That's not an ending, that's a continuation of the progress we've been making for decades. Someone just wanted to write a bitchy article in Wired because they aren't in Minority Report yet.
I have to disagree a little there. There's been huge progress in communication but actual physical things (household robots or medical advances) not much. The linked-to articles (as well drones/robocars) show a beginning of a breakthrough in that sphere.
edit: I agree it's basically a continuation (cheaper) but you can say the same about internet (made in 60s but breakthrough in late 90s)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/science/a-robot-with-a-del...
http://arxivindex.blogspot.ca/2012/09/new-form-of-universal-...
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2012/nanoelectronics-and-tissu...