[JOR4qxYH]

I don't think that most sci-fi actually attempts to make any predictions. It's mostly concerned with whether a piece of technology helps or hinders the story.

A more apt question would be "does futurology have any predictive skill," to which the answer is "probably not a whole helluva lot." When you consider how much impact something as relatively innocuous as the silicon integrated circuit has had on the world, it becomes difficult to believe that futurologists have fully considered the ramifications of the more aggressive technologies they've dreamed up (e.g., hovercars, cold fusion, biodomes, etc.).

In my experience, the sci-fi that focuses more on making predictions than on making a decent story tends to suck ass.

[idobestbuyonlinepp]

lets not forget the biggest STNG prediction - -

no more greed....yeah, sure

as long as there are humans

[2puO4Rhf]

Originally posted by General Ludd
In terms of prediction, the only sci-fi novel that comes to my mind (I have read very few) is Farenheit 451 which has done an excellent job of capturing the essence of our culture and where it has brought us today.

[OlgaBorovikovva]

Actually, for cell phones, you could go to the comic strip Dick Tracy - he had the 2-Way Wrist Radio in Jan 1946 (date per Wiki). Upgraded to 2-Way Wrist TV in 1964.