# If you could have one sci-fi gadget... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 30, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426 "2005-01-30T15:11:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/41 "2005-01-31T02:18:51Z")
A tricorder. It would come in handy for diagnosing patients at work and it could tell me why my intestines really hate me right now. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/42 "2005-01-31T02:45:18Z")
Since this is basically a poll, I’ll move it to [**In My Humble Opinion**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?f=12) for you. **Cajun Man** for the SDMB ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/43 "2005-01-31T03:10:11Z")
7 of 9. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/44 "2005-01-31T03:23:00Z")
I’d go with the _Heart of Gold_. An improbability drive can do pretty much anything, right? ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/45 "2005-01-31T03:36:02Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > 7 of 9. I was wonderin’ when I’d see this. But I’d definitely want a flying, time-travelling battlemech with a fully fuctional 1920’s style death ray as it’s primary weapon. That, or a fully atomated Death Star. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/46 "2005-01-31T03:42:16Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > I’d go with the _Heart of Gold_. An improbability drive can do pretty much anything, right? Yes, but there may be side effects. If the Borg collective counts, I want the Vorlon homeworld (and the ability to get there safely). ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/47 "2005-01-31T03:49:45Z")
> [@Dancer\_Flight](#): > > I give you [Snopage](http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp). > > In Short: Fisher was not commisioned to develop the pen and did not charge NASA for the R&D. Before there were the pens, both Astronauts and Cosmonauts used pencils. After development, both Astronauts and Cosmonauts used the space pen. Damnit, now you’re ruining all my fun! 😃 Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Lola\_Granola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Lola\_Granola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lola_Granola)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/48 "2005-01-31T06:02:24Z")
> [@nitroglycerine](#): > > A holodeck would be nice, but I’m not sure how my wife would like me hanging out with asian lesbian nymphomaniacs all the time. I think I’d take a replicator. I’d have me some hash brownies and Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee every morning for breakfast 🆒 Gotta agree with you. A replicator would save me and my family from my boring cooking. And a large hash brownie with a glass of cold milk sounds WONDERFULL right now… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![EmeraldGrue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dc4da7/32.png) [@EmeraldGrue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmeraldGrue)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/49 "2005-01-31T15:47:05Z")
GIR counts as a gadget, right? (“I neeeeed tacos or I will explode! That happens sometimes…”) ---
**Author:** ![Cynical\_Optimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Cynical\_Optimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cynical_Optimist)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/50 "2005-01-31T18:34:13Z")
I’d like one of James Bond’s cars, should make the Mass Pike alot more fun every day. Let’s see, should I go for the Jaguar with rocket launchers or go all-out for the Aston Martin with machine guns? Decisions, decisions… Or maybe just an ornithopter to avoid the traffic altogether. Teleporters may be more practical but where’s the fun in that? ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/51 "2005-01-31T18:42:05Z")
If we’re taking small ships I’ll take the Millennium Falcon. You can pick up chicks better with the Falcon than a Runabout. A holodeck would be the death of me so no thank you. But a replicator, now that would be something worth having. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang would be kind of cool. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/52 "2005-01-31T18:44:25Z")
R2D2. Of course, he’s got to come with that translator periferic, you know, the golden thingamajigwhat’sitcalled. And a remote to shut the golden thingamajig off when I don’t want to hear it whine. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/53 "2005-01-31T19:01:59Z")
Tang. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2005, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426/54 "2005-01-31T23:22:27Z")
Obi, from the **Well of Souls** series by Jack Chalker He’s a sentient, moon-sized spacecraft/computer/god, who is also a genuinely nice guy. We could travel around the universe doing good. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-could-have-one-sci-fi-gadget/287426.md?page=2)