The future according to Google's Larry Page
I am more than ok with the self-driving car. This will really relieve us from a heavy and unsafe burden. Our grand kids in 50 years will wonder how we did foolishly let (almost) everyone drive so dangerous a killing machine.<p>But I am not ok with most other directions Google seem to be looking at:<p>- Voice control: Voice control maybe useful to do some hand-less complex configuration but it will always be awkward for normal operations of electronic tools. To push the comparison to its limits: one would not talk to one's screwdriver ("on the left, on the left, stop! on the right! get inside, turn right, euh no! I mean LEFT, counterclockwise..."), one will always prefer tools with direct interaction and feedback. Moreover, in most situations, using voice or sound to communicate is just adding noise to already noisy envs (eg on a plane, train, during meetings. etc).<p>A factory robot or a plane cockpit have full-fledged interfaces, with knobs and screens and all, but none will use voice control or even sound feedback except for the most urgent and intrusive warning notifications. Even the navigation voice telling me to "turn left in 100 meters" is too intrusive, because maybe at the same time I am talking with someone in the car. A soft "bzzz" on the wheel to remind me to check the navigation screen should be enough.<p>As anyone has experienced, the voice robot "press one for x, press two for y" is a very good subject for jokes, because it is borderline unbearable: both too slow and too fast, both too rigid and not solid enough. With touchscreens in everyone pocket, I bet these usability nightmares will be replaced with apps or websites.<p>So, in all, voice control, Siri and Google Now seem to be technological dead-ends. It will probably be similar to alchemy however: it is wrong to try to make gold out of mud, but it was the seed of Chemistry.<p>- Guess my wishes: I think the "Fairy Godmother" better stay fairy tale. Human beings have shown enough they do not like to be catered like a crowd of sheep. History books are full of revolutions against entities willing to "guess the wishes", from the Catholic Church, to communism, to feudalism. Always in the name of Freedom, and freedom is best felt when you have "unguessable wishes". If Google buys me plane tickets to Sri Lanka because it has detected it was the most suitable destination for my tastes, I probably will cancel the tickets and turn off Google Travel Prescience, because I want this choice to be mine.<p>I know I am getting a bit too far, but I don't think most people really want their wishes to be guessed. Everyone hopes to be unique, and choose one's life, and decide one's fate. This is the feeling of one's freedom and guessing wishes would just kill it.<p>Or, the "suggestions" must be very careful in suggesting things and must be psychological enough to let you think that you did find the idea yourself. Just like a careful mother will transparently suggest to a kid something to do or not to do and at the same time will not hinder the kids' feeling of "free-will".