>>But even here, somewhat ironically, he still scores, in that while the crew are discussing the likes of Jules Vernes and the eponymous author's older work`, it's stated (somewhat smugly to my mind) that nothing dates quicker than old SF that's been superceded by subsequent discoveries, or when the fiction becomes fact (e.g like when Man has gone to the Moon)
>>
>>Or is he hoist by his own petards? :-)
>
>In one of Larry Niven's RingWorld books (1970+) he describes a device that is striped to your wrist like a watch. This device (I beleive) was called a Joy-box. It not only told you the time, but was your phone, access to the central computer system, and even could make you a drink, and more. When I see what is continuously being added to the PDA these day, I can not help but think of the Joy-Boxes.

And the PDA's still can't make decent coffee.