategy or news with one of my buds and potentially save the world while I’m at it! It’s a win-win situation. One of the grandest MMORPGs is Everquest, but my favorite for the past few months is Cryptic Studios’ City of Heroes. I get to be a superhero, have cool powers and I look really great in spandex!
There you have it. A list of technology and gadgets that I think are the coolest around. Take a look and see what you think. If you want to compare notes, I can be reached at [email protected], if I’m not busy catching up on television or battling some archvillain!
Recently, Associate Senior Editor Natashya Wilson gave us the scoop on the Silhouette Bombshell series that features empowered heroines, like the heroines in SMOKESCREEN, who take charge and save the day.
What are people saying about Silhouette Bombshell?
USA TODAY calls them “strong, sexy heroines who save the day and then pick their own man.” The Chicago Sun-Times says, “when the pedal hits the metal, these ladies are at the wheel.” The Austin Chronicle calls it “the first-ever fully realized line of action-adventure books for women.” Get ready for the time of your life….
What is Silhouette Bombshell?
You’re about to enter the high-stakes world of Silhouette Bombshell, where the heroine takes charge and never gives up—whether she’s standing up for herself, saving her friends and colleagues from grave danger or daring to go where no woman has gone before. Every Silhouette Bombshell story is a high-voltage, high-stakes suspense adventure in which the heroine saves the day—guaranteed.
If you like what you read here, we’ve got just the books for you. These three stories are shorter than a full-length Silhouette Bombshell novel, but they pack just as much punch! Every month, Silhouette Bombshell stands and delivers four fascinating, fast-paced reads about women you’ll want to know, caught up in adventures you’ll never forget. Multilayered, compelling and unpredictable…that’s Silhouette Bombshell!
Who is the Bombshell heroine?
She may be a secret agent, a mother protecting her child, a military officer who stumbles into a hornet’s nest. She could be any woman, seeking to bring some justice to the world. She’s the bombshell of the new millennium: smart, savvy, sexy and strong. She’s as comfortable in a cocktail dress as she is brandishing blue steel. She’s everywhere in the media—on the big screen and the small—in movies such as Kill Bill, Tomb Raider and Charlie’s Angels and TV shows such as Alias, Crossing Jordan and CSI.
She isn’t perfect. She isn’t immune to harm. But a Silhouette Bombshell heroine has smarts, persistence and an indomitable spirit, qualities that will get her into trouble and out again in an exciting adventure that will also bring her a man worth having…if she wants him!
Who are the Silhouette Bombshell authors?
They’re writers from all walks of life—military, rescue workers, professors, psychologists, homemakers, pilots and much, much more. They’re USA TODAY bestselling authors, award-winning novelists, veteran action-adventure writers and fresh new voices who create compelling stories featuring women you’ll want to read about.
Look for Silhouette Bombshell books, available at your favorite retail outlet. Silhouette Bombshell…for the strong, sexy, savvy reader in you!
CHECKMATE
by
Doranna Durgin
On sale June 2005 from
Silhouette Bombshell
Every month Silhouette Bombshell has four fresh, unique, satisfying reads to temp you into something new…
Here’s an exclusive excerpt from one of this month’s thrilling releases, the final Athena Force adventure, CHECKMATE by Doranna Durgin.
“Ambassador—” Selena Shaw Jones rubbed the bridge of her nose, right above the little bump Cole liked so much. Don’t think about Cole just now. Fatigue washed over her in a startling rush. She closed her mouth on indiscreet words, a warning from the supersecret Oracle database—the alarming intel from the CIA, along with other military and agency listening posts with which an FBI legate such as Selena should have no direct connection. Word that the Kemeni rebels of Berzhaan were desperate in the wake of what they thought was U.S. support—that they had to grab power now, or concede it forever.
“Selena?” Ambassador Allori set his teacup in the saucer, brows drawing together. “Are you quite all right?”
And just like that, she wasn’t. Her stomach spasmed beyond even her iron control, and she blurted, “Excuse me!” and bolted from the room, briefcase clutched in her hand. She remembered the bathroom as a barely marked door down the embassy hall and only hoped she was right as she slammed it open. Thank God. Most of the room was a blur but she honed in on an open stall door, grateful for the lavish, updated fixture—
Better than a hole in the floor. Been there, done that.
And when she leaned back against the marbleized stall wall, marveling at the sudden violence her system had wreaked upon her, the thought flashed unbidden and unexpected through her mind: We were trying to start a family.
No. Not here, not now. Not with Cole half a world away and an even bigger emotional gap between them. She knew he hid things from her; she thought she could live with that. Maybe not. Selena clenched down on her thoughts the same way she’d tried to clench down on her stomach, and stumbled out to the pristine sink to crank the cold water on full and splash her face and rinse her mouth. When she dared to look at her imag
e, she found that it reflected what she felt: she looked stronger, less green. This particular storm, whatever the cause, was over.
What if she were pregnant in a strife-torn Berzhaan, her estranged husband not even knowing he was estranged? Theoretically he was still deeply undercover in wherever it was that he’d gone, unable to do more than send a sporadic e-mail or two. Theoretically.
Except she’d seen him in D.C.
Kissing someone else.
If she were pregnant…she’d have to stay here long enough to stabilize this new legate’s office, in spite of the unrest. And then she’d have to go home…she’d have to tell Cole. To decide if she trusted him, or if she’d merely contribute to the long line of broken branches in her family tree.
And if this is any taste of things to come, I’ll have to carry around a barf bag wherever I go.
The water still trickled; she scooped another handful into her mouth, held it and spit it out. Her eyes stung, sympathetic to her throat. It wasn’t until she coughed, short and sharp, that she stiffened—and realized that the uncomfortable tang didn’t come from her abused throat, but from the air she breathed.
Tear gas.
Trickling in from the street outside? From somewhere in the building?
Damn. Damn, damn, DAMN.
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