We could have had hard drives (and much much more) in the 1940's.
 

How Ma Bell Shelved the Future for 60 Years

RAAAGGGEEEE

Can you imagine what this could have done for humanity?!

It would have rolled technological development back 20 years or so. Nothing too major in the grand scheme of things.

Huh! >.>

Very interesting article.

Interesting... although I think that it wouldn't have made a huge difference simply because there have been other limiting factors - primarily the limitations of chip fabrication in terms of process size and density of transistors - and for that matter, even the invention of integrated circuits themselves.
The difference between a hard drive and an early magnetic tape is like the difference between a modern car and a Ford Model T.

Color television sets were invented in the 40s; no one really knows about that since they were so expensive to make back then that they were never sold until the late 50s.

You're probably right, but it's still disappointing.

We could already be playing with holograms lol.

No we wouldn't. However, if you want holograms, support private industry. They'll be the ones to do it.

The only technologies I am anxiously awaiting are those that would make this technological society sustainable. As in, not depending on oil 'til the last bitter drop of it; not destroying every food chain and every square inch of fertile topsoil; not causing red tides, depleted groundwater, and massive climate change.

Like electric cars and solar panels, for a start (oil and car industries for the lose). And Smart Paper, which Xerox bought the patent on and now won't release.

Ironic then the amount of oil the production of solar panels actually uses, along with producing various toxic byproducts.
I agree in principle, but some technologies that are claimed as a solution are nothing but placebos.

Not solutions, I agree, but progress at least. :)

Bell Labs have an interesting history, perhaps the most known invention that came out of there is the Transistor, which in turn, dates from a patent registered in 1925 by J.E. Lilienfeld...