Steel Beach by John Varley:
Science Fiction Inventions, Technology and Ideas

Very absorbing novel; in this future, human beings have been expelled from the Earth and live in artificial habitats on other worlds. Very advanced technology and medicine make long life and almost any physical change in the body possible; anything can happen in this novel and mostly, it does. Not for children. Select an invention:

Direct Interface - cut NaturallySpeaking out of the loop
A form of computer interface that inputs text into a computer by thinking.

Disney Therapy
Letting people retreat to a simpler time, for their mental health.

Handwriter - tattoo as output device
A text input device implanted in your skin.

Hoverlimo - hovercraft for hire
A hovercraft for hire, with servility built in.

Nanobot
A robot constructed with nanotechnology.

Padloid - National Enquirer on your tablet PC
A tawdry news publication on a PDA, or notepad, device.

Readout Skin - Gutenberg gets tattoos
Normal-appearing skin that can be used as an output device for text or graphics.

 

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