Review: Very engrossing, insightful, prophetic!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 10, 2013
I've read The Beam and loved it. This book seems to have been written almost as a prequel, but also as a stand-alone book. Covers the implementation of the "internet" that people of the future could live under. Extremely engrossing read. As I read, I realized that the author/s have a full understanding of technology and human nature. How we live now, compared to even 25 years ago and what the "internet" technology can evolve into is dead on...and scary as hell! Some of what is "predicted" in Plugged is already happening, such as Google Glass, cloning, bio-feedback, even the Kindle I read this on. I found myself getting very involved in the story, remembering how it was before cell phones were popular (not so long ago), and how everyone is so tuned in now with their electronics. From posting on Facebook to uploading videos to the web to location services. It's all happening now. So, it's not a very hard stretch of the imagination to jump into Plugged's near future. What happens when you can't get a cell signal? What happens when there is an outage of some kind for your internet? What happens when we can't get the news on our devices, find a local restaurant (and make reservations, all online)? We freak out! What about our GPS? Turn it on, no matter where you are...THERE you are! Nanobots? Not sure if they exist publically yet, but imagine they do somewhere in some lab. No matter, with all the computer-enhanced medical procedures already in place, Plugged is coming true already. Cosmetic enhancements...yep, Doctors can do wonders already. Is this good or bad? Read Plugged to see what the author/s think. Might just surprise you! Of course, it depends on your take on technology but remember that ALL technology makes a difference in how we live. I recommend reading The Beam first, then Plugged to get a better understanding of the book's contents, but reading in either order is ok. Plugged is not a "dry, technical" read, it has a story to it also, so ends up being very entertaining, no matter how you see the future. Definitely a MUST-READ!