Today's wee computing devices aren't nearly as threatening as those giant mainframes that took up entire floors. Which is why this awkwardly singing old IBM 7094 is far creepier than your video-capable iPhone could ever be.

This IBM was not only the first singing computer, it was also the inspiration for 2001's homicidal HAL 9000. Despite the explosion in networking and processing power in the decades since that film became a cultural touchstone, techno-dystopias seem to have only become tougher cultural sells. Familiarity has lulled humans into complacency. Plus, these little iPhones and BlackBerrys, they're just so cute.

[via BoingBoing]