Rants and Ramblings: random commentary about culture, media, politics, technology and whatnot.

geekery gone "cool"

Move over, metrosexuals. The “technosexual” may be the next hot thing.

The technosexual is essentially the style-conscious metrosexual, but with a certain geeky obsessiveness about electronics and gadgetry. (AlterNet: “Enter the Technosexual” - 03/08/04)

“With metrosexuality, it’s about style, fashion, culture, and grooming for the straight male. A metrosexual man may be seen at an NBA game one night and an art gallery opening the next,” says Ricky Montalvo, the man who wants to take technosexuals mainstream. “We take it one step further by adding technology. A technosexual man may not need to go to the NBA game because he can get highlights and scores via SMS or by browsing the web on his PDA while at the art gallery.”

On a related geeky note (and perhaps a topic close to the technosexual’s heart), the San Francisco Chronicle reported today about the range of everyday gadgets that Star Trek has inspired. (“Trek Tech” - 03/15/04) It’s fascinating how great an impact the sci-fi gadgetry used in the show has influenced everything from the function to the interface design of modern technology.

People talk to each other on wireless communicators called cell phones. They have instant access to infinite amounts of information on the Internet. And they can spend hours staring at a big wall-mounted plasma or liquid- crystal display TV watching reruns of “Star Trek.” That is, if they can afford one.

Indeed, 40 years after “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry outlined his vision for the groundbreaking science-fiction TV series, some of the once- futuristic personal technology depicted in the voyages of the starship Enterprise have become a reality.

Moreover, “Star Trek” has influenced a generation of engineers and scientists, inspiring them to engage in the future they saw on TV and to “make it so.”