I'm a James Bond fanatic.  I own every film and have watched each one probably 5+ times.  I've even watched "the making of" extras on every DVD (I used to have a lot of time on my hands).

One of my favorite interactions in every James Bond has been with the gadget master "Q".  Since they have tried to re-introduce James Bond to a new generation with Daniel Craig as 007, they have decided to remove "Q" and a lot of the far fetched gadgets that I love.

What does this have to do with design vs. functionality in technology you may ask?

The writers of James Bond films over the decades have come up with some incredible ideas of wishful technologies for the future, and in many cases they have become a reality today and improved upon from the initial concepts (aka. designed better and more functional).

So since we may not see much in the upcoming Quantum of Solace film regarding futuristic gadgets, and "Q" will not be making an appearance, here's a shout-out to a few of the James Bond technologies that were ahead of their time, and now... may not be:

Invisible Car (Die Another Day) - Light Bending Metamaterials

Voice Changer (Diamonds are Forever) - Voice Changer Software

Ski Jacket Emergency Pod (The World is Not Enough) - Avalanche Airbag System

Phone Controlled Car (Die Another Day) - SkakerRacer and Wii and iPhone Controlled Military Robots