Google Glass is going to change the way society reacts. At least that's what many people think. Similar predictions have been made a century ago about the radio.

Writing in the September 1923 issue of Radio News magazine, inventor Aubra R. Dunham imagined that people of the future might carry a flashlight-sized push-button radio beacon, making street crime a thing of the past. Like Google Glass - rendering crime completely obsolete since "everyone is going to be monitored".

The radio took a while to gain traction. But that didn't stop it of course. As Dunham wrote in Radio News:
It is certainly true that there is no "future" for the criminal. Radio can, and will, be a great crime preventor [sic], as the radio detective is coming into his own.

There are thousands of radio sets in every city, and thousands more are being installed every day. There are several in every city block.

Now, a man carrying a miniature sending station in his pocket, as a flashlight or gun can be carried, would be dangerous prey to the criminal no matter how dark the night. For all he would have to do in order to obtain assistance would be to press the button on this simple little device which it is now possible to construct. Even his location can be ascertained without any further effort on his part than to press a button. Think what a device of this nature will mean to man for protection of his life and property!
Who knew radio's vision was like that? Like a lightsaber below?



Google Glass looks like its starting out the way radio did, but will it be entirely different? Or will it fulfil the predictions people have on the device?