# Things that haven't been invented yet **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 7, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562 "2004-09-07T23:40:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/41 "2004-09-09T10:48:30Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > In Australia the ‘paper’ money is actually printed on a kind of thin plastic. It handles pretty much like ‘paper’ money, except you can’t fold or crease it, and it lasts a lot longer. Can’t fold it? Yes you can, just as easily as paper money. I assume you mean it doesn’t hold the crease as easily. **Tannoys and public address systems that actually work**. There are lots of instances where the so-called public address system is largely useless, and you can’t tell what is being said by the announcer (it’s a big problem on things like train stations, here in England) [/QUOTE] Hmm. In my experience here in England, these have got vastly better in the past few years. At my local station on the South West Trains line the announcements are crystal clear nowadays. Same goes for those on the trains. ---
**Author:** ![FruitPie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@FruitPie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FruitPie)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/42 "2004-09-09T10:57:30Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > **A video recorder that you can program remotely** , say over a phone line. You’re at work or away from home and you read about something on TV this evening. You know you won’t be home in time, so you want to tell your VCR (or recordable hard disk device gizmo) to record it for you. But you can’t. All the technology to make this possible has been around for a long time, but it’s still ‘no can do’. In a similar vein,why the hell isn’t there a machine I can use to record a radio program?I can set a video to record different programs on different channels over the next two weeks,but if there’s something good on the radio,I have to set the tape when I go out and leave it recording for hours.Surely there’s technology to do this? ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/43 "2004-09-09T11:11:45Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > **A video recorder that you can program remotely** , say over a phone line. You’re at work or away from home and you read about something on TV this evening. You know you won’t be home in time, so you want to tell your VCR (or recordable hard disk device gizmo) to record it for you. But you can’t. All the technology to make this possible has been around for a long time, but it’s still ‘no can do’. Tivo now has the ability to be programmed over the Internet. So, if you’re at work and forgot to program something in, go to the website, and from there it will send the data to your Tivo. So, it exists. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/44 "2004-09-09T11:12:54Z")
> [@FruitPie](#): > > In a similar vein,why the hell isn’t there a machine I can use to record a radio program?I can set a video to record different programs on different channels over the next two weeks,but if there’s something good on the radio,I have to set the tape when I go out and leave it recording for hours.Surely there’s technology to do this? There is. Just hook your stereo to your VCR. Simple. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/45 "2004-09-09T12:28:38Z")
Paper (or even plastic) money with barcodes. After scanning the price plus card and scanning the groceries, why can’t the cashier scan the money and have it electronically subtracted from the total? I can’t believe they didn’t think of this when they designed the new US currency. ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/46 "2004-09-09T12:34:56Z")
On behalf of women who wish to have children but need to delay the process for some reason, a method of long-term storage for ova. Sperm can be frozen, embryos can be frozen, but ova alone cannot. There’s gotta be a way! ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/47 "2004-09-09T12:47:11Z")
What about my flying car? I was promised one by the year 2000. Where is it? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/48 "2004-09-09T14:08:01Z")
> [@Sean Factotum](#): > > What about my flying car? I was promised one by the year 2000. Where is it? Yeah, yeah, and my android handmaiden. I believe, seeing how people _drive_, that I do not want to grant them an additional dimension of motion; I have enough trouble looking out for them coming at me from right, left, and behind. Guys, I believe **Guinastasia** ’s gripe is with how come the UPS was not made _a standard built-in basic feature_ of desktop computers something like a decade ago. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/49 "2004-09-09T14:09:28Z")
How about this one - which I wouldn’t have needed to post ten years ago: A VCR that lets me record one show while watching a different one. Stoopid digital cable. Stoopid cable boxes that only get one thing in at a time. Stoopid, stoopid. I used to be able to do it with good old network TV and fuzzy reception! How is it that we’ve gone backwards here? (Nope, can’t afford Tivo. But I’m coveting it greatly.) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/50 "2004-09-09T14:33:47Z")
Magnetout: Sadly, I know. I’ve been watching the OQO for 2-3 years now. There are a few other pocketable PC designs which HAVE hit the market, but the OQO still looks the sweetest. I’m also gonna need to disagree with your statement about whittling away the laptop. The OQO can do anything a laptop can do(except for reading data mediums like cd’s and DVD’s) and more with its built in touch screen. Personally if an OQO-esque device ever becomes available and Wireless internet everywhere developes into a reality i’d be first in line to buy one. Doubly so if it comes while i’m still a college student. **Whynot** > [@](#): > > A VCR that lets me record one show while watching a different one. Uh Dude, my VCR does this. It’s 6 years old at least. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/51 "2004-09-09T14:37:09Z")
> [@Harmonix](#): > > Uh Dude, my VCR does this. It’s 6 years old at least. Dude, so did mine - 6 years ago when I didn’t have cable. Now that I’m saddled with the only cable-provider in the area, they tell me it’s impossible to do. So maybe I should rephrase that to wishing I had a cable system which would allow my VCR to do what I have it for in the first place: taping one show while watching another. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/52 "2004-09-09T14:46:55Z")
> [@Yumblie](#): > > How about combining those two and creating “The Pet Bee Pistol”. Finally, we can have dogs that shoot bees out of their mouths. Still, it’s no match for a Poodle Gun. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/53 "2004-09-09T14:48:44Z")
VCRs have been able to let you view one channel while it recorded another for at least 20 years. Look for the TV/VCR button on your remote. If VCR manufacturers hadn’t included that feature, and caused them to monopolize your TV, consumers would have revolted! ---
**Author:** ![Baron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9de0a6/32.png) [@Baron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/54 "2004-09-09T15:06:37Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Dude, so did mine - 6 years ago when I didn’t have cable. Now that I’m saddled with the only cable-provider in the area, they tell me it’s impossible to do. So maybe I should rephrase that to wishing I had a cable system which would allow my VCR to do what I have it for in the first place: taping one show while watching another. If you pay to rent a second cable box you would be able to watch one show and record another–hook one up to the VCR, and one to the TV. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/55 "2004-09-09T15:08:30Z")
> [@AngelicGemma](#): > > A shampoo that stops your hair growing. And if you want to grow your hair again, just stop using the shampoo. (My hair grows really quickly, and when I get my hair cut into a fabulous new style it grows out really quicky. VERY annoying.) > > Science not being my strong point, I have no idea if this would ever be possible. Lose weight quickly and drastically, and there’s a good chance you’d get your wish. You won’t see the results for 3-6 months, but it’ll be there. See, you don’t want your hair to stop growing, unless you could also manage to stop any from falling out. Your hair follicles have basically an on/off switch. At any one time, a certain number are off (not growing) and the rest are on (growing). Sudden and drastic weight loss causes a lot of them to shut off temporarily. The result is hair thinning that is noticable around 3-6 months later (not necessarily by others, but definitely by you). By the way, by the time you notice it, your hair is probably already back to growing, but it’ll probably take another 3-6 months to notice it. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/56 "2004-09-09T16:19:05Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > So maybe I should rephrase that to wishing I had a cable system which would allow my VCR to do what I have it for in the first place: taping one show while watching another. There is one – **analog** cable, _without_ converter boxes. You just plug in the coax from the wall into the back of the VCR. But that means no digital goodies or pay-per-view! What you want is for the cable co.s and electronics/component makers to figure out how to do a converter box that outputs on ALL channels, rather than just 3 or 4. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/57 "2004-09-09T17:27:50Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Yeah, yeah, and my android handmaiden. I believe, seeing how people _drive_, that I do not want to grant them an additional dimension of motion; I have enough trouble looking out for them coming at me from right, left, and behind. Avery Brooks did an ad for someone a couple of years ago where he was carrying on about flying cars. _Where are the flying **cars**?!_ Think the spot may have been for IBM. > [@more from JRDelirious](#): > > Guys, I believe **Guinastasia** ’s gripe is with how come the UPS was not made _a standard built-in basic feature_ of desktop computers something like a decade ago. I believe it was PC Power & Cooling that had a PC power supply with an internal battery about 10-15 years ago. Recall their claim was how it was so much more efficient than regular UPSs as the DC battery power wasn’t being inverted up to 120 VAC, then back down to 5 and 12 VDC. Think they called it “The Insider” ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/58 "2004-09-09T18:25:02Z")
> [@Podkayne](#): > > Oooo, oooo, you know what I want them to invent? A screen that’s comfortable to read lots of text from. It should look basically like a piece of paper, except that it can rewrite itself. Bonus points if you can fold it up and stick it in your back pocket. [Done](http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2004, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/59 "2004-09-09T18:40:45Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > I believe it was PC Power & Cooling that had a PC power supply with an internal battery about 10-15 years ago. I don’t see it as being a major advantage. You’d still need a UPS for the monitor and some of the peripherals. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562/60 "2004-09-10T00:42:02Z")
I want a traffic management system for my car. Some 200+ days a year I get in my car in the morning at my house and drive 25 miles through a major metropolitan area to the same place, my work. Then at the end of the day I drive home again. Traffic is the enemy. I listen to the news radio station just to get the traffic reports. If there is any kind of problem or backup on my #1 route to work, I switch to #2. Another accident? Switch to #2a. But basically it is just me using 19th century technology (the radio) and the mental map in my head of the major roads in the Boston metropolitan area. What I want is a system that uses a combination of GPS, clocks and maybe automatic monitoring of remotely sensed traffic volumes on major roads to tell me the best route to take to work at that instant. Something that would know by itself where I was, the time of day and the day of the week. I could punch in a limited number of pre-set destinations (“Work”. “School”. “Bob’s house”) and it would tell me something along the lines of “Turnpike normally backed up Mondays at 8:30. Reported traffic volumes heavier than normal. Try Route 2”. Of course it wouldn’t necessarily have to talk. Some type of discreet heads-up display would work. Maybe it could even factor in weather conditions. I know a lot of this stuff exists separately but I haven’t heard of it all combined in one package. Can’t be that hard, can it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-havent-been-invented-yet/263562.md?page=4)