Will Marks and Spencer's digital manicure transform our digits?

With the Total Recall reboot in the works, it's timely to remember the vision of the future the original gave us.

Pretty much all I can remember about the 1990 version is that Arnie goes to Mars and that there's a lady with three breasts (she's in the new version, unsuprisingly) – and a beauty innovation that I still hope will come to pass: namely, nail varnish that changes colour when you prod your nails with a stylus.

Imagine my delight, then, when I heard that Marks & Spencer has just launched a makeover service where you can try out all of the colours of the nail varnish available in its swank new beauty halls at the touch of a button. The future has landed! Our digits have gone digital so no more waiting for wet nails to dry or realising too late that the hot coral hue looks more girdle-gusset pink in real life.

Hang on. The button that makes the makeover happen is on your mouse. And the instant nail-colour update is virtual, via marksandspencer.com. That's a nail in the coffin of that idea, alas.