I have no idea if “Will Life Be Worth Living In 2,000AD?” is authentic (why retype the article text but keep the already-clear images of the adverts?), but, if so, this 1961 Australian article is less interesting for what it predicts dead wrong — floating houses, space holidays, 24-hour work weeks — as what it identifies correctly …
You’ll have a home control room – an electronics centre, where messages will be recorded when you’re away from home. This will play back when you return, and also give you up-to-the minute world news, and transcribe your latest mail.
[…] The status symbol of the year 2000 will be the home computer help, which will help mother tend the children, cook the meals and issue reminders of appointments.
[…] Mail and newspapers will be reproduced instantly anywhere in the world by facsimile. There will be machines doing the work of clerks, shorthand writers and translators. Machines will “talk” to each other.
Indeed, there’s enough accurate here, amidst the food pills, cures for mental illness, and monorail systems, to make me more than a bit suspicious. Still, the ads are amusing enough for the price of admission.
(via Uncle Bear)