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SALT LAKE CITY — The ongoing legal battle between Apple and Samsung has produced plenty of headlines over the past couple years. Basically, Apple claims that Samsung’s tablets are an infringement on their iPad patents. Samsung’s attorneys refute this, claiming the technology and design aren’t unique to Apple.
In a brief submitted to the U.S. District Court, Samsung’s attorneys point out that the idea for flat tablets has been around a lot longer than Apple. Exhibit D in this argument was a movie still from Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey,” which showed astronauts from the film using personal tablets which have, according to the brief, “an overall rectangular shape with a dominant display screen, narrow borders, a predominately flat front surface, and a thin form factor.”
“2001: A Space Odyssey” was filmed in 1965, 11 years before Apple was established and 45 years before the first iPad was sold. Interestingly, the film’s computer tablets, conceived by Kubrick and co-writer Arthur C. Clark, were called Newspads. You can check out the Newspads in action in this short video clip.
Whether “Odyssey’s” Newspads are iPad prototypes is debatable, but the accuracy of the film’s personal tablet prediction is astounding. In honor of this sci-fi triumph, here’s a look at five other films that accurately predicted the future.
"Woman in the Moon" ("Frau im Mond")
Released: 1929
Prediction: Elements of space travel
Four decades before NASA put a man on the moon, this German film used stunning guesswork to predict many of the elements of space travel. Among its bold predictions are a multi-stage rocket and liquid fuel. The crew even counts down from 10 to zero prior to the launch, the first recorded countdown to a rocket launch. With its amazing prescience, “Woman in the Moon” is considered one of the most impactful sci-fi films of all time.
"Airplane II: The Sequel"
Released: 1982
Prediction: Airport body scanners
Although this lousy sequel was made in a time when airport security was minimal, it accurately predicted airport body scanning. In the movie’s imagined future, each airline passenger must pass through a full body scanner while security personnel view their naked image on a monitor screen. As any frequent traveler knows, this prediction has come true. Each year, millions of passengers pass through similar body scanners in U.S. airports. “Airplane II” made a joke of the scanning process, suggesting that the guards watching the monitors would single out attractive women. This has certainly occurred in our present day and numerous TSA agents have been accused of sexual harassment.
"Short Circuit"
Released: 1986
Prediction: Military robots
Johnny 5’s antics may seem like child’s play, but this film’s prediction of armed military ground vehicles is right on. The robots from “Short Circuit” (designed by Syd Mead of “Blade Runner” fame) have now become reality with our modern military’s unmanned ground vehicles. These robots move on tracked wheels, just like Johnny 5, and can carry weapons. Thousands of UGVs have seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan, presenting scenarios not unlike those suggested in the movie.
"Destination Moon"
Released: 1950
Prediction: Privately-funded space travel
This film’s main character is a rocket scientist who recruits private investors to fund his flight to the moon. Several visionary industrialists respond by pouring millions of dollars into the ultimately successful mission. As predicted, private investors have become key players in space travel. In 2004, Michael Mevill became the world’s first commercial astronaut when he piloted the privately funded SpaceShipOne to the boundary of space. And more than 500 space tourists have purchased seats aboard Sir Richard Branson’s privately funded VSS Enterprise.
"Total Recall"
Released: 1990
Prediction: Driverless cars
Based on a Philip K. Dick short story, this Arnold Schwarzenegger film envisioned elements of the future like videoconferencing and holograms. But it’s the JohnnyCab, an autonomous vehicle that drives its passengers anywhere they want to go, that was particularly prescient. While a driverless car may have seemed far-fetched to viewers back in 1990, Google has since patented its autonomous car and Nevada has made them street legal. With a roof-mounted laser that can differentiate between cars, pedestrians and stationary objects, Google’s car is a modern version of JohnnyCab, minus the animatronic driver.
So what are your favorite sci-fi movie predictions? Which movies best predicted the future and which failed miserably? Let’s hear them in the comments.
Grant Olsen joined the ksl.com team in 2012 as a contributing writer. He covers travel, outdoor adventures and other interesting things.
