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The only real problem I’ve seen with Kurzweil’s predictions so far is that they don’t take into account interference from political, economic, and religous sources. Many of the “failed” predictions we actually have the prototype technology for (or are VERY close), but they were never adoped into everyday production either because they were too expensive for any company to bother with yet, or there just wasn’t enough public interest to warrant the refinement and mass production of the items. Corporations are motivated by profits, not advancing technology. If they don’t see a profitable market in a new technology, they won’t bother with it. Religious groups fight against any new tech that clashes with their own personal beliefs (Stem Cells, chemical enhancement, etc.). Political garbage derails all kinds of advancement (look at the state of NASA). Hell, look at the Dark Ages. If not for the religious oppression and constant warfare, we’d be about 1000 years further along in technological advancement already.

Sadly, even a perfect prediction of what we CAN do, doesn’t mean that we’ll actually see it in the real world. Far too many things can hold us back, and they often do.

Exactly, that’s what I think too. Kurzweil’s predictions are perfect, but the problem is that he’s predicting from science and technology sources only, but in the current world, although science and tecnology are taking the place of politics, economics and everything else, the fact is that in the world we’re living, we have a “god” called money. Like you said, corporations (and governments) are motivated by profits, not advancing tecnology. My father is always telling me that when he saw the landing in the moon in 1969, people were saying that by 2010 we would be living in Mars and exploring the rest of the Solar System (and you see….). I think that people were not incorrect, but they didn’t take into account the wars, the economic crisis, the political problems…..and of course, the simple fact that a science/technology doesn’t advance if it’s not profitable. Making a flying car is too much expensive….and making nanobots, space colonies, intelligent cities and buildings, nanofactories…….
And, of course, I’m forgetting the ethics, the moral doctrine, the philosophers and the religious people (I guess many of the last ones see Kurzweil like an evil prophet). “My God, it’s absolutely horrible make “perfect beings” which the only thing they share in common with humans is the appearance…. no, even not! Because, they have perfect athletic bodies, they’re tall, white, blond, blue-eyed….These transhumanist are just Neo-Nazis” (a devout christian talking about transhumanist)
But, to all those people like the example I’ve said, let me tell you this: imagine that “perfect being”. Imagine he/she has an “unimaginable” superintelligence, a “googloplex” times more intelligent than the smarter person that have existed. Imagine what such intelligent could do, and then, imagine what 50 billion of those intelligents could do. I’m sure they could saturate the infinite multiverse with their intelligence. But, again, “What? Are you talking about playing to be God? God bless you son, you’re mad.”

“Sadly, even a perfect prediction of what we CAN do, doesn’t mean that we’ll actually see it in the real world. Far too many things can hold us back, and they often do.”

Yes, sadly, but it’s true.

Guess I’m a late comer to Kurzweil…. I’m just now reading The Singularity is Near, about at Chapter 3, and already there seems to be a lack of accounting for the power of fear seated in the masses. Politics and Profit are obstacles that can be overcome, but superstition and fear are deeply rooted…. I think the concepts he discusses will come to pass eventually…… but I’m afraid there are many more wars to fight before we get there.