Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson:
Science Fiction Inventions, Technology and Ideas

Cyberpunk classic; be sure to read one of the books that set the tone for many others. And yes, it does contain the greatest pizza delivery scene in all of world literature. Select an invention:

Airbag Jacket - instant Michelin Man
A jacket or coverall with inflatable air bags throughout for protection against impact.

Arachnofiber Uniforms - Spidey delivers pizza
Remarkable attire for a pizza delivery person; but given the violence of near future America, the protection offered by ordinary uniforms was insufficient.

Avatar - godlike poseurs
A computer-enhanced doppelganger; a computer-generated image that takes your place in a three-dimensional online encounter.

Avatar Construction Set - build your virtual self
A collection of software that allows the building of a complete avatar.

Burbclave - autonomous suburban enclave
Contraction of suburban enclave; an extension of today's gated communities.

CIC Virtual Earth - google earth
A software application that presents detailed information about the Earth.

Data Goggles - immerse yourself in the matrix
Eyewear connected to a computer provides total immersion in the matrix.

Deliverator Car - pizza on the edge
The vehicle for edgy pizza delivery.

Dentata - anti-rape device worn internally
An anti-rape device.

High-Voltage Cuffs - Captain Nemo likes
Metallic shirt-sleeve cuffs capable of carrying a charge.

Hypercard - it sure carries a lot of weight
A virtual business card; what one avatar might hand another to introduce themselves.

Loogie Gun - can't we have nonviolent AND sanitary?
A non-violent weapon that shoots a gooey mass to immobilize a person judged to have criminal or violent intent.

MagnaPoon - as in harpoon
To hitch a ride from a faster vehicle while riding a skateboard (from harpoon).

Metaverse - the whole virtual world
A virtual universe.

Metavirus (Digital Metavirus)
Binary code that can infect computers or even hackers, through the binary nerve.

Rat Thing
A guard cyborg created from a living animal.

Reason Hypervelocity Railgun
Multichamber weapon accelerates tiny splinters of metal.

Sintered Armorgel
A substance that is flexible when moved slowly, but which hardens upon external impact.

Smart Pizza Box - your pizza knows if it's late
A container with microprocessor-based data processing capabilities built-in to the box.

Smartwheels - variable length spokes
Special "wheels" that are actually sets of spokes that telescope to be as long as they need to be for a smooth ride.

U-Stor-It - go store yourself
A storage unit converted for use as an apartment.

 

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