Ready Or Not, Here “IT” Comes

Think the Internet was a pretty cool idea? Theres a new product allegedly coming out that one journalist predicts will “change the world.” And hes not just blowing smoke: Amazon.coms Jeff Bezos and Apples Steve Jobs both have seen the prototype and reportedly are very impressed.

Online magazine Inside.com reports that “IT”—code-named “Ginger”—is an invention developed by 49-year-old scientist Dean Kamen. Sources are being very closed-mouth about the product, but Harvard Business School Press was impressed enough about the subject matter to advance $250,000 for a book about it, without knowing exactly what “IT” is.

Inside.com says journalist Steve Kemper pitched the proposal for the book. From that proposal, Inside.com surmised that a) its not a medical device; b) it will be a mass-market consumer item; and c) it has a fun element to it, as evidenced by Bezos “loud, honking laugh” when whatever “IT” is was demonstrated for him.

Sounds pretty cool to us. As fans of 60s and 70s sci-fi, we hope its at least an invisibility machine, a Star Trek-like transporter, or one of those instant meal-makers that the Jetsons had.

Now for the bad news: “Ginger” wont be revealed until 2002. The wait alone might kill us.